Corn genotypes for the production and conservation of forage in the form of silage

Abstract

Livestock farming is an activity of greater importance from an economic, social, cultural and environmental point of view, it contributes to the gross domestic product and generates employment. Production is affected in the dry season due to food shortages. For this reason, at the Portoviejo Experimental Station of the National Agricultural Research Institute, corn genotypes are evaluated for the production and conservation processes of forage in the form of silage. The test was installed at the Porvenir of Toachi facility, canton Santo Domingo, province of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. A divided plot design was used, with a 3x4 factorial arrangement, each treatment consisted of six ten-meter-long beds. The information was tabulated in the R program under the analysis of variance with separation of means for the multiple test of DGC probability at 5%. The hybrid INIAP 554 at a density of 125,000 plants per hectare obtained the best yield of green forage (29,028.59 kgha-1) and the highest average dry matter (30.5%) of the silage, the hybrid INIAP 551 at a density of 125,000 plants per hectare presented the lowest lodging values (3%). There were no significant differences for germination percentage, days to male flowering, plant height and fermentative characteristics of the silage. It is concluded that the hybrid INIAP 554 at a density of 125,000 plants per hectare, produces a greater amount of green forage, under the climatic conditions of Porvenir of Toachi.