Journal of Crop Production and Processing

In order to evaluate the forage quality in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) intercropping with application of mycorrhiza fungus (Glomus intraradices), a field experiment was carried out as a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with 10 treatments and 3 replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Iran during 2017 growing season. Treatments included planting patterns (sole planting of grass pea and barley, 75% grass pea+ 25% barley, 50% grass pea+ 50% barley, 25% grass pea+ 75% barley) with and without mycorrhiza inoculation. The highest water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and crude fiber (CF) were achieved in monoculture of inoculated and no-inoculated barley and 25% grass pea+ 75% barley planting patterns. Also, the highest neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) belonged to monocultures of barley, while the lowest NDF and ADF related to grass pea sole cropping. Thus, the highest total digestible nutrients (TDN), dry matter intake (DMI), digestible dry matter (DDM) and net energy for lactation (NEL) were obtained in monoculture of inoculated grass pea. In addition, inoculation with Glomus intraradices improved the mixture forage quality by reducing the concentration of ADF and ADF, while DDM, DMI, TDN and RFV were increased. Overall, based on the examined quality indices, inoculated grass pea was found potent to produce a good-quality forage.

In order to evaluate the forage quantity and quality of Sorghum in intercropping with soybean, a field experiment was carried out as a factorial based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, during the 2016 growing season. The first factor included different planting patterns with eight levels (soybean monocultures with densities of 40 and 50 plants m^-2, sorghum monocultures with densities of 10 and 15 plants m^-2, and intercropping of the two plant species with the mentioned densities); the second factor consisted of two levels of inoculation with nitroxin (Azotobacter chroococcum and Azospirillum brasilense) Bio-fertilizers and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas flurescence) and non-inoculation. The results showed that the highest (25.59 tons ha^-1) and lowest total dry forage yield was obtained in intercropping soybean (with densities of 40 and 50 plants m^-2) + sorghum (15 plants m^-2) with inoculation and soybean monocultures (with densities of 40 and 50 plants m^-2) without inoculation, respectively. Also, the highest and lowest values of forage ash, digestible dry matter (DDM) and net energy of lactation (NEL) were obtained in intercropping soybean (50 plants m^-2) + sorghum (10 plants m^-2) and monoculture of sorghum (15 plants m^-2), respectively. The highest content of the acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was obtained in the monoculture of sorghum (15 plants m^-2) without inoculation. In addition, application of bio-fertilizer increased the content of crude protein (CP), DDM, dry matter intake (DMI) and NEL by 6.29, 1.71, 3.29 and 2.72%, respectively, as compared to the control. Also, the highest land equivalent ratio and monetary advantage intercropping (MAI) were achieved in the intercropping of soybean (50 plants m^-2) + sorghum (15 plants m^-2). Generally, intercropping of soybean (50 plants m^-2) + sorghum (15 plants m^-2) and soybean (50 plants m^-2) + sorghum (10 plants m^-2) could be introduced as the best treatment in terms of forage quantity and quality, respectively.