Forage yield and quality of common vetch mixtures with oat and triticale in two seeding ratios

Mixtures of annual forage legumes with winter cereals for forage production are used extensively in the Mediterranean region. Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) monocultures as well as mixtures of common vetch with each of the above cereals, in two seeding ratios (55:45 and 65:35), were used to investigate forage yield and quality as well as the effect of intercropping on growth rate of the three species used in the mixtures. Oat and triticale monocultures as well as both common vetch-oat mixtures provided greater forage yield than mixtures of common vetch with triticale and monoculture common vetch. Total relative yield exceeded unity in common vetch-oat (65:35) indicating that at this seeding rate there was an advantage of intercropping in using the environmental resources. Growth rate of common vetch, oat, and triticale in mixtures was lower than that in monocultures. Crude protein content was highest in monoculture common vetch followed by common vetch-oat (65:35). However, quality characteristics such as lignin content, neutral detergent fiber, total digestible nutrients and to a much smaller degree the acid detergent fiber, digestible dry matter, dry matter intake and relative feed value were affected by intercropping. Highest forage quality was achieved when common vetch was grown as a monoculture or when at a high proportion in mixtures, especially with oat. The results showed that mixture of common vetch with oat at the 65:35 seeding ratio achieved a higher forage yield and protein content than the other mixtures studied. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.