The yield of silage corn in a no-tillage system was compared with that in a conventional tillage system over a five-year period. In a no-tillage system, the emergence of corn was satisfactory, although there was a tendency toward a lower percentage of emergence. In addition, the soil water content during growth was significantly higher and the height of corn seedlings during the early growth stage was higher. There were no differences in the contents of 8 chemical constituents of corn (ether extract, nitrogen free extract, crude fiber, crude ash, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus), except for crude protein at the time of harvest between the no-tillage and conventional tillage. In the fifth year of continuous cultivation, the no-tillage system exhibited a tendency of lower crude protein content as compared to the conventional tillage system. In addition, the no-tillage system exhibited a tendency of lower exchangeable calcium content and magnesium content in soil sampled after harvesting. Even after five years of continuous cultivation, the dry matter yield of corn in the no-tillage system did not differ from that in the conventional tillage system. These results indicate that it is feasible to use the no-tillage system for the cultivation of corn in the northern Tohoku region.

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To improve winter hardiness and forage yield in the fall in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) for the Hokkaido region, changes in fall dormancy, freezing tolerance and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration in crown tissues during cold acclimation in the fall under low temperature and natural short day-length (SDL) and low temperature and 24-hour day-length condition were evaluated using four cultivars of orchardgrass with different levels of winter hardiness. Fall growth was the highest for 'Akimidori' and was lowest for 'Hokkai 28'. 'Hokkai 28' rapidly intensified fall dormancy and freezing tolerance under low temperature and natural SDL condition. Whereas 'Hokkai 28' showed large difference of freezing tolerance between day-length conditions from 7 October to 17 November, that in 'Akimidori' was small. The relationship between WSC concentration and changes of freezing tolerance was not clear in all cultivars. These experiments revealed that 'Hokkai 28' was sensitive to SDL at early stage of cold acclimation whereas 'Akimidori' was not sensitive to it. To develop a superior winter-hardy cultivar of orchardgrass with high fall growth in the Hokkaido region, it is important to increase the growth in late fall and reduce the sensitivity to SDL till early November with maintaining freezing tolerance after middle November.

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Shochu distillery by-product cake was added to 4 varieties of roughage, and the feed composition and fermentation quality characteristics of these roughage silages were examined. Roughage used included corn silage (CS), Italian ryegrass silage (IS), forage rice silage (RWCS) and rice straw (RS), and shochu distillery by-product cake derviced from barley shochu was also used. Four varieties of roughage silage were prepared by mixing 5% or 10% of shochu distillery by-product cake in a dry matter base. The pH of CS, IS and RS, when measured 28 days after being prepared, were lower than the levels measured immediately after preparation. However, the pH of RWCS were equivalent both immediately after preparation and 28 days after preparation. The general volatile fatty acid content of all silages proved significantly higher 28 days after preparation as compared to immediately after preparation. The V-score for all silages was also good. Based on these results, we have learned that the addition of shochu distillery by-product cake to roughage rises the crude protein content, and can preserve shochu distillery by-product cake.

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The simple method for estimating the fermentation quality of the roll-bale silage was examined. The roll bale to give width to the fermentation quality by making Italian ryegrass a material grass, and using the additive was made. It gathered dividing the roll bale into the surface part, the middle part, and the wick, and each evaluation and the mean value were compared. The evaluation of the surface part showed a mean value, r=0.92, and the strongest correlation in the result. It is thought that the surface part is the best part.

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