Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXVI, Issue 1
Written by Victor ŢÎŢEI
Common buckwheat - Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Polygonaceae family, is a short-season crop, cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a melliferous and cover crop, enabling more complete adaption to its environment than other traditional crops. The goal of this research was to evaluate some biological peculiarities and the biomass quality of common buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum cultivated in the experimental sector of the “Alexandru Ciubotaru” National Botanical Garden (Institute), Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. The prospects of using harvested biomass as forage and substrates for biomethane production were assessed. We found that whole-plant dry matter, cut in the early flowering stage, contained 15.4% CP, 9.4% ash, 37.5%CF, 39.1% ADF, 57.7% NDF, 6.6% ADL, 32.5% Cel, 18.1% HC, 6.9% TSS, with nutritive and energy values: 584 g/kg DDM, RFV= 95, 11.74 MJ/kg DE, 9.51 MJ/kg ME and 5.54 MJ/kg NEl, but in seed formation stage - 10.8% CP, 8.0% ash, 36.2% CF, 38.3% ADF, 58.9% NDF, 6.9% ADL, 31.4% Cel, 21.6% HC, 10.1% TSS, with nutritive and energy values: 591 g/kg DDM, RFV= 93, 11.88 MJ/kg DE, 9.62 MJ/kg ME and 5.62 MJ/kg NEl. The quality of the silage prepared from whole plants cut in the seed formation stage was: pH = 3.76, 39.9 g/kg lactic acid, 0.2 g/kg butyric acid, 10.9 g/kg acetic acid, 226/kg DM with 9.6% CP, 7.7% ash, 35.5% CF, 36.2% ADF, 55.5% NDF, 5.5% ADL, 30.7% Cel, 24.5% HC, 8.4% TSS, with nutritive and energy values: 607 g/kg DDM, RFV = 102, 12.00 MJ/kg DE, 9.85 MJ/kg ME and 5.87 MJ/kg NEl. It has been estimated that the green mass substrates for anaerobic digestion, have C/N=20.5-29.5, optimal amount of lignin and hemicelluloses, the biochemical methane potential reaches 292-305 l/kg ODM, but in ensiled substrate - C/N=33.3 and biochemical methane potential 314 l/kg ODM.
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