Effect of different cutting ages of Jali (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) on dry matter production, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin contents
Paper Details
Effect of different cutting ages of Jali (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) on dry matter production, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin contents
Abstract
Optimizing the harvest age of forage crops is essential to achieve a balance between biomass production and nutritional quality for sustainable ruminant feeding. Coix lacryma-jobi L. (Jali) has considerable potential as an alternative forage crop in tropical regions; however, information on the effects of cutting age on its dry matter production and fiber characteristics remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of different cutting ages on dry matter production, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), and lignin contents of Jali forage. A Completely Randomized Design consisting of four cutting-age treatments, namely 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks after planting (CA6, CA8, CA10, and CA12), with five replications was employed. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test to compare treatment means. Cutting age had a highly significant effect (p < 0.01) on dry matter production, NDF, and ADF contents but had no significant effect (p = 0.05) on lignin content. Dry matter production increased from 0.80 t ha⁻¹ at CA6 to 8.27 t ha⁻¹ at CA12. Similarly, NDF increased from 54.18% to 62.70%, while ADF increased from 30.71% to 36.12% as cutting age advanced. Lignin content ranged from 3.00% to 5.06% and did not differ significantly among treatments. In conclusion, delaying harvest increased dry matter production and structural fiber fractions of Jali forage, whereas lignin content remained relatively stable. These findings indicate that cutting age is an important management factor influencing forage yield and fiber composition and should be considered when determining the appropriate harvest stage according to the intended feeding objective.
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Oktavia Desi Nirga, Markus Miten Kleden*, Tara Tiba Nikolaus, 2026. Effect of different cutting ages of Jali (Coix lacryma-jobi L.) on dry matter production, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin contents. Int. J. Agron. Agric. Res., 29(1), 21-28.
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