Influence of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Ash, Organic Carbon, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Fiber of Forage Corn Intercropped by Three Cultivars of Berseem Clover as Cover Crops in Semi Arid Region of Iran

Supplementation of animal feeds with high quality needs new agriculture management, like intercropping system. In order to determine qualitative characteristics of forage corn intercropped by berseem clover cultivars in different levels of nitrogen fertilizer, an experiment was conducted in 2010 at Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch, Esfahan. A factorial layout within randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used. Cultivars were Karaj, Sacromont and Multicut, and nitrogen levels were included 0, 40 and 60 kg/ha. The nitrogen fertilizer was provided from urea source (46% pure N). Cultivar had significant effect on ash percentage, P, organic carbon of soil and soil nitrogen percentage. Nitrogen had significant influence on ash, K, organic carbon of soil, soil nitrogen percentage, light transmission, solar radiation absorption and extinction coefficient. Organic carbon of soil and soil nitrogen percentage just significantly influenced by cultivar and nitrogen interaction. In this experiment the highest ash percentage, organic carbon of plant, ENDF was obtained in forage corn intercropped by Multicut. The maximum organic carbon of soil and soil nitrogen percentage also related to forage corn and Multicut intercropping. The highest ash percentage, organic carbon, ENDF, organic carbon of soil, soil nitrogen percentage and solar radiation absorption was obtained in forage corn and Multicut intercropping.