Evaluation of forage qualitative characteristics of Sorghum and Fenugreek affected by nitrogen fertilizer (biological, chemical and integrated) in additive intercropping

Determining the best mixture of sorghum and fenugreek intercropping defines the best forage quality in medicinal forage production. This project was conducted to evaluate the effect of biological, chemical and integrated fertilizing systems on forage quantity and quality in sorghum and fenugreek intercropping. The experimental treatments were arranged as split plots based on randomized block design with three replications. The fertilizing treatments consisting of: 1. Control (N0 fertilizer), 2. Biological fertilizer (a combination of Azosperilium, Azotobacter, Rhizobium and Mychorriza), 3. Chemical fertilizer (urea based on soil analysis), 4. 50% chemical fertilizer + Biological fertilizer were assigned to the main plots. The subplots were assigned to different additive intercropping combinations of sorghum and fenugreek viz. 1. Sole Sorghum (weed free), 2. Sole sorghum (weed infested), 3. Sole fenugreek (weed free), 4. Sole fenugreek (weed infested), 5. Sorghum + 50% fenugreek, 6. Sorghum + 100% fenugreek. The results indicated that the highest dry matter digestibility (64.2%) and protein percentage (13%) in sorghum forage was obtained in sorghum+50% fenugreek when received integrated fertilizer.