Inclusion of Egyptian clover improves the value of sorghum-based cropping systems
Sunil Kumar A , Anoop Kumar Dixit A , Tejveer Singh A , Mukesh Choudhary
A * and Sita Ram Kantwa A
A Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi 284 003, India.
Abstract
In developing countries there is a preference to grow food crops rather than forage. However, suitable food–fodder based systems ensure year-round green fodder availability for profitable livestock production.
This study aimed to determine whether including single cut Egyptian clover (SEC) in the existing cropping systems could improve system productivity, forage availability and economic returns.
Nine SEC based cropping systems were tested in a randomised complete block design with three replications.
Sorghum–SEC–wheat (late sown) cropping system produced 18% greater wheat equivalent yield compared with a popularly adopted sorghum–wheat system (8.9 Mg ha−1). The water productivity (1.80 kg m−3) of this system was also improved in the sorghum–multi-cut Egyptian clover system (1.74 kg m−3). There was a marginal increase in dry matter yield and crude protein content of the succeeding sorghum crop when it was rotated with Egyptian clover. The inclusion of Egyptian clover also improved the soil organic carbon (23%) and available nitrogen (15%) compared with cereal–cereal systems. The findings identify a sustainable intensification option in the sorghum-based cropping system with short duration Egyptian clover (single cut) as an economically feasible and ecologically effective approach.
Integration of single cut Egyptian clover in sorghum–wheat rotation as a catch crop recorded greater system productivity, water-use efficiency and economic returns to achieve the sustainable crop intensification.
The SEC can be an effective option for diversification and intensification of cropping systems to improve fodder availability, yield, boost income and improve soil health.
Keywords: catch crop, crop intensification, crop rotation, Egyptian clover, forage, nutritive value, profitability, water productivity.
References
Abd El-Naby ZM, Wafaa WMS, El-Nahrawy MA (2014) Genetic analysis and maternal effects in berseem clover. Life Science Journal 11, 407-418.
| Google Scholar |
Bakheit BR (2013) Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) breeding in Egypt: a review. Asian Journal of Crop Science 5, 325-337.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Bakheit BR, Ali MA (2013) Improvement of single cut Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) by mass and family selection methods. Asian Journal of Crop Science 5, 304-311.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Banjara TR, Bohra JS, Kumar S, Singh T, Shori A, Prajapat K (2022) Sustainable alternative crop rotations to the irrigated rice-wheat cropping system of Indo-Gangetic plains of India. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 68, 1568-1585.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Choudhary M, Prabhu G, Palsaniya DR (2018) Response of guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) genotypes to intercropping with forage legumes under varying nitrogen management options. Grass and Forage Science 73, 888-896.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Crème A, Rumpel C, Gastal F, de la Luz Mora Gil M, Chabbi A (2016) Effects of grasses and a legume grown in monoculture or mixture on soil organic matter and phosphorus forms. Plant and Soil 402, 117-128.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Dahmardeh M, Ghanbari A, Syasar B, Ramroudi M (2009) Effect of intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) on green forage yield and quality evaluation. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences 8, 235-239.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
DARE (2018) DARE report, January–March, 2013. (Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India). Available at http://dare.nic.in/node/87 [Accessed 7 November 2018]
Dhyani K, Ansari MW, Rao YR, Verma RS, Shukla A, Tuteja N (2013) Comparative physiological response of wheat genotypes under terminal heat stress. Plant Signaling & Behavior 8, e24564.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Dubey R, Pathak H, Chakrabarti B, Singh S, Gupta DK, Harit RC (2020) Impact of terminal heat stress on wheat yield in India and options for adaptation. Agricultural Systems 181, 102826.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Elgersma A, Søegaard K (2018) Changes in nutritive value and herbage yield during extended growth intervals in grass–legume mixtures: effects of species, maturity at harvest, and relationships between productivity and components of feed quality. Grass and Forage Science 73, 78-93.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Enriquez-Hidalgo D, Gilliland TJ, Hennessy D (2016) Herbage and nitrogen yields, fixation and transfer by white clover to companion grasses in grazed swards under different rates of nitrogen fertilization. Grass and Forage Science 71, 559-574.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gautam A, Sai Prasad SV, Jajoo A, Ambati D (2015) Canopy temperature as a selection parameter for grain yield and its components in durum wheat under terminal heat stress in late sown conditions. Agricultural Research 4, 238-244.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ghosh PK, Mohanty M, Bandyopadhyay KK, Painuli DK, Misra AK (2006) Growth, competition, yield advantage and economics in soybean/pigeonpea intercropping system in semi-arid tropics of India: I. Effect of subsoiling. Field Crops Research 96, 80-89.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ghosh PK, Hazra KK, Venkatesh MS, Praharaj CS, Kumar N, Nath CP, Singh U, Singh SS (2020) Grain legume inclusion in cereal–cereal rotation increased base crop productivity in the long run. Experimental Agriculture 56, 142-158.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gierus M, Kleen J, Loges R, Taube F (2012) Forage legume species determine the nutritional quality of binary mixtures with perennial ryegrass in the first production year. Animal Feed Science and Technology 172, 150-161.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Gulwa U, Mgujulwa N, Beyene ST (2018) Benefits of grass-legume inter-cropping in livestock systems. African Journal of Agricultural Research 13, 1311-1319.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hamdany MK, Sheha AM, El-Kalawy SMS (2016) Effect of crop sequence of rice, maize and fahll berseem residues on wheat productivity and soil fertility. Journal of Plant Production 7, 1401-1410.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hashim MAA, Siam N, Al-Dosari A, Asl-Gaadi KA, Patil VC, Tola EHM, Rangaswamy M, Samdani MS (2012) Determination of water requirement and crop water productivity of crops grown in the Makkah Region of Saudi Arabia. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences 6, 196-206.
