Evaluation and comparing yield of three common millet(Panicum miliaceum) varieties in different harvesting stage.

This research was arranged to study the performance of four varieties of common millet: V1(KCM7) ¡V2(KCM2) ﻭ V3(KCM9) during two years experiment. A completely randomized block design experiment with 3×3 factorial arrangement was performed in which, three promising millet varieties (V1, V2 and V3) were planted and the forage yield was recorded at three different stages including: before flowering (h1), grain dough stage (h2) and full seed set (h3) respectively. The project was conducted in Karaj climatic conditions for two years. Each treatment had three blocks where the seeds planted in 6 rows each with 6m and 60cm distance per block. Forage yield was harvested at different stages where 12 square meters in each plot was collected for fresh and dry forage recording and sampling. A 500g sample per plot was prepared for chemical compositions and in vitro digestibility. Analyses of variance revealed that there was significant differences (p0.05) between the varieties as well as harvesting stage (HS) for fresh and dry forage yield. The interaction between cultivar and HS was significant in some cases. The highest amount of dry forage was obtained in V1h2 that was equal to 18t/h. In addition, the average yield of dry forage, per year and average two years (15.57 t/h) were significantly (p0.05) higher in V1 than that of the other cultivars (V2 and V3). For the case of flowering time, it was found that V3 had significantly (p0.05) shorter period (with average 56.4 days) from seedling date up to the flowering stage. Results of chemical composition (based on DM) shown that crude protein (CP) ranged 6.07 to 10.3 percent that was significantly (p0.05) different between the treatments. The soluble protein and non protein nitrogen were affected by the (HS). Cell wall content, hemi cellulose and lignin were significantly (p0.05) different among the cultivars and HS as well, but no differences were detected for the neutral detergent fiber and cellulose contents. The total average for digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and organic matter in dry matter were 46.6, 43.0 and 39.2 percent however there were significant variations among the treatments for digestibility parameters. In general, regarding the productivity and nutrients yield performance, V1 could be respected as outstanding one among the three tested cultivars for forage production, harvesting at dough stage.