Identification of Sustainable Forage Cropping Systems for Round the Year Green Fodder Supply in Irrigated Sub Tropics of Jammu

Abstract

An experiment entitled, Identification of Sustainable Forage Cropping Systems for Round the Year Green Fodder Supply in Irrigated Sub Tropics of Jammu was conducted at the Research Farm, Division of Agronomy, SKUAST - Jammu. The soil of the experimental field was sandy clay loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen and medium in available potassium and phosphorous. The experiment consisted of 24 treatments which were laid out in RBD and replicated thrice. The nutrients were applied according to the recommended package of practice. The experimental results revealed that among the different forage cropping system, significantly higher green forage yield of kharif fodder crops was recorded with multicut Sorghum + Maize with root slips of Napier planted in July. However, significantly higher green forage yield of rabi fodder was recorded with Berseem + Oat with root slips of Napier planted in July. Significantly higher nutrient uptake in terms of nitrogen uptake, phosphorus uptake and potassium uptake by kharif and rabi annual fodder with perennial grasses was recorded in multicut Bajra + Maize- Berseem + Barley with root slips of Napier planted in July. However, significantly higher ADF, NDF, hemicellulose and cellulose content at each cut was observed in multicut Sorghum + Maize with root slips of Napier planted in July during kharif season and Berseem + Oat with root slips of Napier planted in July in rabi season. newlineHenceforth, based on two years study, it was concluded that multicut Bajra + Cowpea - Berseem + Oats with root slips of Napier planted in July was found to be the best feasible sustainable forage cropping system for round the year availability of quality fodder with the maximum biomass and economic returns it realized higher B:C ratio with the minimum land requirement to feed 10 Adult Cattle Units. newline newline