| Google Scholar |
Jat SL, Parihar CM, Singh AK, Nayak HS, Meena BR, Kumar B, Parihar MD, Jat ML (2019) Differential response from nitrogen sources with and without residue management under conservation agriculture on crop yields, water-use and economics in maize-based rotations. Field Crops Research 236, 96-110.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kramberger B, Gselman A, Kristl J, Lešnik M, Šuštar V, Muršec M, Podvršnik M (2014) Winter cover crop: the effects of grass–clover mixture proportion and biomass management on maize and the apparent residual N in the soil. European Journal of Agronomy 55, 63-71.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kumar B, Dhaliwal SS, Singh ST, Lamba JS, Ram H (2016) Herbage production, nutritional composition and quality of Teosinte under Fe fertilization. International Journal of Agriculture Biology 18, 319-329.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Kumar B, Brar NS, Verma HK, Kumar A, Singh R (2019) Nutritious feed for farm animals during lean period: silage and hay – a review. Forage Research 45, 10-22.
| Google Scholar |
Li X, Sørensen P, Li F, Petersen SO, Olesen JE (2015) Quantifying biological nitrogen fixation of different catch crops, and residual effects of roots and tops on nitrogen uptake in barley using in-situ15N labelling. Plant and Soil 395, 273-287.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Li Q, Yu P, Li G, Zhou D (2016) Grass–legume ratio can change soil carbon and nitrogen storage in a temperate steppe grassland. Soil and Tillage Research 157, 23-31.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lupwayi NZ, Soon YK (2016) Nitrogen-related rotational effects of legume crops on three consecutive subsequent crops. Soil Science Society of America Journal 80, 306-316.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Malaviya DR, Roy AK, Kaushal P, Chakraborti M, Yadav A, Khare A, Dhir R, Khairnar D, George GP (2018) Interspecific compatibility barriers, development of interspecific hybrids through embryo rescue and lineage of Trifolium alexandrinum (Egyptian clover) – important tropical forage legume. Plant Breeding 137, 655-672.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Mansour E, Abdul-Hamid MI, Yasin MT, Qabil N, Attia A (2017) Identifying drought-tolerant genotypes of barley and their responses to various irrigation levels in a Mediterranean environment. Agricultural Water Management 194, 58-67.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Marchesini G, Serva L, Chinello M, Gazziero M, Tenti S, Mirisola M, Garbin E, Contiero B, Grandis D, Andrighetto I (2019) Effect of maturity stage at harvest on the ensilability of maize hybrids in the early and late FAO classes, grown in areas differing in yield potential. Grass and Forage Science 74, 415-426.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Mariotti M, Masoni A, Ercoli L, Arduini I (2015) Nitrogen leaching and residual effect of barley/field bean intercropping. Plant, Soil and Environment 61, 60-65.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pirhofer-Walzl K, Rasmussen J, Høgh-Jensen H, Eriksen J, Søegaard K, Rasmussen J (2012) Nitrogen transfer from forage legumes to nine neighbouring plants in a multi-species grassland. Plant and Soil 350, 71-84.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Rai SK, Dixit AK, Choudhary M, Kumar S (2018) Climatic variability and prediction of annual rainfall using stochastic time series model at Jhansi in central India. Mausam 69, 73-80.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ramirez-Garcia J, Martens HJ, Quemada M, Thorup-Kristensen K (2015) Intercropping effect on root growth and nitrogen uptake at different nitrogen levels. Journal of Plant Ecology 8, 380-389.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Rasmussen J, Søegaard K, Pirhofer-Walzl K, Eriksen J (2012) N2-fixation and residual N effect of four legume species and four companion grass species. European Journal of Agronomy 36, 66-74.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Robertson M, Shen Y, Philp J, Hou F, Yang D, Yang Z, Ying K, Chen X, Bell L, Whish J, Komarek AM, Bellotti B (2015) Optimal harvest timing vs. harvesting for animal forage supply: impacts on production and quality of lucerne on the Loess Plateau, China. Grass and Forage Science 70, 296-307.