Source: Buxton, D.R., I.C. Anderson, and A. Hallam. 1998. Intercropping sorghum into alfalfa and reed canarygrass to increase biomass yield. J. Prod. Agric. 11:481-486.

Forages are valuable feed for livestock and also present a potential energy supply for generating electricity and liquid fuel. Annual forages tend to have a higher potential for yield than perennials, but they also allow more soil erosion. In order to maintain a sustainable agricultural system, a production system which will increase yield while protecting soils from erosion must be developed. In this study, the authors tested intercropping with high yielding annual sorghums into the perennials alfalfa and reed canarygrass to achieve this goal. Sweet sorghum or forage sorghum interseeded with alfalfa increased biomass yields by 28-38% at both test locations, when compared to alfalfa alone. Intercropping sorghum into reed canarygrass raised the total production by 35%, when compared with canarygrass alone. However, when sorghum was intercropped into reed canarygrass, sorghum lacked vigor and appeared chlorotic or yellow. Application of nitrogen fertilizers did not resolve the problem. Soil erosion for alfalfa and alfalfa intercropped with sorghum was less than 1 ton/acre, compared to more than 14 tons/acre with only sorghum by itself. They also considered the quality of the feed adequate for livestock. Average neutral detergent fiber concentrations were 50% for alfalfa and 64% for reed canarygrass. Water availability in the soil was critical to this program's success. Otherwise, perennial forages competed for water and sorghum seedlings developed poorly. For this reason, the authors recommend using this system in humid or irrigated areas. The results of this study indicate that a sustainable system, which increases the yield of forages but does not create erosion problems or compromise feed quality, can be achieved by intercropping sorghum into alfalfa or reed canarygrass.

Abstract author: Tammi Gayle Hessler, 19 October 1999.

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