Influence of Sowing Time on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality of Forage Rape in Spring

To determine as optimal sowing time of forage rape in spring time in southern areas of Korea, forage rape cv. Velox, the highest yielding variety among introduced varieties of forage rape, was grown under five different sowing times. Yield components such as plant length, number of branches and number of leaves etc. were higher at the sowing time of Mar. 15 and Mar. 25. The plants sown at Mar. 15 and Mar. 25 also showed highest fresh and dry matter yield. When 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 Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), cellulose and lignin. There was no relationship between variation of In Vitro Dry matter Digestibility (IVDMD) and sowing time. The plants sown at Mar. 15 and Mar. 25 showed highest digestible dry matter yields.