Abstract:
Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), also called ‘broad bean or horse bean’ is an annual crop, which
mainly grows in the highlands of Ethiopia for human consumption. The objective of this study
was to improve the quantity and quality of forages produced from intercropping of faba bean
(Vicia faba L.) with forage oats (Avena sativa L.) on forage biomass, straw, grain yields, and
straw quality. Farmers have an experience of not weeding faba bean plots to get more weed
biomass. The field trial involved each farmer has 2(10×30) m2 large plots and each plot
divided in to (3*10) m2 for two faba bean varieties and three treatment practices The land was
selected carefully for uniformity of slope and fertility. Soil was prepared carefully before
sowing. Samples were taken from each treatment plots beginning before soil samples from the
upper 15 cm to lower 30cm, the final after harvest soil sample from each treatment plot. The
highest (P<0.01) tiller count, number of pods per plant (PPP), seeds per pod (SPP) and grain
yield was under improved management, whereas the lowest (P<0.01) was obtained from
intercropping management practice. The total feed dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and
metabolizable energy yields were greater (P<0.05) under intercropping than the remaining
management practices. Gebelcho under intercropping had the highest CP content (9.53%) and
the lowest CP contents were observed for Dosha under traditional management (6.84%). The
mean CP content was highest (P<0.05) under intercropping and lowest (P<0.05) in traditional
management practice. The NDF content was lower under intercropping than the remaining
management practices. In vitro true organic matter digestibility value (%) ranged from 55.9
(Gebelcho) traditional to 65.9 (Dosha) intercropping management practice. In vitro true dry
matter digestibility (IVTDMD) value was higher (P<0.05) under intercropping than other
management practices. Generally intercropping management gave higher net benefit and
particularly intercropping the variety Dossha (41869ETB ha-1) gave highest net benefit as
compared to the remaining variety and management practices. It can be concluded that
intercropping faba bean with oats could be feasible to provide reasonable nutritive value of
forages without or less affecting the faba bean grain yield in the crop-livestock production
systems of Ethiopia.
