Ma. Turk, Effect of sowing rate and irrigation on dry biomass and grain yield of bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia) and narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis), I J AGR SCI, 69(6), 1999, pp. 438-443
Genotypes of 2 vetches, ie hitter vetch [Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd.] and nar
bon vetch [Vicia narbonensis L.] were evaluated for their performance at 2
sowing rates with low and high irrigation and under 2 harvest management. F
ield trials were carried out using a split split plot design with 4 replica
tions at the University in Ramtha (northern Jordan) during the 1994-95 and
1995-96. Irrigation increased and stabilized forage and grain production re
ducing the consequences of erratic rainfall. Mean dry biomass and grain yie
ld increased due to irrigation were 35 and 15% in bitter vetch (Kersenne),
31 and 8% in narbon vetch (Fouileh) respectively. Sowing rate interacted ma
inly with irrigation treatment and length of vegetative period. The high so
wing rate under irrigation in bitter vetch and narbon vetch increased forag
e production more than grain yield. The herbage and grain yield components
that responded to the high sowing rate under irrigation were plant height,
stems/m(2) for both vetches, pods/stem and grains/pod for narbon vetch and
bitter vetch. Adapted varieties and ecotypes identified within each species
represent genotypes with superior genetic potential for dry biomass produc
tion and grain yield under a semi-arid environment.