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Effect of Clipping Frequency and Maturity on the Yield and Quality of Four Pearl Millets¹

The objective of this study was to determine how yield and quality of pearl millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke] forage might be improved by breeding later maturing cultivars. Three near-isogenic populations, A, B, and C and a synthetic D, requiring 73, 105, 160, and 194 days from planting to anthesis, respectively, were cut at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 week intervals for 2 yrs. Only at 8, 12, and 24 week cutting intervals, did populations B, C, and D exceed A in height. Populations A, B, C, and D produced very few seed heads when cut every 2 weeks. All had headed when cut once after 24 weeks. Percent of plants in head for A cut every 4 weeks was 94, for B cut every 8 weeks was 90 and for C and D cut every 12 weeks was 77 and 50, respectively. Cut at 12 and 24 weeks, C yielded 40 to 60% more dry matter than A. Cut more frequently, yields of A, B, and C were similar. Extending the maturity date from 73 to 160 days gradually increased leaf percentages and leaf yields. Cut every 12 weeks, C produced twice as much leaf material as A. Generally dry matter percentages decreased as the maturity of populations A, B, C, and D increased. Population A had the lowest digestibility and C and D had the highest digestibilities at all cutting frequencies.Population A had lower protein concentration at all cutting frequencies than B, C, and D which did not differ. Breeding later maturing cultivars taking over twice as many days to anthesis as the 73-day types generally sold today will not improve the seasonal distribution of the forage greatly but should increase animal performance particularly if they were grazed rotationally or fed as green chop and silage.

Key Words: Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke • Near-isogenic population • Nylon bag dry matter digestibility

² Research geneticist, USDA-ARS, and the Univ. of Georgia, College of Agric. Exp. Stns., Coastal Plain Exp. Stn., Agronomy Dep., Tifton, GA 31793; researcher, Centro Nacional de Recursos Geneticos, (National Center for Genetic Resources) EMBRAPA, Brazil; and professor, Animal Science Dep., Univ. of Georgia, College of Agric. Exp. Stns., Athens, GA 30602.

Received for publication March 25, 1985.