Abstract
A study was conducted to examine the effects of different planting structure of maize (Zea maysL.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) intercropping on fodder production and silage quality.Maize was cultivated alone and intercropped with soybean as follows;1 row maize to 1 row soybean (1M1S),1 row maize to 2 rows soybean (1M2S) and 1 row maize to 3 rows soybean (1M3S).The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replications.The crops were harvested when the maize reached at heading stage (at about 35% dry matter).The results indicated significant increase in fresh biomass and dry matter production of maize fodder alone as compared to maize intercropped with soybean fodder.However,no difference (p>0.05) was observed in ether extract (EE ), ash (%)and acid detergent fibre (ADF) of nutrient composition of fodder among the four treatments.After 60 days of ensiling period,silage samples were analysed for pH,dry matter (DM),crude protein (CP),ether extract (EE),neutraldetergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC).All intercropped silages had higher CP values (1M1S,12.1%;1M2S,12.1%;1M3S,12.7%) than the monocrop maize (SM,8.4%) silage.The NDF and ADF levels were higher for maize silage as compared to intercropped silages. The study showed that among all intercropped silages the IM3S (1 row maize to 3 rows soybean) was preferable according to nutrient composition than other intercropped silages.
Highlights
The use of maize (Zea mays L.) silage is a strategic tool for the intensification of livestock systems due to its high production potential and quality, and its versatility[1]
Fodder yield Data regarding green fodder and nutrients production of fodder cultivated as a maize alone and maize intercropped with soybean at different planting structure are presented in table 2.The fresh fodder and dry matter (DM) yields were ranged from 33.6 to 45.4 t/ha and 12.2 to 14.6 t/ha
seeded as monocrop (SM),monocrop maize;1M1S,1 row maize to 1 row soybean;1 row maize to rows soybean (1M2S),1 row maize to 2 rows soybean;1 row maize to rows soybean (1M3S),1 row maize to 3 rows soybean. *On dry matter basis
Summary
The use of maize (Zea mays L.) silage is a strategic tool for the intensification of livestock systems due to its high production potential and quality, and its versatility[1]. As a cultivation system, intercropping involves the planting of two or more crop species on the same field[6,7].Intercropping corn with legumes for silage is a feasible strategy to improve CP level[7,8,9,10].The use of corn grown for ensilaging and the seeding of soybean with corn in alternate-rows as 1 corn + 1 soybean or 1 corn + 2 soybeans highly increased the silage quality and CP content[11].
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