Agro-Forestry of Guava (Psidium guajava) and Berseem (Trifolium alexdentem) for Good Palatable Green Fodder to Milch Buffaloe

Abstract

An experiment was laid out during two consecutive years of 2002-03 and 2003-04 at village Rajpura of Mainpuri districts in the catchments area of river Isan under “National Agricultural Technology Project” for making the model to KVKs. The main objective was to increase the milk productivity of graded buffaloes and utilize the spaces of two rows of guava with raising of berseem as filler crop. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam, having low plant nutrients status. Four treatment i.e., guava + berseem – sowing with untreated seed, guava + berseem – sowing with natural treated seed, guava + berseem – sowing with artificial treated seed and alone guava fruits yield collected from the adjoining area of experimental site with survey. Berseem cv. Diploid sown by broadcasting in the end of September after termination of rain. The berseem was fertilized with 15 kg N+60 kg P₂O₅/ha. The first berseem fodder cutting was done after 60 days of planting and second cutting was followed after 35 days of first cutting. Further cuttings were made at the interval of 35 days. Green fodder of berseem was obtained upto six cuttings. Guava + berseem sowing with natural treated seed and guava + berseem – sowing with artificial treated seed gave guava fruits by 11.30 q/ha and 11.38 q/ha, respectively, which was at par. Guava + berseem – sowing with untreated seed gave lowest fruits yield by 9.75 q/ha. The guava fruits yield collected from survey produced highest fruits yield by 15.25 q/ha. The quava + berseem sowing with natural treated seed and guava + berseem with artificial treated seed yielded 1138.40 q/ha and 1140.00 q/ha, respectively, green fodder yield of berseem in six cuttings. Guava + berseem- sowing with untreated seed gave green fodder by 915.00 q/ha. The graded buffaloes gave milk production by 15.15 lit/day/buffalo, 15.40 lit/day/buffalo and 15.50 lit/day/buffalo from the tested treatment of guava + berseem – sowing with untreated seed, guava + berseem-sowing with natural treated seed and guava + berseem sowing with artificial treated seed, respectively.