Effect of limited irrigation on quantitative and qualitative yield and water use efficiency of forage maize SC260

Investigation of various irrigation methods and intercropping are effective strategies for increasing water use efficiency and improve crop production. A field experiment conducted to study the effects of alternate furrow irrigation on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of forage corn with annual alfalfa cropping under its canopy in Ilam climate conditions. Experiment carried out as a split plot based on a randomized complete blocks design with three replications at research farm of Ilam University. Irrigation (alternate furrow irrigation and common furrow irrigation) as main plots and planting methods (Control without nitrogen fertilizer and alfalfa, nitrogen fertilizer and intercropping) as sub plots. The results showed that alternate furrow irrigation decreased significantly total dry weight and total produced forage dry weight (dry forage of corn and dry forage of alfalfa, total fresh weight and total produced forage fresh weight (fresh forage of corn and fresh forage of alfalfa), and protein content. According to the results, the most quantity of forage obtained from corn plots with nitrogen which commonly irrigated, also the best quality was in cropping alfalfa under corn canopy without fertilizer. Therefore, intercropping of corn and alfalfa with alternate furrow irrigation is suggested to produce high quality forage with considering water use efficiency.