Journal of Integrative Agriculture ›› 2022, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (11): 3329-3344.DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2022.08.088

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JIA-2021-0784

  

  • 收稿日期:2021-05-06 接受日期:2022-02-11 出版日期:2022-11-01 发布日期:2022-02-11

Influence of preceding crop and tillage system on forage yield and quality of selected summer grass and legume forage crops under arid conditions

Hend H. M. HASSAN1, El-Sayed E. A. EL-SOBKY2, Elsayed MANSOUR2, Ahmed S. M. El-KHOLY2, Mohamed F. AWAD3, Hayat ULLAH4, Avishek DATTA4   

  1. 1 Forage Crops Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
    2 Agronomy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
    3 Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
    4 Agricultural Systems and Engineering, Department of Food, Agriculture and Bioresources, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, Klong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand

  • Received:2021-05-06 Accepted:2022-02-11 Online:2022-11-01 Published:2022-02-11
  • About author:Correspondence Avishek DATTA, Tel: +66-2524-5479, E-mail: datta@ait.ac.th, avishek.ait@gmail.com
  • Supported by:
    The authors wish to thank the Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt, and the Taif University Researchers Supporting Project (TURSP-2020/111), Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia for the technical and financial support to this research.

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Abstract:

Among the crop production factors, preceding crop and tillage management affect the sustainable use of soil resources and ultimately crop growth and productivity.  This study aimed at investigating the impact of preceding winter crops (grass or legume) and different tillage systems on forage yield, quality and nutritive values of three summer grass (Sudan grass, pearl millet and teosinte) and two legume forage crops (cowpea and guar) under arid conditions.  The results exhibited that growing forage crops after legumes (as berseem clover) produced the highest fresh and dry forage yields and quality attributes compared with grasses (as wheat) with the exception of crude fiber content, which was decreased.  Moreover, tillage practices showed positive impact on forage yields and quality attributes.  The maximum forage yields and quality parameters were recorded under conventional tillage (CT) practice compared with reduced tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT) systems.  Among the evaluated crops, the highest yields of fresh forage, dry forage, crude fiber, crude protein and total digestible nutrient were exhibited by grass forage crops (Sudan grass, pearl millet and teosinte), whereas the highest crude protein content and the digestible energy values were produced by legume forage crops (cowpea and guar).  The maximum fresh forage, dry forage, crude fiber, crude protein, total digestible nutrient and digestible crude protein yields were produced by pearl millet followed by Sudan grass under CT and RT after berseem clover.  The highest net return was recorded by sowing pearl millet after berseem clover and applying CT followed by RT practices, which could be recommended for the commercial production.  Moreover, it could be assumed that the combination of growing grass forage crops after legume crops under CT or RT systems could enhance forage crop yield and quality with an improvement in soil properties for sustainable agriculture with low cost and the highest net income.

Key words: soil tillage , preceding crop , forage quality , nutritive values , net return