Effect of Varying Lopping Schedules and Stump Heights on Growth, Fodder Yield and Quality of Dual-purpose Barley (Hordeum distichon L.)

Background: The present study investigated the effect of lopping schedules and stump heights on the growth, fodder yield and quality of dual-purpose barley to optimise fodder production from existing cropping patterns in Punjab during winters. Methods: An experiment was carried out during the rabi seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 at the agriculture farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab with 10 treatments viz., T1: No lopping, T2: Lopping @ 30 DAS + 1-inch stump height, T3: Lopping @ 30 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T4: Lopping @ 30 DAS + 3 inches stump height, T5: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 1 inch stump height, T6: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T7: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 3 inches stump height, T8: Lopping @6 0 DAS + 1-inch stump height, T9: Lopping @ 60 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T10: Lopping @ 60 DAS + 3 inches stump height, replicated four times in randomized block design. Growth parameters, fodder yield and quality parameters were recorded. Result: Though, the higher green fodder yield (10.9 t/ha) was obtained under lopping at 60 DAS with a 1inch stump height, to maintain quality and further regeneration of crop, lopping done at 30 DAS with 3 inches stump height was found to be better with considerable green fodder yield (2.5 t/ha). Lopping in dual-purpose barley should be done at early vegetative stages to obtain a considerable amount of quality green fodder, as it provides sufficient time for the crop to regenerate further.