Is the Integration between Corn and Grass under Different Sowing Modalities a Viable Alternative for Silage?

Area of Science:

• Agronomy and Crop Science
• Animal Science and Nutrition
• Forage Quality and Silage Production

Background:

• Crop-livestock integration systems aim to optimize resource utilization and enhance agricultural sustainability.
• Corn (Zea mays L.) silage is a crucial feed component, and its quality can be influenced by intercropping practices.
• Evaluating the impact of intercropping on silage fermentation and dry-matter losses is essential for practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the fermentation patterns and dry-matter losses in corn silage when intercropped with Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu and Megathyrsus maximus cv. Mombasa grasses.
• To investigate the effects of different grass sowing modalities within a crop-livestock integration system on silage parameters.
• To determine if intercropping corn with specific grass cultivars and sowing strategies affects silage quality compared to monocropped corn.

Main Methods:

• A randomized block design with a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement was employed, evaluating two grass cultivars (Marandu and Mombasa) and five sowing modalities.
• Sowing modalities included simultaneous and delayed intercropping with varying fertilizer application and grass row configurations.
• Key silage parameters evaluated were forage buffer capacity (BC), pH, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), dry-matter percentages (FORDM, SILDM), gas losses (GL), effluent losses (EL), and dry-matter recovery (DMR).

Main Results:

• Intercropping corn with Marandu or Mombasa grasses, regardless of the sowing modality, did not significantly alter overall silage quality parameters.
• Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in forage BC, silage NH3-N, and silage DMR compared to control (monocropped corn) silage.
• Both grass cultivar and sowing modality influenced forage BC and NH3-N levels, indicating specific interactions within the intercropping system.

Conclusions:

• The intercropping of corn with Marandu or Mombasa grasses, under the evaluated sowing conditions, is a viable strategy that does not compromise silage quality.
• Crop-livestock integration through corn-grass intercropping can be implemented without detrimental effects on key silage fermentation and preservation metrics.
• Further research may explore optimizing specific sowing modalities to potentially enhance forage buffer capacity and reduce ammoniacal nitrogen in silage.