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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (1): 205-216.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021255

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Comparison of 30 maize (Zea mays) varieties for food and feed in the Yanmenguan area

Xin-ming WU1(), Zhi-hong FANG1, Hui-wu CHI1, Hui-li JIA1, Jian-ning LIU1, Yong-hong SHI1(), Xue-min WANG2   

  1. 1.College of Grassland Science,Shanxi Agricultural University,Taiyuan 030032,China
    2.Institute of Animal Science,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Beijing 100193,China
  • Received:2021-06-28 Revised:2021-09-16 Online:2021-12-01 Published:2021-12-01
  • Contact: Yong-hong SHI

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to select varieties of silage maize (Zea mays) suitable for cultivation in the Yanmenguan area from 30 maize varieties from different ecological zones. The 30 varieties were planted with a randomized block experiment design, and the agronomic traits, biological yield, and nutritional quality of each variety were measured and analyzed. The 30 tested varieties were divided into four groups in a cluster analysis, and the main characteristics of each group were analyzed and summarized. It was found that: 1) Two silage maize varieties, Yuqing No.3 and Quchen No.9 had higher biomass and hay yield, a high value for ear height, and better stay-green performance than that of other varieties, but these two varieties had lower nutritional quality than the grain and forage maize varieties. 2) The grain and forage maize varieties Tunyu 661 and Xianyu 1225 showed low hay yield, but high starch content (>30%). 3) The biological yield was significantly positively correlated with the number of green leaves, green leaf weight, plant height, stem diameter, stem weight, and ear weight. Based on field performance and multi-trait evaluation results, Quchen No.9, Jindan 65, and Xiandan 405 were identified as the most suitable silage maize varieties for cultivation in the Yanmenguan area.

Key words: silage maize, Yanmenguan area, yield, agronomic traits, quality