Ali Akbar Ameri; Ali Ashraf Jafari
Volume 23, Issue 4 , March 2017, , Pages 689-703
Abstract
Production of forage protein is limited in arid and semi-arid environments. Grass-legume intercropping could be a viable option to obtain forage with higher protein content. To study the best composition of mixed cropping of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and three grass species (Agropyron elongatum, Agropyron ...
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Production of forage protein is limited in arid and semi-arid environments. Grass-legume intercropping could be a viable option to obtain forage with higher protein content. To study the best composition of mixed cropping of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and three grass species (Agropyron elongatum, Agropyron desertrum and Festuca arundinacea) on vegetative characteristics and forage yield, a two-year experiment was conducted during 2009 and 2010 in Sisab station of the Natural Resources Research Station of North Khorasan province. The experimental design was a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factors were mix-cropping ratios and sub-factors were two methods of mixed cropping (including mixed and intercropping). Vegetative traits, forage yield, and land equivalency ratio(LER) were determined during the experiment. Data were analyzed by SAS software and means comparisons were made by Duncan's test. Results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of mixed cropping on growth characteristics of alfalfa and grass species was significant. The higher values of the leaf to stem ratio (81.66%) was obtained from mixed cropping of alfalfa 25% + Festuca 75% treatment. The effects of sowing pattern (mixed and row intercropping) on vegetative traits were not significant. The effects of mixed cropping on the yield and LER of both alfalfa and grass forage were significant. The highest amount of dry matter production with average values of 2317 kgh-1 was obtained in mixed cropping of alfalfa 25% + Agropyron elongatum 75%. The highest LER (1.53) was related to the treatment of Festuca 25% + 75% alfalfa in intercropping patterns, representing 53% improvement in land use compared with monocultures of each of species.
Mehrnaz riasat; Ali Ashraf Jafari; Abolreza Nasir zade
Volume 23, Issue 4 , March 2017, , Pages 704-718
Abstract
In order to study of forage yield and quality traits, 19 populations of Elymus hispidus were sown under irrigation condition using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) during 2006-2009 in Hosein Abad, Shiraz, Iran. Data were collected and analyzed for spike emergence date, dry matter (DM) yield, ...
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In order to study of forage yield and quality traits, 19 populations of Elymus hispidus were sown under irrigation condition using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) during 2006-2009 in Hosein Abad, Shiraz, Iran. Data were collected and analyzed for spike emergence date, dry matter (DM) yield, plant height, stem number, leaf to stem ratio (LSR), and five quality traits as: dry matter digestibility (DMD), water soluble carbohydrate (WSC), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and total ash for three years. The results showed significant difference among populations for all traits except total ash. The populations T24, Feriden, Saghez-Ghameshloo, Asadabad and Pashelki-Eghlid with average values of 5458, 5307, 5114, 4696 and 4565 kg/ha had higher annual DM yield. Results of correlation showed positive correlation between stem number with both DM yield and plant height. The correlation between CP/WSC and between DMD /ADF were negatively significant. Using principal component analysis, the first three components determined 67% of the total variation. The spike emergence date, plant height, and DM yield in the first component and CP, WSC and leaf to stem ratio in the second components were the important traits. The 19 genotypes were grouped into three clusters based on Ward cluster analysis method. In terms of forage quantity and quality, Feriden and Ghameshloo (Saghez) populations had higher values as compared with other populations; therefore, these two accessions are recommended for semi-steppe rangelands of Fars province.