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بررسی ریخت‌شناسی ریشه در مناطق خشک و نیمه‌خشک دنیا بسیار مهم است چرا که عملکرد گیاه تحت شرایط تنش خشکی به میزان زیادی به توانایی ریشه در جذب آب و مواد غذایی بستگی دارد. به همین منظور آزمایشی در مزرعۀ آموزشی و پژوهشی دانشگاه تهران در سال‌های 1397 و 1398 انجام شد. این آزمایش به‌صورت کرت‌های دو بار خردشده در قالب طرح بلوک‌های کامل تصادفی در سه تکرار اجرا شد. خاک‌ورزی به‌عنوان عامل اصلی در دو سطح (بدون خاک‌ورزی و مرسوم)، تنش آبی به‌عنوان عامل فرعی (در سه سطح تأمین 30، 60 و 90 % نیاز آبی) و کود نیتروژن به‌عنوان عامل فرعی فرعی (در سه سطح مصرف صفر، 50 و 100 % میزان توصیه‌شده) در نظر گرفته شدند. نتایج جدول تجزیه واریانس نشان داد که بیشترین طول ریشه (4147 سانتی‌متر بر گیاه)، حجم ریشه (158.13 سانتی‌متر مکعب بر بوته)، سطح ریشه (3055.7 سانتی‌متر مربع بر بوته)، تراکم طول ریشه (0.44 سانتی‌متر مربع بر سانتی‌متر مکعب خاک)، وزن خشک ریشه (24.32 گرم بر بوته) و وزن تر بوته (6732.6 گرم بر مترمربع)، از اثر متقابل خاک‌ورزی مرسوم در تنش خشکی خفیف (90% نیاز آبی گیاه) در 100% نیاز کودی نیتروژن گیاه حاصل شد. همچنین اثر متقابل تنش خشکی شدید (30% نیاز آبی گیاه) در 100% نیاز کودی نیتروژن گیاه منجر به کاهش شدید صفات مذکور در هر دو سیستم خاک‌ورزی موردمطالعه شد. گرچه سیستم خاک‌ورزی مرسوم در این پژوهش درنهایت موجب افزایش مقدار خصوصیات رشدی ریشه و وزن تر بوته در گیاه ذرت علوفه‌ای شد ولی به دلیل اینکه تفاوت معنی‌داری در عملکرد علوفه تر در هر دو سیستم خاک‌ورزی موردمطالعه مشاهده نشد، سیستم بدون خاک‌ورزی به سبب آنکه در درازمدت می‌تواند موجب بهبود خصوصیات فیزیکی و شیمیایی خاک گردد، پیشنهاد می‌شود.

به‌منظور بررسی تاثیر تیمار کود نیتروژن و تنش خشکی بر عملکرد ذرت علوفه‌ای در شیوه‌های مختلف خاک‌ورزی، آزمایشی در مزرعۀ آموزشی و پژوهشی دانشگاه تهران در سال‌های 1397 و 1398 انجام شد. این آزمایش به صورت کرت‌های دو بار خردشده در قالب طرح بلوک‌های کامل تصادفی در سه تکرار اجرا شد. خاک‌ورزی به عنوان عامل اصلی در دو سطح (بدون‌خاک‌ورزی و مرسوم)، تنش آبی به عنوان عامل فرعی (در سه سطح تامین 30، 60 و 90 % نیاز آبی) و کود نیتروژن به عنوان عامل فرعی‌فرعی (در سه سطح مصرف صفر، 50 و 100 % میزان توصیه‌شده) در نظر گرفته شدند. نتایج جدول تجزیه واریانس نشان داد بالاترین قطر ساقه ( 19.8 میلی‌متر) از اثر متقابل تنش خشکی خفیف و خاک‌ورزی مرسوم حاصل شد. بالاترین شاخص سطح برگ (6.08)، وزن خشک برگ (441.58 گرم بر متر مربع)، وزن خشک ساقه (1478.2 گرم بر متر مربع)، وزن خشک کل بوته (1919.93 گرم بر متر مربع) و وزن تر کل بوته (6732.6 گرم بر متر مربع) از تنش خشکی خفیف، کاربرد 100% کود نیتروژن توصیه شده در شرایط خاک‌ورزی مرسوم حاصل شد. نتایج نشان داد که شخم حفاظتی نسبت به شخم مرسوم بر تمامی خصوصیات موردمطالعه اثر کاهشی داشت؛ بنابراین در سال­های اولیۀ انتقال از خاک‌ورزی مرسوم به خاک‌ورزی حفاظتی نمی­توان انتظار عملکرد بالایی داشت.

