Forage yield and nutritive quality of summer-planted annual forages in semi-arid regions after irrigated wheat or in a dryland cropping rotation

ABSTRACT Objectives Two experiments evaluated (1) annual forages planted after wheat harvest with limited irrigation or (2) annual forage mixtures compared with monocultures in a dryland rotation in a semi-arid region. Material and Methods In Exp. 1, sorghum sudangrass (SS), oats (OAT), and foxtail millet (FM) were planted on 2 dates (D1, D2) following irrigated wheat harvest in a split plot design. In Exp. 2, SS and FM were compared with forage mixtures containing SS or FM and soybeans and forage collards (SC), or cowpeas and forage collards (CC), in a randomized design. Results and Discussion In Exp. 1, yr 1, SS had greater yield at D1 (P 0.81). The SS, OAT, and FM did not differ at D2 (P > 0.15). In yr 2, yield was greater (P Implications and Applications Early-planted annual forages in irrigated wheat stubble have the greatest yield and are acceptable standing winter forage. Annual forage mixtures planted in a dryland crop rotation were not as cost effective as monocultures. Annual forages can be used in semi-arid regions where perennial forage is limited.