Berseem is a main fodder crop of Pakistan for dairy farming. It is cultivated all over the country; however, unfortunately due to lack of nutritious forage, livestock sector suffering badly, because fodder crops including berseem do not cultivated extensively par need. Generally, farmers have perception that berseem is an uneconomical, produces low productivity to reduced inputs. Additionally, sufficient literature is not available that guide and satisfy to farmers, it’s reason could be negligence of researchers, much research was not conduct since past several years, consequently now attentions are raised to this crop. Therefore, a thrice replicated randomized complete block design (RCBD) field experiment was conducted during rabi season 2015-16 at Student’s Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, located at latitude 25.42 0N, longitude 68.45 0E and 25 m elevation above sea level. The treatments were factorial arranged, in which factor (A) comprised of 03 NPK rates (85:115:0 kg ha-1: Recommended, 70:100:30 kg ha-1, 55:85:15 kg ha-1) and factor (B) 03 irrigations levels (12 irrigations with 15 days interval: Recommended, 08 irrigations and 04 irrigations with 18 and 21 days intervals, respectively). The net plot size was 3 m × 4 m (12 m2) and sowing was done with broadcasting using recommended seed rate 27 kg ha-1. Source of NPK were Sona urea (46% N bag-1), DAP (46% P2O5 & 18% N bag-1) and SOP (50% K2O bag-1) of Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC). The soil was silty clay loam, had 0.58 EC, 8.1 pH, 0.76% OM, 0.086% N, 2.71 ppm P, 200 ppm K, CO3 and HCO3 were absent. The irrigation was canal water had 0.26 EC, 7.9 pH and 166 ppm TSS. Climate were also monitored entire crop period, there were no rain occurred in all months recorded, the average min.14.5 0C, max. 41.0 0C temperature measured in Nov., and May, relative humidity low 42.5% in May and higher 59.0% in Jan., reduced 0.1 octas cloudiess, 8.6 sunshine hours, 4.4 mm evaporation day-1 noted for Nov. While, highest wind speed 5.8 km hr-1 observed in Mar. In case of wind direction, it was to N during Nov., to Jan., and NE in the Feb., SW in Mar., to Apr. The observations were recorded for plant height (cm), leaves plant-1, branches plant-1, fresh weight plant-1 (g), green fodder yield (kg ha-1), dry fodder yield (kg ha-1) and seed yield (kg ha-1) following standard scientific producers. The fodder yield were obtained from two cuttings, and then crop left for seed yield.
The statistics of data proved significant (p<0.05) vegetative and reproductive performance of berseem to various fertilizer rates and its combination with irrigation regimes, except dry fodder yield resulted slight non-significant (p>0.05) different only at interaction among some treatments. The maximum plant height 81.8 cm, 100.8 leaves plant-1, 36.0 branches plant-1, 19.3 (g) green fodder weight plant-1, 72000 kg green, 8100.0 kg dry fodder and 829.3 kg seed yield ha-1 were noted in 70:100:30 kg NPK ha-1 x 12 irrigations at 15 days interval, followed by 85:115:00 kg NPK ha-1 x 12 irrigations regime which were resulted 75.1 cm plant height, leaves plant-1 94.6, branches plant-1 32.0, fresh weight plant-1 17.8 (g), green herbages 7833.3 kg, dry fodder 7833.3 kg and seed yield 741.6 kg ha-1. While, interaction of 70:100:30 kg NPK ha-1 x 08 irrigation frequencies at 18 days gap were next with better plant height 71.1 cm, 87.0 leaves plant-1, 30.0 branches plant-1, 15.3 g green fodder weight plant-1, 58667 kg green, 7600.0 kg dry fodder and 698.3 kg seed yield ha-1. The lowest all the growth and yield traits were recorded at reduced 55:85:15 kg NPK ha-1 x 04 irrigations. Economically, application of 70:100:30 kg NPK ha-1 x 12 irrigations also proved beneficial and generated high gross revenue Rs. 294480, net profit Rs. 196765.5 ha-1 and Rs. 2.01 profit on Rs.-1 invested. Thus, it is recommended to the growers that berseem should be cultivated at 70:100:30 kg NPK ha-1 by applying of 12 irrigations at 15 days interval in irrigated tracks and 08 irrigations at 18 days extending gap in areas where shortage of irrigation is a major problem.