گیاه دارویی گل‌سازویی (Scrophularia striata) با نام محلی تشنه‌داری، گیاهی خودرو، چندساله و بومی ایران می‌باشد. یک مطالعه مزرعه‌ای به‌منظور شناخت بهترین بستر و تاریخ کاشت برای این گیاه و بررسی تأثیر این دو فاکتور روی تقویم رشد (فنولوژی) این گیاه به‌صورت طرح کرت‌های خردشده در قالب بلوک‌ کامل تصادفی با سه تکرار انجام شد. کرت‎های اصلی شامل تیمارهای تاریخ کاشت در پنج سطح ]پانزدهم ماه‌های خرداد (D1)، شهریور (D2)، مهر (D3)، آبان (D4) و اسفند (D5)[ و کرت‎های فرعی شامل بسترهای مختلف کاشت ]پیت‌ماس، پیت‌ماس+ پرلیت (1:1) و کوکوپیت + پیت‌ماس+ پرلیت (1:1:2)[ در نظر گرفته شدند. نتایج حاصل از بررسی میزان درجه روز رشد (GDD) مورد نیاز برای رسیدن به مراحل مختلف فنولوژیک گل‌سازویی (گره اول و دوم ساقه، گل‌دهی، کپسول‌دهی، دانه‌بندی و رسیدگی) نشان دادند که در تیمار تاریخ کاشت خردادماه،گیاهان کمترین مقدار GDD را در بستر کاشت پیت‌ماس داشتند. با تأخیر تاریخ کاشت به سمت آبان‌ماه، گیاهان به GDD بیشتری برای مراحل مختلف فنولوژیک نیاز داشتند. در تاریخ کاشت اسفندماه نیز گیاهان درمرحله رویشی باقی ماندند و نتوانستند وارد مرحله زایشی شوند، که نشانگر نیاز گل‌سازویی به سرما برای ورود به فاز زایشی می‌باشد. بر اساس نتایج این تحقیق، خرداد ماه به‌عنوان مناسب‌ترین زمان برای کاشت گل‌سازویی تعیین شد. این نتایج می‌تواند در راستای اهلی‌سازی و کشت زراعی این گیاه اطلاعات مناسبی در اختیار بهره‌‌برداران قرار دهد.

جنس آمبروزیا، دارای 40 گونه در دنیا می‌باشد (Essl et al. 2015). حضور گونهDC. A. artemisiifolia در سال 1991 در بندر انزلی (استان گیلان) گزارش شد (Mozaffarian 1991). طی سه سال اخیر، در مناطق زیادی از حاشیه جاده‌ها و زمین‌های رها شده، پراکندگی وسیعی از گیاه آمبروزیا مشاهده شده است. گمانه‌زنی اولیه این بود که گونه A. artemisifoliaدر گیلان و به خصوص بندر انزلی گسترش یافته است، اما جمع‌آوری نمونه‌های گیاهی و بررسی دقیق براساس کلیدهای معتبر شناسایی نشانگر حضور گونه‌ای جدید با نام Ambrosia psilostachya DC.بود که سطح گسترش آن‌ها حدود ده‌ها هکتار در اراضی بایر منطقه تخمین زده می‌شد. نمونه‌های گیاهی و بذور آن‌ها در سال‌های 96–1395 جمع‌آوری شد و مطالعاتی روی آن‌ها در مرکز تحقیقات و آموزش کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان گیلان انجام گرفت. با مقایسه فلور منطقه با سال‌های پیشین، مشخص گردید که این گیاه، زیستگاه گیاهان علوفه‌ای اراضی مرتعی را به میزان زیادی تسخیر نموده و به ‌دلیل دایمی بودن، ارتفاع بلند‌تر و طول دوره رشد طولانی‌تر، دارای غالبیت در بیشتر فلور بومی منطقه بوده و سبب تسخیر زیستگاه گیاهان بومی و همچنین ایجاد محدودیت در تامین علوفه برای دام می‌شود.

