Enhanced Forage Yield and Water Productivity with Cereal-Legume Mixed Cropping and Deficit Irrigation under Arid Conditions

Background: The increasing demand for food and feed necessitates the adoption of suitable crop production practices to enhance production while ensuring sustainability and conservation of scarce natural resources under the harsh environmental conditions in arid and semiarid regions. The mixed cropping of cereals and legumes is a critical component in sustainable agricultural system with improved forage yield. In addition, forage production with improved water use efficiency is vital in arid regions with limited irrigation water resources. The study investigated the combined effect of cereal-legume (barley-alfalfa) mixed cropping and deficit irrigation on the forage growth, dry matter yield and water productivity. Methods: The experiment was conducted at the KISR Station for Research and Innovation, Kuwait. Barley was mixed cropped with alfalfa in three different seed rate combinations (1:3, 1:1, 3:1) in addition to the sole cropping of component crops under three different irrigation regimes, corresponding to full irrigation (100% ET0) and two deficit irrigation (75% and 50% ET0 of full irrigation) for two growing seasons (2017-2018 and 2018-2019). Result: The barley-alfalfa mixed cropping under deficit irrigation enhanced water productivity and dry matter yield under arid environmental conditions. The plant height, number of tillers per meter square, number of nodes, dry matter yield and water productivity were significantly affected by irrigation application rates. The mixed cropping of barley and alfalfa in 1:1 followed by 1:3 seed rate ratio and sole cropping of alfalfa under 75% irrigation revealed better performance in terms of dry matter yield and water productivity.