Productivity, quality, and land use efficiency of cereal-legume forages under monocropping and intercropping systems with integrated use of organic and inorganic nutrient sources

Abstract

Production of nutritious fodder for livestock remains a challenge especially in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Cereal–legume intercropping with integrated use of organic and inorganic nutrient sources could be a viable option for achieving higher fodder tonnage in aforesaid ecologies. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine the impact of cereal-legume intercropping and integrated nutrient management on productivity, forage quality, and land use efficiency (LUE). The experiment was conducted in a split plot design where four planting ratios as monocropped maize (SM), monocropped cowpea (SC), maize intercropped with cowpea in 1:1 (1M:1C), and 2:1 (2M:1C) row ratio were allotted in the main plot and five nutrient management practices as absolute control (NM0), 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) + Zn (NM1), 125%RDF + Zn (NM2), (75%RDF + Zn + farm yard manure (FYM) + plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) (NM3) and 100%RDF + Zn + FYM (NM4) were allotted in subplot. Monocropped maize fertilized with 75%RDF + Zn + PGPR + FYM and 100%RDF + Zn + FYM produced significantly maximum dry matter yield (DMY) (138.3 and 135.7 q ha−1, respectively) which statistically at par with maize intercropped with cowpea in 2M:1C ratio under 75%RDF + Zn + PGPR + FYM (127.6 q ha−1). Maize and cowpea intercropped in 1M:1C ratio fertilized with 75%RDF + Zn + PGPR + FYM or 100%RDF + Zn + FYM gave highest crude protein, ether extract, and ash yield, digestibility and energy, and lowest fiber fractions. The intercropped treatments showed higher LUE with 8–12% yield advantage over monocropping. Therefore, intercropping of maize and cowpea in 1M:1C ratio with application of 75%RDF + Zn + PGPR + FYM or 100%RDF + Zn + FYM could be recommended to enhance the productivity, forage quality, and LUE in semiarid conditions of North-Western India.