به منظور بررسی تأثیر عوامل اقلیمی و خاکی بر پراکنش علف های هرز مطالعه‌ای در 85 مزرعه گندم (Triticum aestivum L.) آبی بر اساس سطح زیر کشت این محصول در 11 شهرستان استان کرمانشاه طی سال‌های 91-1390 انجام شد. مجموعاً 162 گونه علف‌هزر متعلق به 33 خانواده گیاهی در این مزارع شناسایی شد. با استفاده از آنالیز چند متغیره همبستگی کانونی (CCA)، ارتباط پراکنش گونه های علف‌هزر با عوامل خاک (pH، کلسیم، منیزیم، فسفر، نیتروژن، پتاسیم، سدیم، درصد رس، شن و سیلت در بافت خاک، ظرفیت تبادل کاتیونی خاک و هدایت الکتریکی) و عوامل اقلیمی بررسی شد. مؤلفه اول و دوم در سال 1391 بیش از 64% واریانس پراکنش گونه‌ها را تحت تأثیر فاکتورهای اقلیمی توصیف کردند. یولاف وحشی زمستانه (Avena ludoviciana Dur.)، چچم (Lolium rigidum Gaud.)، خردل وحشی (Sinapis arvensis L.) و علف قناری (Phalaris brachystacys Link.) در مناطقی از استان که درجه حرارت بالا و ارتفاع از سطح دریا پایینی داشتند، از پراکنش وسیعی برخوردار بودند. تبخیر زیاد باعث افزایش علف های هرز جودره (Hordeum spontaneum C. Koch.)، بی تی راخ (Galium tricornutum Dandy.) و ماشک مریوانی (Vicia assyriaca Boiss.) طی ده ساله اخیر شد. خاک های با میزان نیتروژن و فسفر بالا، از جمعیت بالای علف‌هزر جودره در مزارع گندم برخوردار بودند. پیچک صحرایی (Convolvulus arvensis L.) و گلرنگ وحشی (Carthamus oxycantha M. B.) در خاک های رسی وفور بیشتری داشتند. تراکم بی تی راخ در خاک های قلیایی و شنی بیشتر از مناطق دیگر بود.

Pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is being sown in Iran from April to July. To investigate the effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and Bacillus velezensis bacteria on pinto bean yield and yield component, an experiment was conducted as a split-split plots experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replicates in the research farm of the college of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran in 2021 on separate planting dates (mid May and late June). The treatments included two irrigation levels (irrigation 70% and 100% of the plant's water requirement) as the main plot, foliar spraying (ASA hormone at 0.5 mM level and control) as a secondary plot and inoculation with Bacillus velezensis bacteria and no inoculation as a secondary subplot. Results of the analysis of variance showed that the interactions of sowing date, irrigation, foliar spraying, and inoculation with bacteria on the traits measured in pinto beans was significant. The maximum plant height (154 cm), number of sub-branches (7), leaf area index (7.3), seed yield (3045 kg/ha), and harvest index (43%), 100 seed weight (37 g), pod number (24) were obtained in mid-May planting date, along with salicylic acid foliar spraying and bacterial inoculation without water stress. The highest biological yield (7997 kg/ha) was obtained under water deficit stress (70% of plant water requirement) and foliar spraying with ASA hormone and inoculation with bacteria, in late June sowing date. Overall, hormone spraying and inoculation with bacteria improved the yield characteristics of pinto bean under drought-stress conditions in both sowing dates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most important food producers, the agricultural industry consumes a lot of energy to produce various products. Also, agriculture is the largest supplier of energy in the form of biological energy. This study was conducted in Khuzestan province with the aim of investigating the energy indicators of okra and the contribution of different inputs to the total energy in monoculture, intercropping (okra+cucumber) and agroforestry (okra+date palm) systems. The simple random sampling method was used to determine the survey volume and calculated sample size in this study was found to be 139. The data used in the study were collected from okra farms using a face-to-face questionnaire. The inputs and outputs were calculated per hectare and then, these input and output data were multiplied by the coefficient of energy equivalent. Following the calculation of energy input and output values, the energy ratio, energy productivity and net energy were determined. The results indicated that averages of energy inputs in monoculture, intercropping and agroforestry systems of okra were 78763.77, 81269.27 and 52502.42 respectively, while the energy output in these systems was 17575, 37380 and 113715 MJ ha-1, respectively. The energy ratio in monoculture, intercropping and agroforestry systems were calculated as 0.223, 0.460 and 2.166 respectively. The energy productivity in intercropping system was calculated as 0.470 kg MJ-1, which was about 302% and 64% more than monoculture and agroforestry, respectively. This issue is due to the higher yield of this cultivation system compared to other investigated systems. The results also indicated that energy inputs of plastic, diesel fuel and chemical fertilizers