Studies on Productivity and Nutrient Quality of Forage Rape (Brassica napus Subsp. oleifera) V. Influence of plant density on growth, yield and nutrient quality of forage rape.

To determine optimal sowing time of forage rape in southern areas of Korea, forage rape cv. Velox, the highest yielding variety among seventeen introduced varieties of forage rape, was grown under five different sowing times. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Yield components such as plant length, number of branches and number of leaves etc. were highest at the sowing time of Sep. 14 and Sep. 24. 2. Plants sown at Sep. 14 and Sep. 24 also showed highest'fresh and dry matter yield. 3. As plants were grown under later sowing time, they showed higher values in content of crude protein and lower values in contents of crude fiber such as NDF, ADF, cellulose and lignin. 4. There was no relationship between variation of IVDMD and sowing time. Plants sown at Sep. 14 and Sep. 24 showed highest digestible dry matter yields.