Optimum harvest date of maize for biogas and silage purposes

Abstract

The dry matter and moisture contents of the aboveground vegetative organs and kernels of four maize hybrids were studied in Martonvásár at five harvest dates, with four replications per hybrid. The dry matter yield per hectare of the kernels and other plant organs were investigated in order to obtain data on the optimum date of harvest for the purposes of biogas and silage production.It was found that the dry mass of the aboveground vegetative organs, both individually and in total, did not increase after silking. During the last third of the ripening period, however, a significant reduction in the dry matter content was sometimes observed as a function of the length of the vegetation period. The data suggest that, with the exception of extreme weather conditions or an extremely long vegetation period, the maximum dry matter yield could be expected to range from 22–42%, depending on the vegetation period of the variety. The harvest date should be chosen to give a kernel moisture content of above 35% for biogas production and below 35% for silage production. In this phenophase most varieties mature when the stalks are still green, so it is unlikely that transport costs can be reduced by waiting for the vegetative mass to dry.