have the largest share of the total input energy in the investigated systems. To sum it up, for okra cultivation in Khuzestan province in non-agroforesty system, it is possible to recommend intercroping system by optimizing input consumption and reducing energy consumption, because it is superior to monoculture in terms of output yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservative tillage and drought resistant crops can be efficient solution to alleviate climate change impacts. We evaluated tillage effect, water deficit and nitrogen level on sorghum in a split-split plot experiment with three replications. Main plots were conventional tillage and no tillage, sub plots were 30, 60, and 90% of sorghum water requirement, and sub-sub plots were consisted of 0, 50, and 100% of recommended nitrogen. Results showed that the highest forage yield (12263 kg ha-1) was obtained with no till and 100% nitrogen. Also, the yield of sorghum in no till with moderate water stress was equal to the yield in conventional tillage with partial water stress. Under partial water stress, qualitative traits including crude fiber, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber in no till had lower values than conventional tillage. In addition, qualitative traits including digestible dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrates in no till treatment with 100% nitrogen were higher than conventional tillage. The highest percentage of crude protein in conventional tillage was obtained by using 100% nitrogen. It seems that conservation tillage can achieve acceptable yield and quality in sorghum with less water than conventional tillage, but it requires long-term and additional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effect of crop rotation and chemical management on weed seed bank in wheat fields, a three-year experiment was conducted in split-plot design with three replications in Khuzestan province. Main plots were crop rotation (wheat-wheat-wheat, wheat-rapeseed-wheat and wheat-sugar beet-wheat) and subplots were chemical management (Untreated Control (UTC), chemical rotation and no chemical rotation (farmer program)). The results showed the change in crop rotation reduced the frequency ratio of weeds seed bank population in both evaluated depths (0 to 10 and 10 to 20 cm). Also, the combination of chemical management along with crop rotation significantly reduced weeds seed bank population. In the absence of herbicide application in the three years of experiment, the frequency ratio of winter wild oat weed seed bank population on the soil surface decreased from 2.20 to 1.48 with rapeseed and from 2.73 to 0.63 with sugar beet planting, however, in the case of non-crop rotation, the frequency of wild oat seeds in the seed bank increased. This trend was also evident in the total weed seed bank population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of different levels of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield components of some safflower cultivars, an experiment was conducted as a split-split plot in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications in the research farms of the University of Tehran, Karaj during 2018-2019. Main plots were irrigation (normal irrigation, irrigation until at middle of flowering stage and irrigation until the beginning of seed filling), sub plots were nitrogen (supply of 100 % and 50 % of nitrogen needs) and sub-sub plots were safflower cultivars (Goldasht, Golmehr, Padideh and Parnian). The effect of irrigation, nitrogen, and cultivar factors on number of heads per plant, number of seeds per head, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, and biomass were significant. According to the results, cut-off of irrigation at the beginning of seed filling and middle of flowering stages leads to a reduction of 16.2 % and 68.1 % of seed yield compared to normal irrigation, respectively. Reducing the amount of nitrogen by 50 % compared to 100 % supply decreases seed yield 8.5 % and biomass by 12 %. The triple interaction of irrigation, fertilizer and cultivar was significant in stem diameter and head diameter. The interaction of irrigation and nitrogen levels showed that with decreasing irrigation levels, nitrogen uptake also decreased and reduced the number of seed per head. However, providing 100 % of the nitrogen requirement under drought stress conditions prevents a more severe decline in the number of grains per head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa is a pseudo cereal from Amaranthaceae family, which is currently considered as a suitable alternative for plants with high water consumption due to its high nutritional value and stresses tolerance, especially drought and salinity. Meanwhile, reduction