EFFECT OF VETCH INTERCROPPING AND HARVESTING STAGES ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, DRY MATTER YIELD, AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF BRACHIARIA GRASS (Urochloa)

Abstract

This study was conducted at Haramaya University ‘Rare’ research site with an objective to determining the effects of intercropping vetch and harvesting stages on morphological characteristics, dry matter yield and chemical composition of brachiaria grass using a three factor factorial in RCBD with three replications. The three factors were 1) harvesting stages (HS) with five levels: 60, 90 and 120 day, 60 and 90 day of regrowth, 2) five-levels of intercropping: sole basilisk, sole xaraes, and sole vetch, basilisk with vetch, and xaraes with vetch; and 3) grass varieties (two brachiaria). The plot size was 4 m * 3 m (12 m2 ) with a total land area of 59 m * 15 m (885 m2 ). Prior to planting, 150 kg/ha combinations of nitrogen, phosphate and sulfur (NPS) fertilizers were applied to all plots. Root split brachiaria grass and seed of vetch were sown based on the recommended seed rate. Morphological data including plant height (PH), number leaf par plant (NLPP), number of tiller (TN), number of node (NN), leaf length (LL), internode length (INL), plot cover (PC), leaf to stem ratio (LSR), dry matter yield (DMY) and chemical composition (CP, Ash, DM, ADF, NDF, and ADL), were collected by taking five plants from the middle two rows of each plot. Soil samples were collected and analyzed before planting and after harvesting. Soil samples and brachiaria grass samples were analysed for chemical composition at Haramaya University Animal Nutrition and Soil Chemistry Laboratory, respectively. All data were subjected to the GLM ANOVA procedures of SAS JMP® pro 17. The result revealed that harvesting stages and cultivars had significant effect (P<0.0001) on NT, NN, and LL, whereas, NT, INL,and NLPP,had significant (P<0.05) interaction effect. HS and cultivars had significant effect (P<0.05) on LSR. HS and vetch intercropping had significant effect (P<0.05) on NN, LL and NT. The highest NN (81), PH (92.70cm) and NTPP (54.94) at 120 days of HS were recorded for vetch intercropping with Basilisk. The highest LSR (1.78%) and INL (14.92) at 120 days of HS, were recorded for vetch intercropping with Xaraes. The highest LL (33.40cm) was recorded for Brachiaria cultivars with intercropping at 120 days of HS. The highest NLPP (458.03), and NT (71.25)at 120 days of HS, were recorded from Basilisk. HS, and cultivars had significant effect (P<0.0001) on CP content, ADF and ADL and their interaction had also significantl (p<0.05) effect on DM content, ASH, and NDF. HS and intercropping had significant effect (P<0.0001) on CPY, and CP content, respectively. Highest DM (93.36%), ash (14.14%), NDF (77.75%), ADF (40.80%), ADL (18.64%), was obtained at 120 days of HS. The highest DMY were recorded from sole Brachiaria (4.02t/ha-1 ) and sole basilisk (9.71t/ha-1 ) at 120 days of HS. The highest CP (20.22%) content where recorded from Xaraes intercropping at 60 days of HS. Optimum CP content and DM yield were recorded for Basilisk and Xaraes intercropping with vetch at 60 days of HS, and regrowth from 60 days of HS. The current study suggested that there is a need for further studies on different combinations of HS and plant spacing over years and locations so as to arrive at a more dependable conclusion. Besides, in sacco DM and OM degradability and livestock feeding trial on both forages in combination to see their effects on animal performance