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Fodder Cholam

Season : Hybrids recommended :

IRRIGATED CHOLAM

RAINFED CHOLAM

DISTRICTS/SEASONS	VARIETIES
A. Irrigated (Jan - Feb and Apr – May)
All districts	CO 27, COFS 29 (Multicut Cholam)
B. Rainfed (Jun - Jul)
All Districts	CO 27
(Sep - Oct)
All Districts	CO 27, K 10

Yield Potential and Quality Characters

Characters	CO 27	K 10	COFS 29
Green fodder yield (t/ha)	44.40	15	160-170 (5-6 cuts)
Protein content (%)	7.93	9.20	8.41
Dry matter (%)	24.17	-	23.60
Sugar (%)	7.40	-	-
Plant Height (cm)	262	260	220-250
Number of tillers	1	-	10-15
Number of leaves	18.66	12	80-105
Leaf length (cm)	78.43	75	75-90
Leaf breadth (cm)	6.18	8	3.5-4.6
Leaf stem ratio	0.20	-	0.2-0.25

Note: Fodder Cholam can be intercropped with CO 5 and COFC 8 Cowpea at 1:1 ratio and harvested together to provide nutritious fodder.

IRRIGATED CHOLAM

1. PLOUGHING

Plough with an iron plough once and with a country plough twice.

2. APPLICATION OF FYM

a. Spread 12.5 t/ha of FYM or compost on the unploughed field, along with 10 packets of Azospirillum inoculant (2000 g)and 10 packets of Phosphobacteria (2000g) or 20 packets of Azophos (4000g)

3. FORMING RIDGES AND FURROWS

Form ridges and furrows of 6 m long and 60 cm apart and plant on either side of the ridge

4. APPLICATION OF FERTILIZER

For CO-27
Apply NPK fertilizer as per soil test recommendation. If soil test is not done, follow the blanket recommendation of 60 : 40 : 20 kg N, P and K /ha.
Apply half the dose of N and full dose P and K basally before sowing.
Top dressing : 30 kg N/ha on 30 days after sowing
For the ratoon crop, apply 30 kg N/ha immediately after the harvest and irrigate
For COFS 29(multicut variety) : Apply 45 : 40 : 40 kg N,P, K/ha as basal and 45 kg N as top dressing on 30 DAS followed by the application of 45 kg N/ha after every cut. After 4th cut, apply 40 kg P and 40 kg K along with 45 kg N to sustain the fodder yield and quality.
Application of Azospirillum(2000g/ha) and Phosphobacterium(2000g/ha) together as a mixture or Azophos(4000g/ha) along with 75% recommended dose of N and P fertilizer enhanced the yield besides saving of 25% of fertilizer dose.

5. SOWING

a.     Seed rate : CO-27 -50 kg/ha and COFS 29 – 5 kg/ha
b.     Spacing : 30 x 10 -15 cm
c.   Treat the seeds with 3 packets (600 g)/ha of Azospirillum and 3 packets (600g) of Phosphobacteria or Azophos 6 packets (1200g)
*     COFS 29 seed has one month seed dormancy.

6. WATER MANAGEMENT

Irrigate immediately after sowing. Life irrigation on the third day and thereafter once in 10 days, according to need based.

7. WEED MANAGEMENT

First hand weeding on the 20th day of sowing and if necessary 2nd hand weeding between 35 - 40 days after sowing.

8. HARVESTING

Harvest at 50% flowering for fodder

RAINFED CHOLAM

1. APPLICATION OF FYM

Apply 12.5 t/ha and incorporated in the soil at the time of last ploughing.

2. SEED RATE

40kg/ha for CO 27

3. SOWING