Economic productivity of water and profitability of fodder production of cowpea, mung bean and guar under normal irrigation and drought stress conditions

Abstract

AbstractIntroduction: One of the strategic to solve the fodder shortage in the country is to use annual summer forage legumes under suitable irrigation system. Legumes are an important rich source of protein in human and animal nutrition.Methods: This research was carried out in the research farm of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Karaj in Alborz province for two years in 2019 and 2020. A split-plot experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted. Three legume species was used including cowpea, mung bean, and guar. Three irrigation treatments used including normal, medium and severe stress 60, 100, 140 mm evaporation, respectively, from the evaporation pan level of class A in the main plots, and three legume species in the main subplots. In this study, forage production return was done using profitability indices and productivity was measured using physical and economic productivity indices.Findings: The results showed that the increase in average net income of cowpea forage production under normal irrigation to medium stress and Severe stress was estimated 48.5 and 55.1 percent and this increase in mung bean was 3.1 and 39 percent, respectively. Increase in average economic productivity of water in cowpea forage production under Severe stress condition to medium stress and normal irrigation was estimated 16.5 and 45.1 percent, respectively. Increase in average economic productivity of water in mung bean forage production under Severe stress condition to medium stress and normal irrigation was estimated 8.8 and 51.8 percent, respectively.

Keywords

• summer forage legumes
• irrigation levels
• input productivity
• economic study