Dry Matter Yield and Feed Quality of Dwarf Napiergrass under Different Planting Compositions in Mixed Cropping System

A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, during 2001, to evaluate the effect on growth, yield and quality of sorghum fodder (Sorghum bicolor L.) sown alone and in mixture with ricebean (Vigna umbellata).The sorghum and ricebean were sown at proportions of 100:0, 0:100, 50: 50, 65:35, 75: 25, 35: 65 and 25: 75.The sole seed rate of sorghum and ricebean was 80 kg and 20 kg ha -1 , respectively.The mixture seed rates were made on that of pure stand.The seed proportions of sorghum and ricebean significantly affected the sorghum plant height, number of leaves of both sorghum and ricebean plants, green and dry matter yields.Height of ricebean plant, stem diameter of sorghum and crude fibre contents were not influenced significantly by seed proportions.Increasing the seed of ricebean in mixture increased crude protein and decreased crude fibre contents.Keeping in view both yields and quality of fodder the seed proportions 50:50 and 35:65 seems equally good under Faisalabad conditions.