SUSHMA H. A., DINESH KUMAR M., VENKATESHA, M. M.*, AND ASHOK MADAPURADA
Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College,
University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga (Karnataka), India
Dept of LFC, Veterinary College, Shivamogga (Karnataka), India
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, UAHS, Shivamogga (Karnataka), India
*(e-mail : venka5033@gmail.com)
(Received : 11 June 2021; Accepted : 29 June 2021)
SUMMARY
Field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2019 at Department of Livestock Farm Complex, Veterinary College, Shivamogga. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with thirteen treatments having three replications. During the experiment, three hybrid napier cultivars, i.e., Dharwad Hybrid Napier-6, CO-5 and Taiwan Super Napier-1 & three fodder cowpea genotypes, i.e., Cowpea local, MFC-09-1 and MFC-08-14 were used. Fodder cowpea genotypes were tested as an intercrop in different hybrid napier cultivars under normal spacing and paired row. Combinations of hybrid napier cultivar Taiwan Super Napier-1 with fodder cowpea improved genotypes (MFC-08-14 and MFC-09-1) in paired row performed better and found significantly superior over cultivar Dharwad Hybrid Napier-6 with different genotypes of fodder cowpea. The combination registered higher plant height (373 cm), number of tillers/plant (73.67) and number of leaves/plant (434.67), green fodder yield (321.21 t/ha), dry fodder yield (66.09 t/ha) and per plant yield (17.35 kg). This was closely followed by hybrid napier cultivar CO-5 with fodder cowpea improved genotypes. Different genotypes of fodder cowpea did not differ in green and dry fodder yields but normal planting resulted maximum tonnage of green and dry fodder (7-8 and around 1.5 t/ha, respectively) compared to paired row system (5-6 and around 1.0 t/ha) due to difference in population.
Key words:Fodder cowpea, Green fodder yield, Dry fodder yield, Intercropping