Evaluation of Quantity and Quality of Forage in Intercropping of Vetch (Vicia panonica) and Grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) with Annual Grasses under Rainfed Conditions of Markazi Province in Iran

To evaluate and compare the quantitative and quality of forage in vetch and grasspea intercropping with annual grasses under rainfed conditions of Markazi Province, an experiment was carried out in 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 growing seasons in dryland agriculture field station, Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center of Markazi Province, Frahan, Tafresh, Iran. Randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Treatments included: pure culture vetch (Vicia Panonica), grasspea (Lathyrus Sativus) with a density of 250 seeds m-2 and annual grasses included triticale and annual lolium (Lolium multiflorium) with a seed density of 400 seed m-2 and the ratios of various intercropping legumes 75% + grass 25%, legumes 50% + grass 50%, legumes 25% + grass 75%. Intercropping vetch 50% + triticale 50%, grasspea 25% + triticale 75%, grasspea 50% + triticale 50%, vetch 25% + triticale 75%, vetch 75% + triticale 25% and grasspea 75% + triticale 25% with 5615, 5520, 5461, 5130, 4718 and 4693 kg ha-1 had higher dry forage yield, respectively. Grasspea 25% + triticale 75% with 805 kg ha-1 had the highest protein yield. Land equivalent ratio (LER) of the intercropping treatments were larger than the unit. The intercropping treatments grasspea 50% + triticale 50% and grasspea 25% + triticale 75% for dry forage with 1.43 and 1.42, and for protein yield grasspea 25% + triticale 75% and grasspea 50% + triticale 50% with 1.66 and 1.47 had higher LER, respectively. It is concluded that with intercropping vetch 50% + triticale 50%, grasspea 50% + triticale 50% and grasspea 25% + triticale 75% considerable forage can be produced. These intercroppings are suitable alternative for fallow practices following wheat in drylands in Farahan region of Markazi Province in Iran.