FORAGE POTENTIAL OF WAPITI-TRITICALE MIXTURES IN CENTRAL ALBERTA

Tests were conducted at Lacombe, AB, from 1989 to 1991 to determine th e forage yield and quality of Wapiti triticale (x Triticosecale Rimpan i Witt.) grown as a monocrop and in binary mixtures with Cascade oat ( Avena sativa L.), Empress barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) or Johnston barl ey. The Cascade monocrop and mixtures with Wapiti had the highest DM y ields (12.37-13.42 t ha(-1)). Yields of the barley monocrops and mixtu res with Wapiti (6.60-9.10 t ha(-1) in 1989 and 8.96-11.49 t ha(-1) in 1990) were similar to the Wapiti monocrop (8.06 and 8.99 t ha(-1)). I n 1991, yields for the Wapiti monocrop and 25:75 barley:Wapiti mixture s (14.54 and 14.99 t ha(-1), respectively) were higher than those for the barley monocrops and 50:50 and 75:25 mixtures (11.98-12.79 t ha(-1 )). The yields of the mixtures in 1989 and 1990 were 108 and 106% high er than expected based on the yield of the components, although in 199 1 this enhancement was not observed. Moisture contents at harvest were variable and not always as expected based on the relative maturities of the species. However, mixtures with Wapiti could offer some flexibi lity in harvest for silage production. Protein contents were found to be highly variable and no trends were established. The Cascade monocro p and mixtures had the highest protein yields in 1990 and 1991. The ac id detergent fibre (ADF) contents of the 50:50 and 25:75 Cascade:Wapit i mixtures (26.9 and 28.4 g 100 g(-1)) were lower than the Cascade mon ocrop (33.6 100 g(-1)). Lignin contents were found to vary between tre atments only in 1989 when the Wapiti monocrop (3.90 g 100 g(-1)) inter mediate to the Empress (3.30 g 100 g(-1)) and Cascade (4.83 g 100 g(-1 )). Yield stability and quality would make use of Wapiti mixtures for silage attractive choices for silage production.