Nitrogen Economy, Dry Matter Production and Seed Production Potential of Setaria sphacelata by Intercropping of Pasture Legumes

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of five pasture legumes (Sesbania sesban, Desmenthus virgatus, Stylosanthes scabra, Clitoria ternatea, and Desmodium tortuosum used as intercropped component) with respect to nitrogen economy, dry matter and seed yield potential of Setaria sphacelata — a grass based management system which was maintained from 1993 to 1995 at Research Farm, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi under rainfed condition. Legumes like Clitoria ternatea and Stylosanthes scabra enriched the nitrogen (39.8 to 46.9 kg N · ha−1) status of soil and the former legume produced at par seed yield to the 40 kg N · ha−1 application in S. sphacelata. Furthermore the increased seed yield of S. sphacelata under intercropping of legumes was attributed to its fertile tillers production, spike length and potential sink strength inducing the higher seed test weight. Potential seed production performance of S. sphacelata in the first year as compared to subsequent years might be due to its general transcript of plants and had some interactive effect with rainfall and some other associated climatological parameters.