MIXTURES OF ANNUAL CROPS FOR FORAGE IN CENTRAL ALBERTA

Abstract

Monocultures and binary mixtures of oats, barley, wheat and triticale with each of peas, faba beans and sunflowers, were evaluated for production of whole plant dry matter, protein and digestible energy. These tests were carried out on two soil types, Black and Grey-Wooded, during the years 1981–1983. Oats and oat mixtures were high yielding on both soils. Barley yielded less and was less competitive than oats. Barley-pea mixtures produced higher yields than pure barley on Grey-Wooded soil. Triticale and wheat were least competitive and produced low yields in mixtures. Average yields of sunflowers on Black soil were 3.3 times greater than on Grey-Wooded soil, and yields were extremely variable over years. The effect of the relatively high fiber content of sunflowers at 42% was reflected in their lower yields of digestible energy. Legumes and their mixtures produced the highest yields of protein, with faba beans more productive on Black soil and peas better on Grey-Wooded soil. Usually the yields of mixtures were between or below the yields of components in pure stands.Key words: Forage, mixtures, annual crops, cereals, pulses, sunflowers