FACTORS AFFECTING FODDER CROPS

PRODUCTION
• Edaphic factors – Climate and Soil
• Genetic factors
• Management factor
Environmetn: soil and climate -
Large influence of plant growth and
development and biomass yield
 CLIMATE
• SOLAR ENERGY; Radiation
• Energy from the sun. radiation has properties
of both waves and of particles (quanta or
photons)
• PAR (µmol photonsm-2s-1) 400nm to 700nm
• Photosynthetically Active radiation in full sun
light during summer is approx. 2000 µmol
photonsm-2s-1 WL bet 400nm to 700nm
• Other WL affect plant development are
• Ultra violet < 400 nm and infrared > 700nm
 CLIMATE

• Solar radient reaching the earth is

• 50% PAR
• 47% infra-red
• 3% ultraviolet
• Plant convert radient energy in to
carbohydrate (chemical energy) through
the process of photosynthesis
 CLIMATE
• 2 type of plants C4 and C3
• C4 plants use more efficiently CO2 than C3
• Maximum rate of photosynthesis is greater
temperature and level of PAR
• Crop canopy is important is imp. For
interception of radiation.
• That is Leaf Area Index and Leaf Area
Duration
 CLIMATE
light and plant development
• Plant development triggered by light quality –
ratio of red (660nm) to far red (730nm)
• Photo period: effect on flowering
• Temperature:
• The rate of photosynthesis, respiration and
nutrient uptake depend on temperature
• Leaf appearance, expansion, tillering,
branching and root growth etc
• Temperate species growth – 20-25 oC
• Growth ceases 5-10 oC
 CLIMATE
Temperature
• Tropical grass - DM yield tops and roots ↑ase
with temp ↑ase
• Opt 30 and 35 oC
• Some species growth vigorously 35 to 38 oC
• Effect N fixation. Night temp 10 oC is harmful

• WATER:
 SOIL
• Basic soil features are Soil depth, texture,
structure and slope that affect fertility.
• Soil types determine to grow the species eg
• Dicanthuim, Cenchrus are associated with black
soils, sandy loams and sandy soil.
• Saccharum – swampy ponds of terai
• The acidic soils of Srilanka are dominated by
Guinea
• Luzan soil of the Philippines are dominated by the
Cogen
 Soil fertility and fertilization
• Major element – N, P, K ,Ca, Mg and S
• Trace- Fe, Mn, Zn, B, Cu, Mo, Cl, Na, Co, Ni
• The nutrients in right proportion in the soil
help to increase forage production.
 HERBAGE QUALITY/ CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION
• Cell contents and cell wall contents
• Cell contents- lipids, sugars, starch, non-
protein nitrogen, soluble protein, pectin,
organic acids and water soluble matter
• Soluble in neutral detergents
• Degrated by enzymes secreted in the animal
digestive tract.
• Extracted by disodium dihydorgen ethylene
diamine tetracetate (EDTA)
 HERBAGE QUALITY/ CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION
• Cell wall content-
• Lignin, hemicellulose, cellulose and silica.
• Fibre fraction, Insoluble portion in neutra
detergent (NDF)
• Acid detergent fibre
 Partitioning the DM of forage
DRY MATTER
ORGANIC MATTER ASH
CF NFE EE CP ASH
Cell wall (NDF) Cell contents
Non nutritive Partially Nutritive matter
nutritive

Lignin & cellulose hemicellu Soluble carbohydrate

acid lose protein EE, soluble ash
insoluble
ash
 CRUDE FIBRE
• Fibre fraction in forage, structural complexity
• Deposition on primary cell wall
• Substances – cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin,
suberin, cutin, waxes and salt
• Cellulose and hemicellulose are major
component of cell wall and large portion of
energy.
 CRUDE PROTEIN
• Total nitrogen in plant times 6.25
• Includes protein and non protein NPN
• 70% is actual protein in fresh forages
• 60% in hay
• NPN substances such glutamins, glutamic acids,
asparagines, asparatic acid and gamma-amino-
butyric acid small amount nitrate
• Insoluble fraction combination with lignin is
indigestible and about 5-10% of the total N of
most forages.
 NPN
• True protein and Soluble NPN are completely
available
ORGANIC ACID-
• soluble matter of forages
• Principle acids –citric, isocitric, malic, quinic
and aconitic
• Other are fermentable – lactic, acetic and
butyric acid.
• digestible
 CARBOHYDRATES
• Soluble CHO are completely digestible- glucose,
fructose, sucrose, fructose and amylase starches.
• Fructosan –CHO in leaves and stem of temperate
grasses
• Fructosan does not occur in legumes or tropical
grasses
• Starch –storage seed, roots and tubers highly
digestible
 CELLULOSE
• Major skeleton carbohydrate in plant
• Very insoluble digested by microbial action
• Production of VFA
• Digestibility depend on association with
lignin silica cutin and other factors
PECTIN- soluble in hot ammonium oxalate
solutions
Main sugar component are galacturonic acid,
arebinose and galactose.
Highly digestible
 carbohydrates
• Hemicellulose – secondary wall
• More soluble in acid and base than cellulose
but not more digestible
• Grasses tend to be higher hemicellulose than
legumes
 NON CARBOHYDRATES
• Lignin-
• Lignin is a polymer of three derivatives of
phenylpropane; p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl
alcohol and sinapyl alcohol
• Lignin is not a carbohydrate
• Bind protein and carbohydrate
 NON CARBOHYDRATES
• Maillard product: degradation product of
sugar and other carbohydrates
• It is generated by the heating of moist feed
and forage above 60oC
• TANIN- Soluble polyphenols
• Impaired digestibility
• Bitter taste and influence palatability
• Inhibitors of cellulolytic digestion
 NON CARBOHYDRATES
• Ether Extract – galactolipid, triglycerides,
waxes, pigments and some organic acids and
essential oils
• Vitamins: carotene
• Minerals different minerals
 Factors Affecting Chemical
Composition
• Soil and Climate: high moisture stress
High heat intensity – hamper nutrients
absorption- rapid physiological maturation
Lignification
Highly weathered tropical soil- absorb large
silica. – depress digestibility
Fertilizer: N-
Sulpher
 Factors Affecting Chemical
Composition
• Stage of Growth: cell content and cell wall
content
• Genotype - Grass, Legume
• Frequency of cutting
• Irrigation
• Toxic substances- glycosides, oxalate,
mimosine, ergot, blot