Determination of the yield and quality properties of some varieties and promising genotypes of maize for silage production under the cukurova conditions

In this research, silage yield and quality properties of some silage maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars and promising genotypes under Cukurova conditions were investigated. The results of the study showed that days to flowering , days to silage harvest, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf/ stem ratio, cob ratio, stem diameter, number of cobs, ear height, green herbage yield, dry hay yield, dry matter content and dry matter yield of maize genotypes changed from 68.5 to 77.8 days, from 103.0 to 112.5 days, from 262.5 to 328.0 cm, from 14.6 to 17.1 piece/plant, from 43.4 to 70.3 %, from 39.6 to 62.3 %, from 20.8 to 25.9 mm, from 1.2 to 2.5 piece/plant, from 100 to 144, from 8665.2 to 12154.5 kg/decare, from 1996.2 to 3078.5 kg/decare, from 26.0 to 38.4 %, from 1805.3 to 2737.5 kg/decare, respectively. Furthermore, in the hay, crude ash ratio changed between 4.3-7.4 %, crude protein ratio changed between 8.8-13.3 %, crude protein yield changed between 158.8-329.7 kg/decare, ADF ratio changed between 30.3-38.1 %, NDF ratio changed between 55.5-67.4 %, relative feed value changed between 82.1-109.3, net energy value changed between 1.335-1.484 Mcal/kg. Also in this research, pH, crude protein rate, ADF, NDF, relative feed value, Fleig score, physical character point, dry matter content and net energy value of silage were obtained between 3.64-4.15, 8.87-10.38 %, 24.0-33.6 %, 39.4-49.1%, 128.4-169.2, 91.08-119.25, 10.00-14.75, 24.51-31.07 %, 1.460-1.625 Mcal/kg, respectively.