Research Article Open Access

Evaluation of Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) in Pure and Mixed Cropping with Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to Determine the Best Combination of Legume and Cereal for Forage Production

Seyedeh1, Davood Habibi1, Ali Kashani1, Farzad Paknejad2, Hossein Jafary3, Majid Jami Al-Ahmadi4, Mohamad Reza Tookalloo5 and Javad Lamei6
  • 1 Department of Agronomy, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Iran
  • 2 Department of Agronomy, Agriculture Research Center, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Iran
  • 3 Section of Plant Protection, Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center of Zanjan, Iran
  • 4 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Birjand, P.O. Box 97175-331, Birjand, Iran
  • 5 Department of Agronomy, Islamic Azad University, Bojnord Branch, Iran
  • 6 Section of Agronomy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

Problem statement: Mixed cereal-legume cropping can supply valuable forage in dry areas, as well as improving soil characteristics to approach sustainable farming systems in these regions. Approach: In order to comprise quality and quantity of produced forage and to determine the best planting ratio in a hairy vetch and barley mix cropping, a two year study was conducted during 2008 and 2009 in Zanjan Center for Research of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, Zanjan, Iran, using these two forage crops in a completely randomized block design with five treatments and four replications. Hairy vetch and barley were single- or mix cropped at 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 ratios. Results: Analysis of variance of two years data showed hay yield, absorbed N, P and K amounts and crude protein content varied among years and different planting ratio, significantly, with higher amounts in the second year. The highest dry matter yield, absorbed N, P and K and crude protein content were obtained in 50:50 planting ratio. The land equivalent ratio was more than one for all mix cropping treatments, with the highest value in 50:50 planting ratio, which also led to the highest LER in respect to crude protein. Conclusion: A 50:50 mixture of barley-hairy vetch can produce the highest dry forage yield, with a higher LER and the highest forage quality than sole cropping.

American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Volume 5 No. 2, 2010, 169-176

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2010.169.176

Submitted On: 3 March 2010 Published On: 30 June 2010

How to Cite: Seyedeh, Habibi, D., Kashani, A., Paknejad, F., Jafary, H., Al-Ahmadi, M. J., Tookalloo, M. R. & Lamei, J. (2010). Evaluation of Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) in Pure and Mixed Cropping with Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to Determine the Best Combination of Legume and Cereal for Forage Production. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, 5(2), 169-176. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2010.169.176

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Keywords

  • Crude protein
  • land equivalent ratio
  • planting ratio
  • replacement series