Effect of growth stage on chemical composition and nutritional quality of different oat (Avena sativa) cultivars

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of growth stage on the chemical composition and nutritional quality of different oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivars under rabi conditions. Eight oat cultivars were assessed at two growth stages, viz., 60 and 90 Days After Sowing (DAS), using a factorial randomized block design. The results revealed that growth stage exerted a significant influence on all major nutritional parameters. Advancement in maturity resulted in a significant (p<0.01) increase in dry matter, crude fibre, Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF), Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF), cellulose, lignin, and silica, whereas crude protein, ether extract, total ash, calcium, and phosphorus contents declined significantly. Nitrogen free extract showed non-significant variation across growth stages. Significant genotypic differences were observed among cultivars for most of the parameters studied. Among the cultivars, RO-2000-19 exhibited superior nutritional quality, characterized by higher crude protein and lower fibre and silica content, while RO-2000-16 recorded higher dry matter and fibre fractions, indicating greater biomass accumulation but comparatively lower nutritive value. The study highlights a clear inverse relationship between forage maturity and nutritional quality, emphasizing the importance of optimal harvest timing. Harvesting at 60 DAS was found to be more suitable for obtaining nutritionally superior forage. The findings underscore the combined importance of growth stage and cultivar selection in optimizing forage quality and improving livestock productivity.