Nutritional parameters in teosinto forage as option for the autumn forage shortage in the Pampa biome

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate dry matter production (DMP), nutritional parameters, and their correlation in forage produced by Teosinte at different sowing dates in an experimental area located on the Fronteira Oeste of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A randomized complete block design was adopted, with ten treatments and eight replicates. The treatments corresponded to the sowing dates, starting on March 4th, with three-day intervals, ending on April 3rd. Forty days after each sowing, plant sampling was performed to determine DMP, and laboratory analyses were performed to estimate nutritional parameters. Crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose (CEL), hemicellulose (HEM), lignin (LIG), total carbohydrates (CHO), fibrous carbohydrates (FC), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), dry matter intake as a percentage of live weight (DMIPLW), relative forage value (RFV), total digestible nutrients (TDN), dry matter digestibility (DMDIG) and carbohydrate fractions (A+B1, B2 and C) were evaluated. There was a linear reduction in DMP (Ŷ=1275.22-14.735x), CP (Ŷ=13.411-0.124x), DMIPLW (Ŷ=2.38-0.008x), RVF (Ŷ=120.85-0.545x) DMDIG (Ŷ=65.59-0.079x), TDN (Ŷ=66.899-0.069x) and B2 fraction of carbohydrates (Ŷ=66.648-0.338x). Linear increase was observed in NDF (Ŷ=50.331+0.195x), ADF (Ŷ=29.915+0.099x), CEL (Ŷ=29.887+0.103x), HEM (Ŷ=20.415+0.095x), LIG ​​(Ŷ=1.137+0.108x), CHO (Ŷ=70.33+0.212x), NFC (Ŷ=23.497+0.104x), FC (Ŷ=46.506+0.095x), and carbohydrate fractions A+B1 (Ŷ=22.91+0.162x) and C (Ŷ=4.082+0.324x). A positive correlation was obtained between CP and DMIPLW, RVF, DMDIG, TDN and carbohydrate fraction B2; and negative correlation of CP with NDF, ADF, HEM, CEL, LIG, CHO, NFC, FC, and the A+B1 and C fractions of carbohydrates. The advance in sowing dates reduced dry matter production and increased cell wall constituents in the forage produced by Teosinte, compromising its nutritional value. A negative correlation was observed between nutritional parameters and cell wall components.