Assessing yield and feed quality of intercropped sorghum and soybean in different planting patterns and in different ecologies

Abstract

This research was conducted in order to determine the effects of different intercropping patterns of sorghum with soybean on agronomic characters and forage yield in Bilecik and Kahramanmaras Turkey, in 2015 growing season. Experiments were planned as containing three intercropping patterns in alternate rows and pure stands for individual crops with three replications at two locations. As a result of the study, sorghum was determined as clearly dominant crop in producing high yield. Therefore, decreasing sorghum plant seeding rate in mixture caused a decrease in total yield. But soybean presence in forage induced a significant increase in protein content of forage. As a result, the land equivalent ratio with intercrops was higher as compared to pure plants, especially in intercropping systems in which sorghum plant density was not reduced more than 66% of sole sorghum.This research was conducted in order to determine the effects of different intercropping patterns of sorghum with soybean on agronomic characters and forage yield in Bilecik and Kahramanmaras Turkey, in 2015 growing season. Experiments were planned as containing three intercropping patterns in alternate rows and pure stands for individual crops with three replications at two locations. As a result of the study, sorghum was determined as clearly dominant crop in producing high yield. Therefore, decreasing sorghum plant seeding rate in mixture caused a decrease in total yield. But soybean presence in forage induced a significant increase in protein content of forage. As a result, the land equivalent ratio with intercrops was higher as compared to pure plants, especially in intercropping systems in which sorghum plant density was not reduced more than 66% of sole sorghum.