Effect of intercropping forage peas (Pisum sativum L.) with winter wheat (Tritium vulgare L.) or triticale (Triticale hexaploide Lart.) on DM yield, nutritive characteristics when harvested at different stages of growth

Abstract

An experiment was undertaken over 2 years (2007-09) to determine the effect of intercropping forage peas with either forage winter wheat or triticale for whole-crop silage. Monocultures of triticale (T100), wheat (W100) and forage peas (P100) and plus cereal-pea combinations of 75% triticale:25% pea (T75), 50% triticale:50% pea (T50), 25% triticale:75% pea (T25), 75% wheat:25% pea (W75), 50% wheat:50% pea (W50), 25% wheat:75% pea (W25), with ratios based on sowing rate, were evaluated for DM yield and nutritional characteristics at a range of growth stages. It was hypothesised that an increase in the ratio of peas to cereal would not adversely affect DM yield and would have a positive impact..