EFFECT OF NATURAL LIGHTING, COMBINATION OF SOAKING AND IRRIGATION, AND SEEDING RATE ON BARLEY GREEN FODDER PRODUCTION UNDER FARMER'S DOMESTIC ROOM CONDITIONS

Abstract

The increasing competition between animal fodder and human food on the limited cropping in Egypt led to increasing prices of raw materials which are used in manufacturing fodder. On the other hand, there is an alternative method that can be used to produce low-cost fodder with fewer efforts, without any electric energy and with lower water consumption. This study was carried out to evaluate the sprouting process of barley grains under farmer's domestic room conditions. Effect of natural lighting, combination of soaking and irrigation and seeding rate (4.01, 5.50 and 6.47kg/m2) on the investigated variables (green fodder yield, plant height and conversion factor of seeds into green fodder) were studied. Average values of temperature, relative humidity and lighting intensity in the farmer's domestic room with natural illumination were 28.0°C, 72.8% and 147 lux, respectively. Meanwhile, average values of temperature, relative humidity and lighting intensity in the farmer's domestic room without natural illumination (dark room) were 27.7 °C, 73.8% and 0 lux, respectively. The average dimensions of the used barley grains were 9.8 mm length, 3.4 width and 2.7 mm thickness. The average final bulk density and weight of 1000 seeds of barley grains were 0.590 g/cm3 and 40.85 g, respectively. The average initial moisture content (dry basis) of the barley grains was 13.95 %. The results of this study showed that the conversion factor was about 5.81 times per kg of barley grains. The combination of soaking and irrigation and natural lighting treatments had significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on green fodder yield. In conclusion, local barley cultivar has an ability to produce green fodder under farmer's domestic room conditions with less water consumption; and no energy and no special equipment. These findings are considered very important as the framers could use any domestic room in their houses to produce green fodder using barley seeds which are mostly available in the local market in Egypt at low price