Secuencias de cultivo alternativas para incrementar el potencial forrajero y productividad del agua

Abstract

Intensification of forage production during fall-winter season may improve productivity of cropping systems. The objective of this study was to determine the forage potential and water productivity (WP) of alternative crop sequences with double-crop during fall-winter season. The study was conducted during 2012-2013 y 2013-2014 cycles in Matamoros, Coahuila, México. The alternative crop sequences canola-triticale-corn, canola-barley-corn, canola-safflower-corn and canola-triticale-pearl millet were compared with the conventional crop sequences oat-corn-corn and oat-sorghum-sorghum. Forage chemical composition, dry matter (DM) and nutrient yields, and WP values for DM, crude protein (CP) and net energy for lactation (NEL) production were determined. Alternative crop sequences showed higher yields (11.4-53.3 %) and superior WP values (23.1-58.9 %) in CP production (P <0.05), besides they had water savings from 5.7 to 36 cm as compared with the conventional crop sequence oat-corn-corn. The best alternative sequences were those with the incorporation of canola in fall, barley or triticale in winter, and corn in spring, due to their higher yield and WP in CP (P <0.05). In addition, their WP values for DM (1.92-2.05 kg m-3) and NEL (12.22-13.64 MJ m-3) were similar (P >0.05) or higher (P <0.05) to those for the sequence oat-corn-corn, with 1.65-1.99 kg m-3 for DM and 11.09-13.72 MJ m-3 for NEL. The results show that alternative crop sequences with double-crop during fall-winter season can improve the efficiency of forage production.