Growth, yield and quality of fodder oat (Avena sativa L.) as affected by split application of fertilizer and cutting management

The effect of split application of fertilizer on the performance of forage oat crop (var. JHO-822) under single and double cut management practice was studied at Central Research Farm, Gayeshpur under Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya on sandy loam alluvial soil. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with 18 treatment combinations replicated thrice. The results revealed that split application of fertilizers had a significant influence on growth of oat with respect to plant height, LAI and leaf : stem ratio. Green forage yield, dry matter yield and also quality aspects of oat such as crude protein yield and crude fibre yield were significantly improved by split application of fertilizer under both single and double cut management. But under double cut management, total green and dry forage yield as well as total crude protein and crude fibre yield were significantly higher than single cut management practice. Application of nitrogen (90 kg/ha) in three splits (½ dose as basal+¼ dose at 20 DAS+¼ dose at 40 DAS) and potassium (60 kg/ha) in two splits (½ as basal+½ at 20 DAS) under double cutting management was the best proposition for obtaining highest green and dry fodder as well as crude protein yield and crude fibre yield of fodder oats in new alluvial soils of West Bengal.