Evaluation of Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Corn and Grass pea as Affected by Organic, Chemical and Bio Fertilizers

Abstract

Intercropping of forage cropsand the combined use of organic, chemical,and biofertilizers is of great importance. To evaluate quantitative and qualitative characteristics of corn and grass pea intercropping under organic and chemical fertilizers factorial experiments in a randomized complete block design with three replications were conducted in Yalian Farm of Qazvin, Iran, in 2013 and 2014. Levels of intercropping consisted of: corn sole croppings, intercropping of maize and 25% grass pea, intercropping corn and 50% grass pea, and grass pea sole cropping. Fertilizer levels were chemicals (base and top dress), cow manure (base) and avian manure top dress, cow manure (base) and chemical top dress, and cow manure (base) and chemical (top dress and spraying). In the last three treatments corn and grass pea seed inoculated with Azotobacter and mycorrhiza. The results showed that the highest corn forage yield with 84230 kg/ha produced from grass pea corn treated with 50% chemical manure. Intercropping is a suitable method for crop production and increasing quantity of crop as compared with sole croppings. The highest forage with 46020 kg/ha was produced by grass pea chemical manure treatment because of more light penetration to the canopy and the lack of competition with corn. Highest carbohydrates %30.5 belonged to the use of chemical fertilizer in sole cropping of corn and the highest crude protein with %24.75 is produced from chemical fertilizer in pure grass pea sole cropping and the highest dry matter digestibility and higher quality forage with %68.08 from the use of manure %25 grass pea/corn intercropping. Intercropping and mixed application of chemical and organic fertilizers improve the quality and quantity of forage yield.

Keywords

• Corn
• Grass pea
• Fertilizer
• intercropping
• Forage quality
• Yield