in crop yield caused by weeds competing for water, light and nutrients is well known. Hence, a study was conducted in Karaj to investigate the competitive capacity of quinoa with weeds under normal irrigation and drought stress and also to determine the required time for weed control. The experiment was arranged in split plot randomized complete block design with four replications consisted of irrigation levels (60, 80 and 100 mm evaporation from the evaporation pan) as main plots and weed control levels (0, 7, 14, 28 days of control and control in all seasons) as subplots. The highest quinoa grain (331 g/m²) and biological yields (1262 g/m²) were obtained under normal irrigation in weeds free treatment. Also, the lowest grain and biological yields were 139 and 723 g/m², respectively that obtained under high drought stress in weeds infestation during growing season. In one month weeds free treatment under medium drought stress, grain and biological yields were 290 and 1010.25 g/m², which show that despite the competitive potency of summer weeds, quinoa has good competitiveness in drought stress, and with one month of weed control, can achieve performance close to full control. In logistic model fitting to the grain yield, the maximum and minimum values of y0 and a, i.e. upper and lower limits, were observed in normal irrigation and high drought stress, respectively; although, the maximum and minimum values of GDD50 were obtained in high drought stress and normal irrigation, respectively. Keywords: Critical period, biological yield, deficit-irrigation, modeling, weed control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swallow-wort (Cynanchum acutum L.) is a perennial and invasive weed that infested many sugarcane fields in Khuzestan. Field experiment was conducted to find out an efficient method for C. acutum control in sugarcane during 2018 and 2019. The experiment was split-split plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots were pre-emergence application of metribuzin, metazachlor + qinmerac, pendimethalin, indaziflam and acetochlor; Sub plots were one time hand hoeing (four weeks after pre-emergence application), two-times hand hoeing (four and eight weeks after pre-emergence application), and without hand hoeing and sub-sub plots were post emergence application of 2,4-D+MCPA, mixture of 2,4-D+MCPA and metribuzin, and bromoxynil + MCPA herbicides. Results showed that individual application of Pendimethalin, and indaziflam herbicides, two-times if hand hoeing, and then post emergence application of 2,4-D+MCPA and metribuzin as a had the highest efficiency with an average of 96% in reducing mass dry weight. The application of mentioned treatments increased cane yield 104.7 and 102.9 t/ha respectively compared to the control (without weeding, with 110 t. ha-1 ). However, the experimental treatments did not show a significant effect on quality traits of sugarcane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the efficacy of mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron + diflufenican (Othello OD(herbicide doses under temperature and soil moisture conditions in the control of wheat weeds, field experiments were carried out in Fars and Alborz provinces during 2017 to 2018. Treatments included spraying at different times after irrigation (different soil moisture conditions) as main plots in three levels (2 and 7 days after irrigation and 1 day before next irrigation), dose of herbicide as a subplot at 6 levels (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125% of recommended dose), and spraying day time as sub-sub plots at two levels (7-8 am, and 11-12am). The results showed that in the condition that moisture had provided after spraying, reduced doses of these herbicides were more effective in reducing the dry weight of broad leaves weeds than other conditions. 33, 66 and 99 g ai/ha herbicide doses (25, 50 and 75% of recommended concentration), especially in 2 days after irrigation and 1 day before irrigation treatments, weed dry weight of grass weeds had more difference than 7 days after irrigation conditions, compared to control treatment. Under normal moisture conditions (field capacity), the reduced concentrations were more efficient in controlling the weeds and the higher moisture stress resulted in the lower efficiency of the reduced concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognition of Eryngium caeruleum germination biology can provide the possibility of forecasting the seed dormancy and germination level in various conditions. This study was conducted as factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications in the laboratory of Agronomy and Plant Breeding Department, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, to