Yield Potential and Quality of Egyptian Clover Intercropped with Forage Grasses | ||
| Journal of Plant Production | ||
| Article 1, Volume 15, Issue 3, March 2024, Pages 75-80 PDF (773.47 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpp.2024.270228.1312 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Hoda A. A. Ibrahim; M. K. I. Nagy | ||
| Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Egyptian clover is the main forage crop in Egypt due to its high production, high protein content and fast regrowth after cutting. Although Egyptianclover is rich in protein but it is poor in fiber and high in moisture content in early cuttings that caused a serious problem to animals. On the other hand, forage grasses have high dry matter yield but poor in quality. Intercropping is a good practice to increase yield and quality in forage crops. Two field experiments were carried out at the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt in winter seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. The study aimed to evaluate the productivity and quality of Egyptian clover mixtures with forage grasses plants for first three cuts. The experiment included nine treatments, solid system of Egyptian clover, rye grass, oat, triticale, barley and binary mixtures of Egyptian clover with pervious grasses (50 %: 50 %). Treatments were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Traits were measured such as plant height (cm), number of shoots/ unit area, fresh and dry forage yields (t fed-1), protein and crude fiber yields (ton fed-1). Generally, Egyptian clover + oat mixture had the highest total fresh and dry forage yields and protein and fiber yields in both seasons. Meanwhile, solid rye-grass gave the lowest total fresh and dry forage yields and protein and fiber yields in both seasons. The study concluded that intercropping Egyptianclover with grasses improved dry matter yield, protein and fiber content. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Egyptian clover; forage grass; intercropping; mixture; yield | ||
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