Agrotechnology

Feed efficiency of quality protein maize (Zea mays L.)

2^nd International Conference on Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Hyderabad, India February 03-05, 2014

Anusheela V, A. R. Muthiah, and A. Johnjoel

Posters: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Maize ( Zea mays L.; 2n=20) occupies a prominent position in global agriculture and is grown for both feed and fodder purpose. Lysine (1.2 per cent of protein) and tryptophan (0.4 per cent) are limiting amino acids in maize. Hence genetic manipulation for improved nutritional value, particularly, protein quality was considered as a noble goal. This effort was stimulated by the 1963 discovery that a little known mutant maize contained proteins that are nearly twice as nutritious as those found in normal maize called opaque 2 maize, its protein had a nutritive value about 90 per cent of that of proteins found in skim milk. The discovery of this mutant and subsequently its modifier were considered remarkable and lead to the concept of Breeding for Quality Protein Maize (QPM). A feed trial was carried out to assess the effects of replacement of normal maize with that of QPM hybrids on broiler performance in terms of body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency at the end of six weeks. Best performed five QPM hybrids viz., UQPM 15 X UQPM10 (T1), UQPM 9 X UQPM 12 (T2), UQPM 10 X UQPM 15 (T3), UQPM 5 X UQPM 14 (T4), UQPM 11 X UQPM 9 (T5) were fed to the birds along with COH(M) 5 (T6) as control. For 0-6 week period, broilers fed with UQPM 10 X UQPM 15 gained maximum body weight (T3,1826.67g) followed by T1, T5, T4 and T2.Weight gain in all hybrids differ significantly from that of control, T6 (1570.00).The cumulative mean feed intake of broilers at 0-6 weeks ranged from 2959.33g (T6) to 2961.00 g (T1). Thus all QPM hybrids groups differ significantly from control. The cumulative mean feed efficiency of broilers for the period of 0-6 weeks was 1.62 (T3, UQPM 10 X UQPM 15). Hence treatment T3 (UQPM 10 X UQPM 15) was considered as the best among hybrids followed by T1 (UQPM 15 X UQPM 10), T5 (UQPM 11 X UQPM 9), T4 (UQPM 5 X UQPM 14), T2 (UQPM 9 X UQPM 12) and control T6 (COH (M) 5).