Abraha Lemlem Gebremariam

Effect of Intercropping Legumes on Yield, Biomass and Sheep Growth Abraha Lemlem Gebremariam

To boast crop productivity, the use of chemical fertilizers is increasing and this is not environmentally friendly and to reverse the condition using forage legumes as intercropping is important for both food and animal feed. Legumes can fix nitrogen for potential crop production. dry forages are low in nutritive value so call for alternative feed resource is important and this is one supplementing concentrates which are unaffordable and un available so another call for feed resource is crucial which is growing legumes in association with crops. The high quality herbage can be used for sheep fattening. The result of this research indicated that mono cropping can increase grain yield but LER which indicates land productivity per unit land and mixed stand advantage for sure indicates that intercropping is advantageous. Results depicts that for both maize intercropping and sheep growing performance intercropping is advantageous both biologically and economically.