Improvement of Forage Quantity and Quality in Corn-Legumes Intercropping with Nitroxin Biofertilizer Application in Double Cropping

Abstract

Forage quantity and quality in simultaneous cropping of maize with vetch (Vicia villosa), grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), sainfoin (Onobrychis vicifolia), berseem clover (Trifolium alexanderinum L.), studied by experiment as randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 14 treatments and three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh during 2015. The treatments were monocultures of maize (SC 704), Vetch, Grass pea, Sainfoin, Berseem clover and intercropping maize with each legume in inoculated and non-inoculated with nitroxin biofertilizer. The results showed that the highest and lowest forage yield were obtained in maize (inoculation)+ vetch intercropping and sainfoin monoculture, respectively. Also, the highest (277.5 g.kgDM-1) and the lowest (60.60 g.kgDM-1) crude protein were achieved in vetch and maize monoculture (without inoculation), respectively. In addition to, the highest acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) values were obtained in monoculture of maize (no -inoculation). The lowest ADF and NDF values were obtained in vetch monoculture and intercropping of maize (inoculation) + vetch. The highest values of DMI, DDM, RFV, NEL and TDN was observed in vetch monocultures. Also, between intercropping patterns, the highest values of these indices were obtained in intercropping of maize (inoculation) + vetch. Generally, the results of this study exhibited that the effects of vetch on the quality and quantity of forages was higher than other legumes in intercropping patterns.

Keywords

• Bio-Fertilizer
• Crude Protein
• Dry Matter Digestibility
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Net Energy of Lactation