Grain Yield and Total Protein Content of Organically Grown Oats–Vetch Mixtures Depending on Soil Type and Oats’ Cultivar

Katarzyna Pużyńska,Stanisław Pużyński,Jan Bocianowski,Andrzej Lepiarczyk,Agnieszka Synowiec

doi:10.3390/agriculture11010079

Katarzyna Pużyńska, Stanisław Pużyński + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11010079

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Abstract

The yield and quality of crop mixtures depend on natural and agrotechnical factors and their relationships. This research aimed to analyze the grain yield, its components and total protein content of the organically grown oat–vetch mixture on two different soils and depending on the oat cultivar. The three-year field experiment with two crop rotations was carried out. The experiment was set up in the southern Poland on two soils: Stagnic Luvisol (S.L.) and Haplic Cambisol (H.C.). One of four oat cultivars (‘Celer’, ‘Furman’, ‘Grajcar’ and ‘Kasztan’) was grown with the common vetch cv. ‘Hanka’. The results showed that the grain yield of mixtures was affected mainly by weather conditions. During the dry season, the share of vetch in the grain yield was 46% lower than in the season of regular rainfall. The share of vetch seeds in the mixture’s yield was ca. 21% higher when the mixtures were grown on the S.L. than the H.C. soil. The selection of oats’ cultivar for the mixture with vetch affected significantly the thousand seed mass and protein content in the vetch seeds, 46.2–50.4 g and 270–280 g kg−1, respectively. The mixture with Kasztan cultivar yielded the best and this oat cultivar seemed to be the most appropriate for organic conditions; however, in years with high variability of rainfall distribution its usefulness was less.

Highlights

Cereal–legume mixtures are usually cultivated for grain or green fodder, sometimes as a green manure
We showed that particular components of the mixture preferred different soil types; oat yielded better on a fertile Stagnic H.C.—Haplic Cambisol (Luvisol)
Warm and average years, with a high variability of rainfall distribution, presented the lowest yields compared to other cultivars

Summary

Introduction

Cereal–legume mixtures are usually cultivated for grain or green fodder, sometimes as a green manure. Compared to their pure sowing, cereal and legume mixtures are characterized by a higher total protein yield, more stable yielding, especially in unfavorable habitats, a better legume health, and higher nutritional value [1,2]. The biological value of oat protein is not high, but it contains many valuable amino acids, such as lysine and arginine [10]. Oats have the most fiber, mainly in their husks, which reduces their digestibility and energy value [11,12]. Oat products and grain quality can be improved by mixing with legumes [13,14]

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