Proximate Composition and Water Use Efficiency of Hydroponically Grown Fodder Crops under Dryland Conditions for Climate Change Mitigation

Abstract

Aims: The Proximate Analysis and water use efficiency of hydroponically cultivated fodder crops to mitigate climate change. Study Design: Factorial Randomized block design (FRBD) Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth Akola during February- March 2023. Methodology: The   experiment   was   laid out in factorial randomized block design with two fodder crops viz: maize and cowpea seeds were taken as first factor, and second factor was four time of harvests (9th,11th,13th and 15th day after sowing). Results: To assessing performance, maize taken as traditional and cereal crop to compare with cowpea. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with two factors. The two fodder crops viz: maize and cowpea seeds were taken as first factor, and second factor was four time of harvests as (9th,11th,13th and 15th day after sowing). It was observed that Maize recorded higher crude fibre content (13.07%), nitrogen free extract (66.62%), ether extract (4.36%) over cowpea whereas Cowpea recorded significantly higher ash content (3.85%), protein content (30.97%) and water use efficiency (462.94 kgm-3). Harvesting on 15th day has recorded higher values in crude fibre content (14.52%), ash content (4.26%), crude protein content (23.85%), ether extract (3.93%) in both crops maize and cowpea. Nitrogen free extract (64.37%) and water use efficiency (431.80 kgm-3) has recorded higher values on 9th day of harvesting.