Abstract
Background: Intercropping legumes with cereals for forage production is a sustainable technique showing several environmental benefits. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of different levels of nitrogen fertilization on forage yields and quality of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa, roth) –triticale (X tritcosecale, witmack) mixtures. Methods: The effect of five increasing nitrogen rates (0, 10, 20 30 and 50 kg N ha-1) on the growth rate, forage yield, quality and interspecific competition of hairy vetch-winter triticale mixture was investigated under rainfed regime at the INRAT experimental station of Mornag. Results: Nitrogen application induced an increase in dry matter yield from 7.6 to 9 T DM ha-1 obtained with 30 kg N ha-1. This rate corresponds to the most efficient nitrogen rate as expressed by kg DM per Kg of added N. It reached a mean value of 47 kg DM kg-1 N. Moreover, application of increasing nitrogen rate caused an increase in LER (Land Equivalent Ratio) of the mixture over the unit (LER=1.58 at 30 kg N ha-1) and the competition ability of the triticale through CRt increase, suggesting the advantage of the mixture over sole crops. Crude protein content has been increased by two points from zero nitrogen application to other rates. However, no evident variation in fibers and Metabolizable Energy (ME) content was detected along with nitrogen application, but, mean values of 18% of CP content, 34% of NDF content and 9.7 Mj kg-1 DM of ME were denoted as high forage nutritional values compared to other most Tunisian conventional forages. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that hairy vetch intercrops with winter triticale produced higher dry matter than the common vetch sole crop.
Highlights
The global human population is projected to reach beyond 9.8 billion by the end of the year 2050 [1]
The results of this study indicate that hairy vetch intercrops with winter triticale produced higher dry matter than the common vetch sole crop
Whether for the intercropping legumes with cereals or for its two partners grown in monoculture, the rates of DM found in this study were still comparable with those found in the previous work initiated on the same plant material [31, 40]
Summary
The global human population is projected to reach beyond 9.8 billion by the end of the year 2050 [1]. Productivity must be increased through sustainable production by taking into account climate change, rarefaction of resources like phosphorus and water, and losses of fertile lands. Crop production should be increased further without deteriorating the soil fertility, environment, and food quality [2, 3]. The use of forage grasslands to feed livestock, aiming at both higher forage productivity and quality, is a potential solution [7]. Intercropping of cereals and legumes for forage production has major advantages compared to forage sole crops like better utilization of abiotic resources [8], higher and more stable yields [9], better land use efficiency [10], and complementarity in the use of the available recourses [11]. Intercropping legumes with cereals for forage production is a sustainable technique showing several environmental benefits
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