Author(s):

Rachel Jemimah E, P Tensingh Gnanaraj, T Siva Kumar, A Gopinathan and S Meenakshi Sundaram

Abstract: Productivity, biomass yield and nutritional composition of maize fodder grown for the same period of duration and under same area of production both by hydroponic and conventional methods were compared in this study. Hydroponic maize fodder was produced using 3 ft wide, 4 ft long low cost hydroponic green fodder machine fabricated at TANUVAS. Maize was processed or two days and grown inside the hydroponic machine for 8 days. After 8 days of growth period in the machine the fodder was harvested on the 9^th day. Four plots of 4 ft X 3 ft size were divided into two groups namely, group 1 (normal sowing rate - 40 kg / ha i.e. 5 g /plot.) and group 2 (hydroponic production method rate - 6 kg/ plot) each having two plots. All the plots were harvested at day 10 after sowing. Parameters such as total fodder yield, seed to fodder production ratio, root biomass, shoot biomass and proximate composition were studied. Hydroponic maize fodder had significantly higher (P< 0.01) total fodder yield, seed to fodder production ratio and root biomass compared to land grown maize fodder. Hydroponic maize fodder (P< 0.01) had significantly lower moisture, EE and TA; and significantly higher DM, CF, NFE and TDN compared to land grown maize fodders. CP content of hydroponic maize fodder was similar to that of land grown maize fodder (6 kg/plot) but significantly (P< 0.01) lower to land grown maize fodder (5 g/plot). To conclude, with the same growth period and area of production; hydroponic method of fodder production yields higher fodder with better nutritional quality than conventional method.

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