Hay Yield, Quality and Competition of Hungarian Vetch (Vicia pannonica) and Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) Intercropping

Abstract

A 2-year field study was carried out to determine the hay yield, quality, and competition of Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) mixtures at various ratios (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60; 30:70, 20:80, 10:90, 0:100) in the coastal region of the Black Sea (Ordu, Turkey). The plots were harvested during the filling period of the lower beans in Hungarian vetch. The field experiment was arranged as a randomized complete block design with 4 replications for each year. Hay yield, crude protein ratio and yield, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and interspecies competition of the mixtures were determined. It was determined that sole Hungarian vetch planting and Hungarian vetch-Italian ryegrass mixtures had higher hay yield and quality scores compared to sole Italian ryegrass planting. The highest hay and crude protein yield (respectively; 4026 and 732.6 kg ha-1) was obtained from 90% Hungarian vetch + 10% Italian ryegrass mixture and it revealed lower ADF and NDF ratios than any other mixtures. There was no statistical difference between the land equivalent ratio (LER) values of the mixtures; however, Italian ryegrass was found to be more aggressive in the mixtures. These results suggest that, in temperate and rainy regions, 90% Hungarian vetch + 10% Italian ryegrass mixture for winter sowing could be cultured.