Effects of types of nitrogenous fertilizer (biological, chemical, integrative) and cropping mixes on some forage-medicine characteristics in additive intercropping of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) with fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn order to investigate the effects of nitrogenous fertilizers (biological, chemical, integrative) on quantity and quality of forage-medicine in the additive intercropping of sorghum with fenugreek, an experiment was performed in two agronomic years 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 in the Research Farm of Agricultural Faculty of Tehran University located in Dolatabad, Karaj, as split-plot in the form of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main treatments consisted of the control or without fertilizer (N0), biofertilizer (Nbi) (Azotobacter, Rhizobium, Azospirillum, mycorrhiza), chemical nitrogen fertilizer (Nch 100) and integrative fertilizer including biofertilizer plus 50% chemical nitrogen fertilizer (Nbi + Nch50). The subtreatments included sole cultivation of fenugreek without weeds (T0), sole cultivation of fenugreek with weeds (Tw), sole cultivation of sorghum without weeds (S0), sole cultivation of sorghum with weeds (Sw), cultivation of sorghum + 50% fenugreek (ST50) and cultivation of sorghum + 100% fenugreek (ST100). Based on the results, the highest effective extract of fenugreek (trigonelline) and fenugreek dry matter was gained through the application of biological fertilizer + the sole fenugreek treatment (no weeds). Moreover, the highest sorghum dry mater was yielded by the use of the integrative fertilizer + the sole sorghum (no weeds) treatment; however, the highest total dry matter was observed to be more in the mixed treatment of integrative fertilizer and sorghum + 50% fenugreek. The lowest weed biomass was also linked to the integrative treatment biological fertilizer and sorghum + 100% fenugreek.