YIELD AND FORAGE QUALITY OF KENAF AND BROWN MIDRIB SORGHUM IN PURE-STAND AND INTERCROPPED WITH MAIZE

Abstract

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) and brown midrib sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) have ecological and forage quality characteristics potentially important for the Comarca Lagunera. In this study we evaluated the yield and forage quality of kenaf varieties ‘Tainung 2’ and ‘Everglades 41’, and the hybrid of brown midrib sorghum ‘Silo Master Bar 100’ in pure-stand and intercropped with the maize (Zea mays L.) hybrid ‘P-3025W’. The study was conducted at the Campo Experimental La Laguna (INIFAP) during the Summer of 2003, at Matamoros, Coahuila, México. Dry matter (DM) yield, DM partitioning, and forage quality characteristics, such as crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined. DM yield of kenaf (6920 to 7653 kg ha^-1) was significantly lower than DM yield of maize (13 179 kg ha^-1) and brown midrib sorghum (10 629 kg ha^-1). In forage quality, kenaf had a higher CP than maize, however its ADF value was also higher, thus suggesting a greater proportion of less digestible fiber in kenaf than in maize. Maize intercropped with kenaf did not have advantage in DM yield and forage quality as compared to maize sowed alone, whereas intercropping maize with sorghum reduced ADF value by 5 % in relation to sorghum established alone. In these intercrop systems, DM yields of kenaf were reduced by 70 to 76 %, whereas DM yield of brown midrib sorghum dropped by 61 %. In maize, DM yields decreased by 21 to 26 % in association with kenaf and 41 % in association with sorghum.