understand Eryngium caeruleum seed dormancy and response of germination thermal parameters. The experimental factors were included three levels of gibberellic acid (0, 250, 500 mg/l), six chilling time (1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30 days) and seven temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35°c). Germination parameters were obtained by the segmented model under the influence of gibberellic acid and chilling treatments. The results of this study showed that, the best treatment for reducing dormancy level, cardinal temperatures for germination including base, optimum and ceiling temperatures was obtained 1.81, 22.31, and 34.10°c respectively. Increasing of the chilling time and the gibberellic acid concentration from 0 to 250 mg/l, decreased the base temperature, and increased optimum temperature. Ceiling temperature, at first was increased and then decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to predict alfalfa forage yield based on some climatic, soil and vegetative indices (PVI) derived from Sentinel-2 sensor in Sarayan (Southern Khorasan) of Iran in July 2018. Alfalfa yield data were collected from 52 points (10 of those experimental points) in two consecutive harvests to predict alfalfa performance, a stepwise multivariate linear regression was used. Results showed that the alfalfa performance map, in both consecutive harvests, with the mean of rainfall, PVI index and soil class was significant at 1% probability level. Validation showed that R2, RMSE and GMER were 0.82, 0.88 and 0.91, respectively, indicating the high compliance of the estimated performance model with the actual yield of alfalfa. Also, the results of chi-square test (P = 0.99) showed non-significant difference between actual values and estimated hay yield during two harvests. Therefore, due to the high reliability of terrestrial observations and climatic data in the region, these variables can be used to provide proper utilization pattern for forage plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is a noxious weed and one of the most problematic weeds in field crops, orchards, vegetables, pastures and grasslands in Iran. Determining the ecological factors of this grass weed will contribute to development of its control programs. In order to study germination characteristics to water and salinity stress conditions at different temperatures, an experiment was conducted. Temperatures regimes included 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C. For each temperature the treatment, for salinity and water stress was 4 potentials (zero, -4, -8, and -12 bar) of NaCl and 4 potentials (zero, -4, -8, and -12 bar) of PEG. Results showed that increasing salinity stress decreased significantly germination rate and percentage. Tb germination was increased from 11°C to 22°C in -12 salinity potential and Tc decreased from 42°C to 33°C. Result showed that seed germination under drought was more sensitive, so that germination percentage at - 8 bar was zero. Obtained germination data for high salinity and drought clearly showed that the permissive temperature range for germination was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find an alternative to summer monoculture forage maize (Zea mays), intercropping systems of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum): soybean (Glycine max) (P:G) and maize: soybean (Z:G) and intercropping patterns, substitutive (XXG, XXGG and XGG) and additive (X%100G%25, X%100G%50 and X%83G%67) were evaluated as factorial in RCBD at research field of Agriculture and Natural Resources College of Tehran University in Karaj during 2013 and 2014 (G and X respectively: soybean and cereal including maize, Z, or pearl millet, P). Results showed that yields of cereal forage and mixed forage in Z:G were significantly higher than P:G. Cereals were dominant component in intercrop and the dominance of maize was higher than millet. Intercropping system or pattern did not affect total land equivalent ratio (LER).The highest LER was recorded 1.15 by P%100G%25 in 2013 and 1.07 by Z%83G%67 in 2014 without 2nd cut of pearl millet, and 1.10 by PGG in 2014 with sum of 2 cuts of pearl millet. In X%83G%67 despite the 83% cereal density of monoculture, partial LER was 0.95 for maize but 0.70 for pearl millet. It is concluded that additive patterns with a small ratios of soybean or with some decrease in ratios of cereal component, tend to have potential to achieve higher LERs. Thus intercropping, specially additive pattern can provide suitable alternatives to monoculture in production of forage with customized quality and higher diversity in ecosystem, in consistent with sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]