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Salama HSA (2020) Mixture cropping of berseem clover with cereals to improve forage yield and quality under irrigated conditions of the Mediterranean basin. Annals of Agricultural Sciences 65, 159-167.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Salama HSA, Nawar AL (2021) Does manipulating harvest regime of single-cut ‘Fahl’ berseem clover compensate for reduced seeding rate? Grassland Science 67, 207-214.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Schlegel P, Wyss U, Arrigo Y, Hess HD (2016) Mineral concentrations of fresh herbage from mixed grassland as influenced by botanical composition, harvest time and growth stage. Animal Feed Science and Technology 219, 226-233.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Sher A, Hassan FU, Ali H, Hussain M, Sattar A (2017) Enhancing forage quality through appropriate nitrogen dose, seed rate and harvest stage, in sorghum cultivars grown in Pakistan. Grassland Science 63, 15-22.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Singh M, Singh A, Singh S, Ram M (2012) Evaluation of alternate menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) based intensive cropping systems for Indo-Gangetic plains of north India. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 58, 411-421.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Singh T, Malaviya DR, Kaushal P (2015) Genetic analysis of some morphological traits in Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). In ‘Extended abstracts: sustainable use of grasslands resources for forage production, biodiversity, and environmental protection. 23rd International Grassland Congress, New Delhi’. Paper ID: 1467. (Eds AK Roy, RV Kumar, RK Agarwal, SK Mahanta, JB Singh, MM Das, KK Dwivedi, G Prabhu, NK Shah) (Range Management Society of India)
Singh T, Srinivasan R, Mahanta SK, Tyagi VC, Roy AK (2018) Tropical forage legumes in India: status and scope for sustaining livestock production. In ‘Forage groups’. (Eds RL Edvan, EM Santos) pp. 123–143. (IntechOpen: London, UK) doi:10.5772/intechopen.81186
Sturludóttir E, Brophy C, Bélanger G, Gustavsson A-M, Jørgensen M, Lunnan T, Helgadóttir Á (2014) Benefits of mixing grasses and legumes for herbage yield and nutritive value in Northern Europe and Canada. Grass and Forage Science 69, 229-240.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Subbiah BV, Asija GL (1956) A rapid procedure for the estimation of available nitrogen in soils. Current Science 25, 259-260.
| Google Scholar |
Thilakarathna MS, McElroy MS, Chapagain T, Papadopoulos YA, Raizada MN (2016) Belowground nitrogen transfer from legumes to non-legumes under managed herbaceous cropping systems. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 36, 58.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Thind HS, Buttar GS, Aujla MS (2010) Yield and water use efficiency of wheat and cotton under alternate furrow and check-basin irrigation with canal and tube well water in Punjab, India. Irrigation Science 28, 489-496.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ul-Allah S, Khan AA, Fricke T, Buerkert A, Wachendorf M (2014) Fertilizer and irrigation effects on forage protein and energy production under semi-arid conditions of Pakistan. Field Crops Research 159, 62-69.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Ul-Allah S, Khan AA, Fricke T, Buerkert A, Wachendorf M (2015) Effect of fertiliser and irrigation on forage yield and irrigation water use efficiency in semi-arid regions of Pakistan. Experimental Agriculture 51, 485-500.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Van Soest PJ, Robertson JB, Lewis BA (1991) Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583-3597.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Walkley A, Black IA (1934) An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37, 29-38.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Wangchuk K, Rai K, Nirola H, Thukten , Dendup C, Mongar D (2015) Forage growth, yield and quality responses of Napier hybrid grass cultivars to three cutting intervals in the Himalayan foothills. Tropical Grasslands- Forrajes Tropicales 3, 142-150.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhang J, Yin B, Xie Y, Li J, Yang Z, Zhang G (2015) Legume-cereal intercropping improves forage yield, quality and degradability. PLoS ONE 10, e0144813.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
