Quality and Quantity of Hydroponic Rice Forage Ciherang and IR64 Varieties at Different Harvest Ages

The purpose of this study is to determine how different harvest ages and varieties affect the quantity and quality of fodder produced by hydroponically cultivated rice plants. The study design was a 2 x 3 factorial, completely randomized design (CRD) experiment with five replications. Tiller count, plant height, plant weight, and graph power were among the characteristics that were observed. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and any differences were found using Duncan’s multiple area test. The plant height, number of tillers, plant weight, and dry matter production were all significantly impacted by the harvest age factor, according to the data. The variety factor is significantly influenced by the observation variables. The interaction between the parameters at 60 days of yield after planting (DYAP) has a significant impact on the variables plant height, plant weight, number of tillers, and dry matter production. The IR64 variety outperformed the Ciherang variety, according to the results of the proximate analysis, and the best harvest age in terms of crude protein, crude fiber, and crude fat content was at 40 days after planting, while the best TDN was at 60 DYAP. The IR64 cultivar produced the most biomass at a harvest age of 60 DYAP. In summary, the study’s findings suggest that hydroponically grown paddy forage has great promise in terms of the nutrients it can produce, yet biomass output is still lower than that of cutter grass, while dry matter production is higher than that of fodder.