Forage Yield and Quality of Winter Canola–Pea Mixed Cropping System

Forage crop–dairy farming is an important agro-industry across the world. This system intensive with high-input forage crops. In United States (US) Southern Great Plains, based primarily on annual grass-type crops in monocropping approaches and requires diverse low-input broadleaf for strengthening its sustainability. Winter canola (Brassica napus L.) pea (Pisum sativum have potential to provide crop diversity options high yields of quality. mono- mixed-cropping at seeding ratios canola/pea 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, 100:0 were studied yield quality 2015 2016 Clovis, New Mexico (NM). Averaged over years, canola–pea 75:25 50:50 produced similar biomass but higher than mono-pea by 43% 25:75 mono-canola cropping 8%. The land equivalent ratio all treatments exceeded 1.0, recording a 1.15, indicating that systems are better users resources. Total digestible nutrients relative feed value mixed cropping. Canola–pea achieved (13.3 14.7 Mg·ha?1) improved quality, as well productivity, improve mechanical harvestability vining pea, strengthen sustainability Plains under limited irrigation input ~300 mm.