Effects Of Alfalfa (Medicagoscutellata) and Barley (Hordeumvulgare) Intercropping Patterns on Dry Matter Yield, and Some of Qualitative Characteristics of Forage and Silage

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Efficient use of natural and biological cycles such as nitrogen fixation by legumes may stimulate yield of non-legumes crops in an intercropped system. In order to evaluate spring barley (H) and annual alfalfa (M) intercropping, a study was conducted in the research field of University of Tehran (located in karaj) during 2009-2010 growing season. In this research, a randomized complete block design with 4 replications and 14 treatments were used. Treatments include: H1:1M, H2:2M, H4:4M, H6:6M, H6:2M, H4:2M, H2:4M, H2:6M, H100%:20%M, H100%:40%M, H40%:100%M, H20%:100%M and two additional treatments of barley and alfalfa sole intercropping were established. The highest cumulative dry forage yield was achieved from treatment H1:1M (2934 Kg/ha). The maximum forage crude protein (CPf=30.87%), dry matter digestibility (DMDf=76.57%) and silage crude protein (CPs=17.88%) was detected in sole culture of alfalfa. Also, the highest silage dry matter digestibility (DMDs=31.37%) and silage ash (18.73%) belong to H4:2M, H6:2M, respectively. The highest land equivalent ratio (LER=1.232), and relative crowding coefficient (RCC=2.60) was detected for H1:1M mixture. Our results suggested that the best mixture is H1:1M for quantity yield. For achieving better quality, more percentage of alfalfa in mixtures is necessary.

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