Effect of salinity and irrigation on forage grasses productivity, nutritional quality, and irrigation water and fertilizer use optimization

Objectives

1. Agronomical and physiological characterization, and the potential yield of different forages under salinity and drought stress.
2. Assess the nutritional quality of forage cultivars in response to the different irrigation regimes.
3. Determine the crop water requirements at different salinity treatments.
4. Optimize fertilizer and irrigation water use.
5. Seed production.
6. Identify the best management practices for forage crops in marginal regions.

Experiment Details

Planting date: 2021

Field Variables:

• Experiment Layout: Split-Split Plot Design in RCBD
• Main plot Factor = Three Salinity (0.4, 6 and 12 dS/m)
• Subplot Factor = Three Irrigation Quantities (Control (ETc), ETc - 25%, ETc + 25%)
• Sub-subplot Factor = 10 Genotypes including Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum, Festuca arundinacea, Rhodes Grass.
• Number of replications = 3