70(1) Special Issue of IJA Optimizing agronomic practices for enhancing yield, quality and energy efficiency in perennial forage moringa (Moringa oleifera) production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v70i.6007Keywords:
Crude protein yield, Cutting height, Energy intensity, Energy productivity, Perennial moringa.Abstract
Experiments were conducted at ICAR-CIRG, Makhdoom from 2021 to 2023 to optimize agronomic practices for cultivating Moringa oleifera as a perennial forage crop. The study focused on evaluating the effects of three crop geometries (30 cm × 15 cm, 45 cm × 15 cm, and 60 cm × 15 cm) and four cutting heights (15, 30, 45, and 60 cm) on dry fodder yield, fodder quality and energy use efficiency. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Results showed that among the crop geometries, the 30 cm × 15 cm spacing produced the highest dry fodder yield (44.75 t ha⁻¹), total crude protein yield (8356 kg ha⁻¹), net energy returns (605146 MJ ha⁻¹), energy productivity (0.79 kg MJ⁻¹) and energy profitability (10.66). Among the cutting heights, harvesting at 30 cm from ground level resulted in the highest dry fodder yield (43.01 t ha⁻¹), total crude protein yield (7567 kg ha⁻¹), net energy returns (579828 MJ ha⁻¹), energy productivity (0.76 kg MJ⁻¹) and energy profitability (10.28). However, the values for 30 cm and 45 cm cutting heights were statistically comparable across these parameters. This suggests that both cutting heights are equally effective for optimizing yield and energy efficiency in moringa forage production.
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