Impact of intercropping and fertilizer application on biomass production of fodders.

To evaluate the effect of intercropping Panicum maximum (Blue Panic) grass and legumes ( Vicia sativa and cowpeas) alone or coupled with fertilizer application, a study was conducted under rain-fed conditions for two consecutive years (2005 to 2007) at National Agriculture Research Center Islamabad, Pakistan. In this experiment, intercropping (33, 50 and 67%) of grass and legumes alone as well as coupled with fertilizer application at the rates of 25, 75 and 50 kg ha -1 (N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O) was evaluated. Intercropping and fertilizer application studied substantially increased fodder biomass production along with enhancement of soil N and organic matter during both years. The grass and legumes biomasses under control treatment were recorded as 7.09 and 8.17 t ha -1 during first and second year of study, respectively. Mixed fodder production increased to 11.62, 13.6 and 14.13 t ha -1 with 33, 50 and 67% intercropping, respectively. Respective values of biomass were 12.71, 14.79 and 17.72 t ha -1 due to fertilizer supplementation. Thus, combination of 67% intercropping and fertilizer proved to be the best

[1]  I. J. Dantata.  Effect of Legume-Based Intercropping on Crop Yield: A Review , 2014 .

[2]  C. Tuna,et al.  THE ROLE OF INTERCROPPING ON YIELD POTENTIAL OF COMMON VETCH (Vicia sativa L.)/OAT (Avena sativa L.) CULTIVATED IN PURE STAND AND MIXTURES , 2007 .

[3]  L. Nussio,et al.  Silage production from tropical forages. , 2005 .

[4]  N. Millar,et al.  Optimum management intensity of legume- and grass-based grassland swards. , 2004 .

[5]  R. Serraj.  Symbiotic nitrogen fixation : prospects for enhanced application in tropical agriculture , 2004 .

[6]  S. Malhi,et al.  Fertilizer management of forage crops in the Canadian Great Plains. , 2004 .

[7]  A. Lüscher,et al.  Forage productivity of some Bulgarian lucerne cultivars in mixtures with grasses. , 2004 .

[8]  R. D. S. Nicoloso,et al.  Matéria seca, relação C/N e acúmulo de nitrogênio, fósforo e potássio em misturas de plantas de cobertura de solo , 2003 .

[9]  C. Shisanya.  Yield and Nitrogen Fixation Response by Drought Tolerant Tepary Bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray Var. Latifolius) in Sole and Maize Intercrop Systems in Semi-arid Kenya , 2003 .

[10]  Altaf-ur-Rahman.  Effect of feeding whole crop maize versus mott grass silages on milk yield and its composition in Sahiwal cows , 2003 .

[11]  Z. Iqbal,et al.  FEED RESOURCES FOR LIVESTOCK IN PAKISTAN , 2002 .

[12]  J. D. Kim,et al.  Yield and Quality of Silage Corn as Affected by Hybrid Maturity, Planting Date and Harvest Stage , 2001 .

[13]  B. Vanlauwe,et al.  Symbiotic Performance of Herbaceous Legumes in Tropical Cover Cropping Systems , 2001, TheScientificWorldJournal.

[14]  Asghar Ali,et al.  Effect of Legume - Grass Mixture on Forage Yield and Quality in the Pothwar Plateau of Pakistan , 2001 .

[15]  Asghar Ali,et al.  Evaluation of Tropical Grasses for Forage Yield and Crude Protein Content in the Pothwar Plateau of Pakistan , 2001 .

[16]  J. Odhiambo,et al.  Grass and Legume Cover Crop Effects on Dry Matter and Nitrogen Accumulation , 2001 .

[17]  Arvind Kumar,et al.  Effect of Nitrogen Level and Cutting Management on Yield and Quality of Different Varieties of Oat Fodder , 2001 .

[18]  M. Bose,et al.  Forage production technologies. , 2001 .

[19]  S. K. Tripathy,et al.  Effect of forage legumes intercropping on growth, yield and economics of sabaigrass (Eulaliopsis binata) , 2001 .

[20]  M. Turk.  Productivity of barley and common vetch under different cropping systems in a Mediterranean type environment. , 2000 .

[21]  P. A. Wing,et al.  Agricultural statistics of Pakistan , 1975 .

[22]  B. Sjollema.  The nutritional value of green fodder. , 1936 .