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Profile photo of Ronny Berndtsson

Ronny Berndtsson

Professor, Dep Director, MECW Dep Scientific Coordinator

Profile photo of Ronny Berndtsson

Forage Potential of Cereal–Legume Mixtures as an Adaptive Climate Change Strategy under Low Input Systems

Author

  • Rajia Kchaou
  • Salah Benyoussef
  • Sihem Jebari
  • Kalthoum Harbaoui
  • Ronny Berndtsson

Summary, in English

Mixed cropping systems can constitute important agroecological adaptation strategies for enhancing crop growth and productivity in view of climate change, while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and providing important ecosystem services. The aim of this study was to investigate growth, competitiveness, and productivity of two forage mixtures combining triticale (X triticosecale Wittmack) to common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), and to fenugreek (Trigonella fœnum-græcum L.) in different mixture combinations (40% T–60% V vs. 60% T–40% V and 40% T–60% F vs. 60% T–40% F). Field results showed that both forage legumes were higher inside the different crop mixtures (+225% for vetch, +94% for fenugreek) than in monocropping. In regard to the competition ration (CR), triticale was the more dominant and competitive species in three out of four studied mixtures. Forage yield was higher in crop mixtures than for corresponding sole crops. Yield gain was greater for common vetch-based mixtures than fenugreek ones (+60% vs. +30%). The results show that using cereal–legume mixtures can provide important productivity increase for fodder yield compared to conventional pure crops. The method is an important adaptive agricultural strategy in view of climate change.

Department/s

  • Division of Water Resources Engineering
  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)
  • MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World
  • LTH Profile Area: Water

Publishing year

2023

Language

English

Publication/Series

Sustainability (Switzerland)

Volume

15

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

MDPI AG

Topic

  • Agricultural Science

Keywords

  • adaptation
  • agriculture
  • climate change
  • common vetch
  • fenugreek
  • mixed cropping systems
  • triticale

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2071-1050