Influence of green manure and effective microorganism on forage productivity and water use efficiency of alfalfa and pearl millet under sprinkler irrigation method.

摘要

A field experiment carried-out in sandy loam soil to study the effect of effective microorganisms and green manure on productivity of two forage crops under dry conditions. The experiment was conducted at Agriculture Experimental Station of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) located at Hada Alsham, north east of Jeddah, KSA. Four treatments were investigated under the current study. In control (T1) the two grown crops were growing using recommended dose of nitrogen fertilizers added after planting. The second treatment (T2) was diluted solution (1:1000) of effective microorganisms (EM1). The third treatment (T3) was green manure while the fourth treatment (T4) was EM1 and green manure together. The results indicated that the best treatments were green manure with EM1 (T4) in alfalfa while it was only green manure (T3) in pearl millet. The single effect of EM1 was positive but not significant compared with control. Water use efficiency increased by using green manure and effective microorganisms. Increasing water use efficiency resulted in large amount of irrigation water saving. The saved water reached to 24% in pearl millet and 17% in alfalfa compared to control.