Growth, Forage Yield, and Quality of Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) Genotypes under Different Phosphorus Levels

Abstract

Background: The shortage of green and dry fodder remains a significant challenge for the livestock and dairy sectors. Currently, the country is facing a deficit in both green fodder and dry fodder. This is primarily due to the limited area under fodder cultivation, which directly impacts overall fodder availability. To address this issue, there is a pressing need either to expand the area under fodder crops or to adopt advanced production technologies that maximize yield per unit area. Among various fodder crops, berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) stands out as a crucial legume cultivated during the winter season globally. Fertilizers, particularly phosphorus, play a key role in optimizing crop productivity. Phosphorus is essential for energy transfer in root nodules and also contributes significantly to root development, nutrient uptake, and overall plant growth. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of different promising berseem genotypes under varied phosphorus application levels for growth, yield and quality parameters. Study Design: The field research experiment was undertaken in the Split-Plot Design. Place and Duration of the Study: The study was conducted during rabi season of 2023-24 under the AICRP on Forage Crops at BAIF’s Central Research Station, Urulikanchan, Pune, MS. Methodology: The experiment was undertaken with four promising genotypes of berseem along 2 checks as main treatment and three phosphorus levels as sub main treatments. A flat bed of size 4x3 m was prepared and seeds of each genotype were sown at 30 cm spacing. A full dose of phosphorus (as per treatments) supplemented with 20kgha-1 urea were applied to each treatment before sowing. Irrigation was given as per the crop requirement and other agronomic package of practices were kept similar to all the treatments. Result: Among the genotypes evaluated, JB-08-17 recorded the tallest plants with 66.10 cm, while PC-114 exhibited the highest leaf stem ratio of 0.772. In terms of green fodder yield, JHB-20-2 recorded the highest yield of 967.36 q/ha, followed by PC-114 with 966.72 q/ha. PC-114 also produced the significantly highest dry fodder yield (134.19 q/ha) and crude protein yield (28.79 q/ha). Application of 100 kg P₂O₅ per hectare resulted in the maximum average plant height of 63.08 cm, whereas the highest leaf stem ratio (0.69) was observed with 80 kg P₂O₅ per hectare. Phosphorus application at 100 kg/ha led to the maximum yield of green fodder (959.29 q/ha), dry matter (114.38 q/ha), and crude protein (23.68 q/ha). These results highlight the potential of specific berseem genotypes and optimal phosphorus application levels to enhance fodder productivity and contribute to addressing the ongoing deficit in green and dry fodder availability.