The present field investigation was carried out to study the effect of plant age
at cutting on yield and quality of forage millet (cv.Shandwil-1) grew on newly
reclaimed sandy soil at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, ARC. The experimental
design was a randomized complete block with four replications .The study included
four plant ages at cutting represented by 60, 80, 100 and 120 cm plant height. The
trail was conducted during the summer season of the year 2000 and 2001. Significant
differences were found among the four different plant ages at cutting and the results
showed that cutting at plant height of 120 cm caused a significant increase of fresh
yield, dry yield, crude fiber and ash; also the same treatment gave the lowest values
of toxic components (oxalic acid and alkaloids). On the other hand, cutting at 60 cm
plant height gave the highest values of crude protein and TON, while the same
treatment gave the highest values of toxic components (oxalic acid and alkaloids).
Also there were no significant differences between cutting at 100 and 120 cm plant
height on all chemical composition, TON and alkaloids. Insignificant differences
between 100 and 120 cm plant height may assure that cutting at 120 cm plant height
could be recommended to give high yield of low toxic chemical components. While
cutting at 60 cm height will save 54 days of the summer growing season to grow early
winter crop as berseem and obtain one or two cuts more than late planting.