The Effects of Solid, Liquid and Combined Cattle Manure Applications on the Yield, Quality and Mineral Contents of Common Vetch and Barley Intercropping Mixture

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of solid, liquid and the combination of solid and liquid cattle manure applications on the yield, quality and mineral content of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) + barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) intercropping mixture in 2006-2007 at Gumuþhane, Turkey. The treatments were control (no manure), two liquid (L 1 = 10 000 L ha-1 liquid cattle manure and L 2 = 20 000 L ha-1 liquid cattle manure), two solid (S1 = 20 ton ha-1 solid cattle manure, S2= 40 ton ha-1 solid cattle manure) and four different combinations of liquid and solid cattle manure applications (S1L1 = 20 ton ha -1 solid cattle manure + 10 000 L ha-1 liquid cattle manure, S 1 L 2 = 20 ton ha-1 solid cattle manure + 20 000 L ha-1 liquid cattle manure, S2L1 = 40 ton ha-1 solid cattle manure + 10 000 L ha-1 liquid cattle manure, and S2L2 = 40 ton ha -1 solid cattle manure + 20 000 L ha -1 liquid cattle manure). Total forage dry matter yield (TFDMY), crude protein content (CP), crude protein yield (CPY), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), dry matter intake (DMI), dry digestible matter (DDM), relative feed value (RFV) and mineral contents (Mg, Ca, K, P, Na, Mn, Zn, Fe and Cu) were determined to evaluate the effects of different cattle manure applications on intercropping mixtures. Solid, liquid and the combined cattle manure treatments had no effect on the TFDMY, CPY, ADF, NDF, DMI, DDM, RFV, Mg, Ca, K, Mn and Zn of the intercropping mixture except CP (p<0.01), P (p<0.01), Na (p<0.05), Fe (p<0.05) and Cu (p<0.05) in the first year. The treatments had significant effects on TFDMY (p<0.01), CP (p<0.01), ADF (p<0.05), NDF (p<0.01), DMI (p<0.01), DDM (p<0.05), RFV (p<0.01) and Zn (p<0.01) values of the intercropping mixture except CPY, Mg, Ca, K, P, Na, Mn, Fe and Cu in the second year. The results of the study revealed that the common vetch and barley intercropping mixture can be fertilized with 40 ton ha-1 solid cattle manure to improve the yield and quality. But if mineral content of forage is more important than yield and quality for the farmer, then it may be fertilized with 20 ton ha-1 solid cattle