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AbstractIntroduction: One of the strategic to solve the fodder shortage in the country is to use annual summer forage legumes under suitable irrigation system. Legumes are an important rich source of protein in human and animal nutrition.Methods: This research was carried out in the research farm of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute in Karaj in Alborz province for two years in 2019 and 2020. A split-plot experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted. Three legume species was used including cowpea, mung bean, and guar. Three irrigation treatments used including normal, medium and severe stress 60, 100, 140 mm evaporation, respectively, from the evaporation pan level of class A in the main plots, and three legume species in the main subplots. In this study, forage production return was done using profitability indices and productivity was measured using physical and economic productivity indices.Findings: The results showed that the increase in average net income of cowpea forage production under normal irrigation to medium stress and Severe stress was estimated 48.5 and 55.1 percent and this increase in mung bean was 3.1 and 39 percent, respectively. Increase in average economic productivity of water in cowpea forage production under Severe stress condition to medium stress and normal irrigation was estimated 16.5 and 45.1 percent, respectively. Increase in average economic productivity of water in mung bean forage production under Severe stress condition to medium stress and normal irrigation was estimated 8.8 and 51.8 percent, respectively.

To evaluate the effect of planting method (PM), planting date (PD), and cultivar (CV) on the grain and herbage yield, irrigation water use efficiency for herbage (IWUEH) and grain (IWUEG), and grain quality of maize, a two-year field study was conducted at the Research Farm of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran, during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. The experiment was arranged as split-plot factorial with three planting dates, including PD1 (July 1st), PD2 (July 11th), and PD3 (July 23rd) as main plots. Three planting methods, including direct seeding (DS), seed hydro-priming (HP), and transplanting (TP), were factorially combined with two maize cultivars (S.C.704 and S.C.260) as sub-plots. The highest herbage and grain yields (76685 and 7369 kg ha-1, respectively) and the maximum IWUE for herbage and grain production (13.1 and 1.21 kg m-3, respectively) were found in the TP. The CV S.C.704 obtained a higher grain yield (GY) on PD1 than that of S.C.260, but as planting was delayed, the GY of S.C.704 was affected more negatively in both years. Delay planting enhanced IWUEH, but not IWUEG. The highest IWUEG was obtained from TP on each PD. The CV S.C.260 in delay planting resulted in better IWUEG in both years. The highest and lowest contents of crude protein, starch, ash, crude fiber, and oil were obtained from hydro-primed and transplanted maize, respectively. In conclusion, the yield in the transplanting method had superiority over DS and HP. Also, HP was found to be the optimal PM to enhance the grain quality of maize in delayed planting. Furthermore, selecting S.C.260 as a high-yielding hybrid on delayed planting is suggested.

Abstract: Background and Objective: The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of transplanting and hydro-priming in different planting dates on maize yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and some morphological traits of two grain maize cultivars.Materials and Methods: This study was carried out as a factorial split-plot design based on a randomized complete block design at the seed and plant improvement institute, Karaj, Iran in 2017. Planting date (July 1, 11, 23) was allocated to the main plot and planting methods (hydro-priming, transplanting and direct seedling) and maize cultivars (S.C. 704, S.C. 260) were randomly placed in the subplots.Results: The results showed that grain yield, biomass, leaf area index and leaf dry weight significantly decreased respectively, 58.3%, 26.0%, 8.6% and 10.2% under late planting (23 July) compared with earlier planting (11 July). Transplanting significantly increased grain yield, biomass, leaf area index and leaf dry weight compared with hydro-priming and direct planting methods. Assessing the interaction between sowing date and cultivar revealed that highest grain yield and biomass (9193.2, 19767 kg.ha-1, respectively) were obtained from sowing SC704 in the earliest planting date (1 July). Also the highest WUE for grain production and biomass were observed in SC704 planted in 11 July (1.49, 3.34 kg.m-3, respectively). Conclusion: Overall, in order to achieve maximum grain yield, biomass and WUE in Karaj region with semi-arid climate, transplanting of SC704 on July 1, can be recommended. Also if planting is delayed transplanting of SC260 could compensate yield loss.

Water scarcity is a major obstacle to forage crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. In order to improve food security in these areas, it is imperative to employ suitable irrigation management techniques and identify drought-tolerant cultivars. A 2-year field experiment (2019–2020) was conducted in a semi-arid region of Iran to assess the impact of different irrigation methods and water deficit stress on forage sorghum cultivars’ yield, quality, and irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE). The experiment involved two irrigation methods, i.e., drip (DRIP) and furrow (FURW), and three irrigation regimes supplied 100% (I100), 75% (I75), and 50% (I50) of the soil moisture deficit. In addition, two forage sorghum cultivars (hybrid Speedfeed and open-pollinated cultivar Pegah) were evaluated. This study revealed that the highest dry matter yield (27.24 Mg ha−1) was obtained under I100 × DRIP, whereas the maximum relative feed value (98.63%) was achieved under I50 × FURW. Using DRIP resulted in higher forage yield and IWUE compared to FURW, and the superiority of DRIP over FURW increased with the severity of the water deficit. The principal component analysis indicated that, as drought stress severity increased across all irrigation methods and cultivars, forage yield decreased, while quality increased. Plant height and leaf-to-stem ratio were found to be suitable indicators for comparing forage yield and quality, respectively, and they showed a negative correlation between the quality and quantity of forage. DRIP improved forage quality under I100 and I75, while FURW exhibited a better feed value under the I50 regime. Altogether, in order to achieve the best possible forage yield and quality while minimizing water usage, it is recommended to grow the Pegah cultivar and compensate for 75% of soil moisture deficiency using drip irrigation.

Identifying annual forage legumes suitable for summer cultivation can be a solution for forage production. Annual summer grain legumes such as cowpea, mung bean, and guar also have good potential for forage production. These summer crops would have different potential of forage yield, especially in drought conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative forage traits of these three types of summer legumes, including cowpea (Mashhad cultivar), mung bean (Parto cultivar), and guar (local cultivar of Sistan) under drought stress conditions. Methods: A split-plot experiment in a randomized complete-block design with three replications was conducted at the Seed and Plant Research Improvement Institute (SPII), Karaj, Iran for two years in 2019–2020. The study included three irrigation treatments (30, 50, and 70% soil-moisture depletion) as the main plots and the three legume species as subplots. The highest mean fresh forage yield was obtained for cowpea and mung bean (22.29 and 20.39 t ha−1, respectively), while 9.37 t ha−1 was obtained for guar, although dry forage-yield difference between cowpea and mung bean was not significant (5.03 and 4.71 t ha−1, respectively). In addition, dry forage-yield difference between 30 and 50% soil-moisture depletion was not significant (4.58 and 3.77 t ha−1, respectively). The highest percent of crude protein was observed at normal irrigation for mung bean (16.97%). Furthermore, the highest levels of insoluble fiber in neutral detergent (NDF) and metabolizable energy (30.90 and 2.30, respectively) were observed for mung bean at severe stress. The highest mean forage yield was obtained for cowpea and mung bean, and irrigation after 50% soil-moisture depletion in the three legume species can be recommended.