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Effect of Variety, Sowing Date and Photo-Degradable Plastic Cover on the Yield and Quality of Maize Silage
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2005-04-01
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EOPR 4728.pdf
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Crowley, J.G., Effect of Variety, Sowing Date and Photo-Degradable Plastic Cover on the Yield and Quality of Maize Silage, End of Project Report, Teagasc, 2005.
Abstract
The use of plastic in forage maize production has the potential to pollute the field and silo. Whether photo- or bio-degradable, the plastic needs to be durable enough to provide cover for the critical period of early growth, but break down quickly enough to avoid contamination of the silo or the field after harvest.
The objectives of the present three-year experiment were to examine:
The effect of complete plastic cover on the performance of the maize crop in Ireland.
The suitability of varieties to the various cover systems.
The duration of cover needed by the crop.
The potential of cover to advance the harvest date.
During the trial, a number of modifications to the complete cover system were introduced, including the addition of a sprayer positioned between the sowing and polythene-laying mechanism to allow the application of a pre-emergence herbicide. Because of these on-going modifications the results of the three years (2000-2) of the study are presented separately.