Resumo

RETA SANCHEZ, David Guadalupe et al. Forage potential and water productivity in alternative cropping patterns. Rev. mex. de cienc. pecuarias [online]. 2015, vol.6, n.2, pp.153-170. ISSN 2448-6698.

The forage cropping systems can be improved with the inclusion of high nutritional quality alternative species. The objective of the study was to evaluate the forage potential and water productivity (WP) of forage cropping patterns which included canola (Brassica napus L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) as alternative crops. The alternative cropping patterns corn-corn-canola, sorghum-sorghum-canola, corn-corn-pea and soybean-corn-oat were compared with the conventional patterns alfalfa, corn-oat and corn-corn-oat. The study was conducted from April of 2009 to April of 2011 in Matamoros, Coahuila, Mexico. Forage chemical composition, dry matter (DM) and nutrient yields, and WP values for DM, crude protein (CP) and net energy for lactation (NE_L) production were determined. The incorporation of canola into cropping patterns with corn and sorghum sown in spring and summer seasons increased CP yield (34.4 %) and WP (33.3 %) for CP production, without yield decreases in DM and NE_L, as compared to the conventional cropping pattern corn-corn-oat. The cropping patterns that included canola produced higher DM and NE_L yields, using 83 % of alfalfa water requirement, however they had a 19 to 25 % reduction in CP yield. In the cropping pattern soybean-corn-oat, yields and WP of CP were increased, but it produced lower DM and NE_L yields. In the cropping patterns corn-corn-pea and corn-corn-oat, yields and WP for DM and nutrients production were similar. The results indicate that canola incorporation into forage cropping patterns increases WP.

Palavras-chave : Dry matter; Nutrient yields; Forage chemical composition; Brassica napus L.; Pisum sativum L.; Glycine max L.

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