Effect of Nitrogen Rate on Growth, Yield, and Chemical Composition of Forage Rape Cultivars

Abstract

Four introduced forage rape (Brassica napus) cultivars, 'Akela', 'Ramon', 'Sparta', and 'Velox' and a leading rapeseed cultivar, 'Hallayuchae' were grown at nitrogen (N) rates of 0, 100, 250, 300, 350, and 400 kg/ha to (i) select forage rape cultivars adapted best to Cheju area, and (ii) determine the optimum N rate for the best cultivars. Days from seeding to flowering across the cultivars increased 190 to 195 days as N rate increased from 0 to 400 kg/ha. Average days to flowering of six cultivars ranged from 182 to 198 days. Plant height increased as N rate increased up to 300 kg/ha and then decreased with a further increase in N rate and ranged from 159 to 174 cm among the cultivars. The optimum N rate for the greatest dry matter yield of five cultivars ranged from 222 to 258 kg/ha. Sparta showed the greatest dry matter yield (35.79 Mg/ha), followed by Akela, Hallayuchae, Velox, and Ramon. As N rate increased, crude protein content linearly increased but crude fiber content declined curvilinearly. Akela and Sparta had higher protein content than the other cultivars did. The forage cultivars had lower crude fiber content than the oilseed cultivar Hallayuchae did. Our results demonstrated that Sparta was best adapted to Cheju area and the optimum N rate for Sparta was about 220kg/ha.

Keywords

• forage rape;
• nitrogen rate;
• dry matter yield