Endosperm texture, phenology and mechanical processing on ensiling of whole-plant corn

• Grant number: 17/01179-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Pastures and Forage Crops
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Gustavo Nussio
• Grantee: Jéssica Mariane Silveira
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/06819-4 - Nutritive value and hygienic quality of corn silage and corn kernels under ensiling strategies, AP.TEM

Abstract

Silage is a bulky animal feed, which can be used throughout the year, both in the scarcity period and as a complement to the summer management. Whole plant corn silage is nutritionally a complete bulk food with high energy density and with moderate crude protein (CP) contents. Today it is possible to find in the market due to the advance of genetic improvement, varieties, double hybrids, triples and simple. Regarding grain texture, maize cultivars can be classified in: dentate, hard grain and semi-toothed or semi-hard grains. The hardness of the endosperm is determined by the protein composition of the grain. The traditional hybrids endosperm consists of two fractions that have different textures, one portion being farinaceous and one glassy. The higher the glass ratio, the harder the grain. The maturation stage at which forages are harvested and silage, as well as silage type, degree of compaction and physical processing of the forage, influence the quality, nutritive value of silage and effluent production. The cut of the maize plant with a dry matter (DM) content lower than 30%, presents a percentage of water still high, so the plants do not yet have the grains properly formed or full, causing in losses by effluent. And when harvested late (42% DM), loss of DM occurs and presents a lower nutritive value, as it impairs grain processing and impairs compaction. Chopping and other physical damages, such as maceration, improve the availability of substrate for lactic acid bacteria, contribute to the more effective compression and removal of oxygen, and expose the soluble carbohydrates and thus facilitate the action of fermenting microorganisms . The adequate processing of the corn silage fraction positively affects the digestibility of the starch. The digestibility of this starch is influenced by the maturity of the plant at the time of harvest, by the type of harvester and the theoretical cut size. Knowing this the proposed project aims to evaluate the process of production of whole plant corn silages, focusing on the impact on the fermentation and post-opening of silages produced from endosperms with distinct textures harvested at different phenological stages And mechanically processed under particle size gradients. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SILVEIRA, Jéssica Mariane. Forage maturity and length of cut as strategies of ensilage corn hybrids. 2019. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) Piracicaba.