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Effect of Drying Methods on Losses of Carbon, Nitrogen and Dry Matter from Alfalfa 1
Author(s) -
Mayland H. F.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1968.00021962006000060022x
Subject(s) - dry matter , forage , medicago sativa , chemistry , nitrogen , zoology , fodder , carbon fibers , freeze drying , air velocity , agronomy , horticulture , botany , chromatography , materials science , biology , physics , organic chemistry , composite number , mechanics , composite material
Methods of drying forage samples were examined for their influence on the total C, N, and dry matter (DM) content of ‘Ranger’ alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.). Forage samples were freeze‐dried; air‐dried in perforated paper bags and on trays; dried in perforated paper bags in mechanical convection ovens at 60, 80, and 100 C; and oven‐dried at 100 C for 90 minutes followed by drying at 60 C, or by air‐drying. All treatments were terminated after 48 hours. Losses in C and N were measured by changes in C:K and N:K ratios. The DM losses were measured by changes in K concentration. Carbon and DM were lost more readily than N by either respiratory or thermochemical processes. These losses resulted in an apparent concentration of N in all forage dried between ambient and 100 C. All treatments, when compared to freeze‐drying, resulted in losses of C and DM. The greatest loss of DM, 5.4% occurred in samples dried at 100 C. Oven‐drying at 100 C for 90 minutes followed by air‐drying caused IDM losses of only 0.2%. Significant differences in actual N content between the various drying methods were not generally observed.