Effect of nutrient sources on productivity of fodder cropping systems in Punjab

A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of nutrient sources on green fodder productivity of different fodders in cropping system mode at Ludhiana on a sandy loam soil in split plot design. The main plots consisted of four fodder cropping systems i.e. sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), maize (Zea mays L.)-berseem-pearlmillet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend. Stuntz], maize-berseem-maize + cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] and sorghum + clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub]-oat (Avena sativa L.)-cowpea and three nutrient management systems viz. organic, chemical and integrated in sub-plots with three replications. The highest maize equivalent green fodder yield (83.3 t/ha) was obtained in maize-berseem-pearlmillet fodder cropping system, which was significantly higher than sorghum-berseem, but statistically at par with the sorghum + clusterbean-oat-cowpea and maize-berseemmaize + cowpea cropping systems. Pearlmillet (64.2 t/ha) in summer, sorghum (34.6 t/ha) in kharif and berseem (62.7 t/ha) in rabi season gave the highest green fodder yield. The organic nutrient management produced significantly higher total system green fodder productivity (125.8 t/ha) and maize equivalent green fodder yield (85.4 t/ha) than the integrated and chemical fertilizer system. The organic carbon status of the soil increased by 24 and 11% over its initial status with the adoption of organic and integrated nutrient management systems, respectively. The available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium status in soil were also higher in organic and integrated nutrient management as compared to chemical fertilizer application.