Ali, O., abdelaal, M., shahat, Y. (2024). MAXIMIZING LAND USE EFFICIENCY BY INTERCROPPING SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS WITH MAIZE. Menoufia Journal of Plant Production, 9(3), 81-107. doi: 10.21608/mjppf.2024.273084.1046
Osama A.M. Ali; mohammed sayed abdelaal; yasser shahat. "MAXIMIZING LAND USE EFFICIENCY BY INTERCROPPING SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS WITH MAIZE". Menoufia Journal of Plant Production, 9, 3, 2024, 81-107. doi: 10.21608/mjppf.2024.273084.1046
Ali, O., abdelaal, M., shahat, Y. (2024). 'MAXIMIZING LAND USE EFFICIENCY BY INTERCROPPING SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS WITH MAIZE', Menoufia Journal of Plant Production, 9(3), pp. 81-107. doi: 10.21608/mjppf.2024.273084.1046
Ali, O., abdelaal, M., shahat, Y. MAXIMIZING LAND USE EFFICIENCY BY INTERCROPPING SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS WITH MAIZE. Menoufia Journal of Plant Production, 2024; 9(3): 81-107. doi: 10.21608/mjppf.2024.273084.1046
MAXIMIZING LAND USE EFFICIENCY BY INTERCROPPING SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS WITH MAIZE
1Crop Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Egypt
2crop science department, faculty of agriculture , menofia university
3crop science department, faculty of agriculture, menofia university
Abstract
The present study was carried out at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt during 2019 and 2020 summer seasons to study the influence of intercropping three summer grass forage crops, i.e. pearl millet, sudan grass and teosinte at 100% from their recommended seeding rate with maize at three densities of maize, i.e. 50, 75 and 100% of the recommended plant density (24000 plants/fed) on their productivity and quality as well as the land use efficiency and the competitive relationships. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with four replications. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: 1-Intercropping forage crops with maize decreased most growth characters (No. of shoots/m2, total chlorophyll, No. of leaves /shoot, leaf area/shoot and total dry weight/shoot, forage yield (fresh and dry forage yields/fed), chemical composition (protein% and ash %) as well as nutritive value (digestible protein “DP” % and total digestible nutrients “TDN” %), but increased plant height and fiber % of forage crops compared to their sole croppings. Sudan grass surpassed other forage crops in plant height and fiber%, while millet crop recorded the highest values of No. of shoots/m2,total dry weight/shoot, fresh and dry forage yields/fed. Teosinte crop exceeded millet and sudan grass in total chlorophyll, No. of leaves/shoot and leaf area/shoot as well as chemical composition (protein % and ash %) and nutritive values (DP% and TDN %). Increasing plant density of maize from 50% to 100% intercropped with forage crops increased plant height of forage crops, but caused a reduction in growth characters, forage yield as well as nutritive values of forage crops