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Ash and Energy Content of Material From Seven Forage Grasses 1
Author(s) -
Hunt L. A.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1966.0011183x000600060002x
Subject(s) - forage , temperate climate , biology , dry weight , agronomy , zoology , botany , energy density , fodder , horticulture , physics , theoretical physics
Ash and energy determinations were carried out on material from vegetative stands of seven species of temperate forage grasses grown in boxes in a glasshouse. The mean ash content of the young leaf laminae (9.7%) was less than that of the mature laminae (11.1%) and sheaths (11.8%). Additionally, there was a significant variation among species in the ash content of the mature laminae. The energy content of the young laminae (4,415 cal/g) was greater than that of the mature laminae (4,290 cal/g) and sheaths (3,935 cal/g). There were no differences in the energy content of leaf material from the various species. A factor of 4,300 cal/g dry weight is suggested as suitable for converting data from well fertilized vegetative stands of temperate forage species to an energy basis. With material from soils of different fertility, however, the conversion should be based on ash‐free material. for such purposes, a factor of 4,900 cal/g ash‐free dry weight is suggested as suitable.