106-5 Evaluation of Fenugreek for Forage and Seed Yield Potential In Wyoming.



Monday, October 17, 2011: 3:40 PM
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Room 007C, River Level

Anowarul Islam1, James M. Krall1, Jerry J. Nachtman1, Robert E. Baumgartner1, Manjula Bandara2 and Surya Acharya3, (1)Department of Plant Sciences, Dept. 3354, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
(2)Crp Diversification Centre, Alberta Ag Food & Rural Development, Brooks, AB, Canada
(3)Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is a valuable specialty crop of the Fabaceae family which is used both as an herb and as a spice.  Fenugreek has potential to be used as animal feed.  The objective of this study is to evaluate 13 promising genotypes/accessions (treatments) of fenugreek in two varying Wyoming environments for adaptability and stability for growth, seed yield, and quality.  Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates and seeded in late spring of 2010 at two locations: Lingle (irrigated and dryland) and Laramie (irrigated).  The crop was seeded at the rate of 27 kg pure live seed ha-1.  For forage yield, plots were mechanically harvested in late August-early September, 2010.  The seeds were harvested using a combine in mid October, 2010.  Initial results showed that at Lingle, fenugreek line F80 produced the highest dry matter (DM) yield (2380 kg ha-1) while the line IT (Indu) produced the lowest DM yield (1060 kg ha-1) under irrigated conditions.  In contrast, Indu produced the highest DM yield (820 kg ha-1) under dryland conditions.  Dry matter yield variations were also observed at the Laramie site under irrigated conditions with the highest yield (1550 kg ha-1) from line F96.  Similarly, large variations were also observed for seed yield under irrigated (range 820-2260 kg ha-1) and dryland conditions (range 60-390 kg ha-1) at Lingle and under irrigated conditions at Laramie (range 25-580 kg ha-1).  On average, seed yield produced under irrigated conditions were higher than those produced under dryland conditions.  The highest seed yield (2260 kg ha-1) was obtained from line F96 under irrigation at Lingle.  Forage quality was in the acceptable range at both locations, for example, the range of crude protein was 140 to 200 g kg-1.  Results will be discussed in details in the presentation.
See more from this Division: C06 Forage and Grazinglands
See more from this Session: Grazing & Nutritional Value of Forages