Effect of tillage practices and intercropping ratios on quantity and quality of cereals-sesbania forage

Tillage practices and intercropping plays an imperative role in the final production and quality of forages. Therefore, field studies were performed to compare forage quantity and quality of cereals and sesbania grown alone and in combination with different row ratios under different tillage practices during 2013 and 2014. The experiment consisted of tillage practices; i. e., minimum tillage (MT), and deep tillage (DT) and variable row ratios, i.e., sole sorghum, sole millet, sole sesbania, sorghum + sesbania (1:1), sorghum + sesbania (1:2), sorghum + sesbania (2:1), millet + sesbania (1:1), millet + sesbania (1:2), millet + sesbania (2:1). The experiment was performed in RCBD with a split plot arrangement having three replications. The results indicated that forage yield was significantly affected by tillage practices; however, forage quality remained non-significant. The deep tillage produced maximum fresh forage yield (FFY) and dry matter yield (DMY) compared to MT. Cereals-sesbania row intercropping significantly affected fodder yield and quality. The maximum fresh forage and dry matter yields were observed in cereals alone and the lowest was recorded in millet + sesbania (1:2) ratios. Growing of cereals + sesbania at different row ratios improved forage quality (ash % and crude protein %); however, an increase in rows of sesbania in the mixture decreased the crude fiber contents. In conclusion, growing sesbania alone or in row intercropping with cereals has the to the as to cereals alone.