Abstract
To evaluate the effect of intercropping Panicum maximum (Blue Panic) grass and legumes (Vicia sativa and cowpeas) alone
or coupled with fertilizer application, a study was conducted under rain-fed conditions for two consecutive years (2005 to
2007) at National Agriculture Research Center Islamabad, Pakistan. In this experiment, intercropping (33, 50 and 67%) of
grass and legumes alone as well as coupled with fertilizer application at the rates of 25, 75 and 50 kg ha-1 (N, P2O5 and K2O)
was evaluated. Intercropping and fertilizer application studied substantially increased fodder biomass production along with
enhancement of soil N and organic matter during both years. The grass and legumes biomasses under control treatment were
recorded as 7.09 and 8.17 t ha-1 during first and second year of study, respectively. Mixed fodder production increased to
11.62, 13.6 and 14.13 t ha-1 with 33, 50 and 67% intercropping, respectively. Respective values of biomass were 12.71, 14.79
and 17.72 t ha-1 due to fertilizer supplementation. Thus, combination of 67% intercropping and fertilizer proved to be the best
treatment in both years.
