Sowing times

Plant height (cm)

No. of leaves (leaves/plant)

Fresh weight (g/whole plant)

Fresh weight (g/stem)

Brix (%)

Biomass yield (tons/ha)

Stem yield (tons/ha)

March

390.5 ab

21.2 a

1231.7 ab

1020.6 ab

14.4 a

115.4 a

89.2 a

April

392.9 ab

21.3 a

1297.4 a

1063.4 ab

14.2 a

112.3 ab

87.7 a

May

400.3 ab

21.7 a

1310.4 a

1084.1 a

14.6 a

122.4 a

91.2 a

June

409.2 a

21.1 a

1270.6 a

1049.7 ab

14.9 a

117.8 a

89.4 a

July

378.1 b

20.9 a

1148.3 b

947.4 b

14.8 a

99.0 b

81.2 b

August

241.3 c

18.3 b

827.5 c

662.1 c

13.6 b

73.7 c

58.8 c

P

<0.01

<0.01

<0.01

<0.01

>0.05

<0.01

<0.01