Evaluation of forage quality of oats and berseem under varying intercropping row ratios Khan Mohamed Arif*, Kumar Ravindra, Kumar Arvind, Pourouchottamane R., Gupta D.L., Rai B. ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Mathura, India *Correspondence: arifkhan.ag782@gmail.com
Online published on 22 March, 2023. Abstract A field experiment was conducted at agriculture farm, ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) during the rabi season of 2020-21 to study the effect of different intercropping combinations on fodder qualities of oats and berseem. The treatments consisted of nine intercropping combinations viz. sole oats, sole berseem, oats + berseem (1:1 row ratio), oats + berseem (2:1 row ratio), oats + berseem (1:2 row ratio), oats + berseem (2:2 row ratio), oats + berseem (3:1 row ratio), oats + berseem (1:3 row ratio), oats + berseem (3:3 row ratio). The experiment was laid out in randomize block design with three replications. The result showed that maximum total dry matter yield of intercropping (8.00 t ha−1) was recorded with 2:1 row ratios of Oats + Berseem intercropping combination. Further, in fodder oats, highest value of crude protein (I cut- 12.94%, II cut- 12.17% and III cut- 11.08%), ether extract (I cut- 2.93%, II cut- 2.58% and III cut- 2.05%), TDN content (68.12%), DMI (2.50%), RFV (133.24 %) and NEl (1.63%) were recorded with Oats + Berseem (1:3) intercropping combination. In fodder berseem, highest value of crude protein (I cut- 19.12%, II cut- 18.22% and III cut- 16.94%), ether extract (I cut- 3.58%, II cut- 3.39% and III cut- 3.08%), TDN content (64.50%), DMI (2.73%), RFV (141.12%) and NEl (1.55%) were recorded with sole cropping of fodder berseem. However, in berseem 1:3 row ratio of Oats + Berseem intercropping combination recorded at par values of quality parameters with sole berseem treatment. Thus, Oats + Berseem (1:3) intercropping combination is the best combination for fodder quality improvement of cereal component in cereal + legume intercropping. Top Keywords Crude protein, Digestible dry matter, Net energy for lactation (NEl), Relative feed value, TDN. Top |