Effect of Spacing of Elephant Grass Intercropping with Alfalfa on Biomass Yield and Nutritive Value of Elephant Grass in Fedis District, Eastern Ethiopia

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Pub Date : 2024-06-03 DOI:10.11648/j.aff.20241303.13

Worku Bekuma, T. Zewdu, Meseret Girma

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Abstract

The study was conducted by Fedis Agricultural Research Center (FARC) at Boko station in Fedis district. The experiment consisted of three different spacing arrangements: S1 (100 cm x 50 cm), S2 (75 cm x 50cm) and S3 (50 cm x 50 cm), and two cropping systems (intercrop and sole planting). These treatments were combined in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Forage samples were collected at ninety (90) days for elephant grass and 10% flowering for Alfalfa. The results showed that spacing and the interaction between spacing and intercropping had a significant (p<0.05) effect on herbage dry matter yield (DMY) and crude protein yield (CPY) of elephant grass. However, intercropping had no significant (p>0.05) effect on herbage DMY and CPY. Intercropping can increase the yield of herbage dry matter and total herbage dry matter when compared to pure stand elephant grass. The yield advantage can be up to 3.18% and 19.65%, respectively. Spacing does not significantly affect the dry matter yield of Alfalfa, but the cropping system does. Intercropping and narrow spacing resulted in higher total dry matter yield, due to the additive effect of intercropped Alfalfa dry matter yield. Among the three different spacing, the narrowest spacing S3 recorded the highest dry matter yield (25.62 t/ha), followed by S2 (22.28 t/ha) and S1 (18.33 t/ha). Spacing and intercropping have no significant effect on the chemical composition of elephant grass, but intercropping can increase the dry matter and decrease the ash content of elephant grass. Farmers in the study area and other regions with similar agro-ecology are advised to consider intercropping Alfalfa two weeks after establishing elephant grass. This should be done at an inter and intra-row spacing of 50 cm to achieve a higher herbage dry matter yield for both, elephant grass and total forage.

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埃塞俄比亚东部费迪斯地区象草与紫花苜蓿间作的间距对象草生物量产量和营养价值的影响

这项研究由费迪斯农业研究中心（FARC）在费迪斯区博科站进行。试验包括三种不同的间距安排：S1（100 厘米 x 50 厘米）、S2（75 厘米 x 50 厘米）和 S3（50 厘米 x 50 厘米），以及两种耕作制度（间作和单种）。这些处理以 3 x 2 的因子排列组合，采用随机完全区组设计，四次重复。象草和紫花苜蓿分别在九十（90）天和 10%开花时采集草料样本。结果表明，间距以及间距与间作的交互作用对牧草 DMY 和 CPY 有显著影响（p0.05）。与纯种大象草相比，间作可以提高草料干物质和草料总干物质的产量。产量优势分别可达 3.18% 和 19.65%。行距对紫花苜蓿干物质产量的影响不大，但种植制度会产生影响。由于间作紫花苜蓿干物质产量的叠加效应，间作和窄行距种植的紫花苜蓿干物质总产量更高。在三种不同的行距中，最窄行距 S3 的干物质产量最高（25.62 吨/公顷），其次是 S2（22.28 吨/公顷）和 S1（18.33 吨/公顷）。间距和间作对象草的化学成分没有显著影响，但间作可增加象草的干物质，降低灰分含量。建议研究地区和其他农业生态类似地区的农民考虑在种植象草两周后间作紫花苜蓿。行间和行内间距应为 50 厘米，以提高象草和全部牧草的干物质产量。

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Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

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