COMPARATIVE HERBAGE YIELD AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF MUCUNA PRURIENS AND SPHENOSTYLIS STERNOCARPA INTERCROPPED WITH MEGATHYRSUS MAXIMUS

Résumé

Mucuna pruriens (MP) and Sphenostylis sternocarpa (SS) are legume species potentially rich for feeding ruminants. The competition for growth resources in grass-legume intercrop can affect their yields and nutrients. Information on herbage yields and proximate content of MP and SS intercropped with Megathyrsus maximus (MM) is limited. In a randomized complete block design (r=3), MM was intercropped, with MP and SS in ratios 75MM:25MP (T1), 50MM:50MP (T2), 75MM:25SS (T3) and 50MM:50SS (T4), while MP (T5) and SS (T6) were soles. Yields and proximate contents of M. pruriens and S. sternocarpa at 8, 10 and 12 weeks of harvests were evaluated. Yields of sole M. pruriens were higher than sole S. sternocarpa and legumes from the intercrops. M. pruriens and S. sternocarpa from the intercrops (50:50), respectively, out yielded those from a 75:25 ratio. Biomass yield at week 10 was more than other harvest ages while dry matter yield of 8th week and 10th week harvests were similar. Crude Protein (CP) of M. pruriens and S. sternocarpa (21.65 and 21.34%,
respectively), from sole stands were higher than the CP range (20.75-20.89%) of the legumes from the intercrops (T1, T2 and T3), except T4 (21.82%). The crude fibre (CF) of legumes for the soles and the intercrops were relatively similar. The CF of both legumes increased with advanced harvest ages, while other proximate contents declined as harvest ages increased. In conclusion, the herbage yield of M. pruriens was more than S. sternocarpa, and harvest ages influenced yields and proximate content of both legumes.