The objective of this work was to verify the effect of different sowing and cut seasons of the plants on chemical characteristics and digestibility of corn silage. The performance of nine corn cultivars was evaluated, constituting four experiments, with establishment in two distinct seasons in the agricultural year of 99/00, in experimental area in the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA - MG). In each season, two experiments were conducted, in one of them the plants were cut off when milk line lay on the half of the grain and in the other experiment harvest was accomplished when grains reached physiological maturity and afterwards were ensiled in PVC silos. It was observed there is a variability for most of the evaluated characteristics, pointing out the importance of the adequate choice of the cultivars for silage production. Most of the evaluated characteristics is influenced by sowing season and cut season of the plants, the sowing performed in November and the cut accomplished when the milk line is on the half of the grain, are the suitable ones for obtaining a high quality silage. The presence of the interaction cultivars x sowing seasons and cultivars x cut seasons for the most of the evaluated characteristics stands out the importance of the adequate choice of the cultivars in function at the sowing season and cut season for the plants.
Corn; sowing season; cut season; silage; degradability; Zea mays
