Evaluating the Response of Wheat Genotypes to Forage Clipping

Searching to explore the new avenues is the basis of science. An experiment consisting of six spring wheat genotypes viz. Pirsbak-85, Dera-98, Ghaznavi-98, Fakhr-e-Sarhad, Takbeer and SARC-3 were planted at Malakandher Research Farm, NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar during, 2004-2005. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot design with three replications. Clipping was made before booting stage. The results obtained showed that the effect of clipping was significant forage yield, spike weight, spikelets per spike, 1000-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and harvest index, while no differences were observed for plant height, tillers per m2 and spike length. Pirsabak-85 showed significantly higher plant height, while minimum was observed in Ghaznavi-98. Pirsabak-85 showed maximum number of tillers in clipped, while Fakhre-e-Sarhad in un-clipped treatment. In both cases, minimum tillers were recorded for SARC-3. Similarly, maximum spike weight was recorded in Pirsabak-85 and minimum in Dera-98. Likewise Pirsabak-85 showed significantly higher spikes length, while Takbeer showed significantly higher spike length in un-clipped. In both treatments, minimum spike length was recorded in Dera-98. Finally, grain yield, harvest index, spikelets per spike and spike weight were increased due to clipping, when compared with un-clipped treatments. To sum up, clipping at an early stage of vegetative growth produced almost higher grain yield with an additional forage yield. Though the results obtained are appreciating, yet it needs to be reaffirmed via extensive experimentation approach. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers