Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.): A Potential Feed Legume Crop for Dry Areas in West Asia

Provision of feed supplies for the rapidly growing livestock population is essential in West Asia. Shortages can be alleviated by growing forage crops in the existing fallow lands.
Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) is a leguminous species with high yield potential, drought tolerance and cold resistance. It could be used for grain and straw production as source for animal feed in dry areas. It is good source of protein with seeds contain 28 % protein yielding 364 kg per hectare protein, whilst straw contains 9 % protein and yields a similar amounts of digestible protein per hectare.
Nine promising lines of Narbon vetch developed at ICARDA were tested at two sites over four years under rainfed conditions. Since climatic conditions were considered to be of considerable importance, each site in each year was treated as a separate environment to give eight environments with annual rainfall varied from 195 to 504 mm.
Narbon vetch possessed high seedling vigour with rapid winter growth and negligible cold damage. Grain yield varied form 0.47 to 1.90 t/ha, with a harvest index varying from 30 to 40 %. The data indicated that below 300 mm rainfall the grain yield varied from 0.47 t/ha when rain fall was 195 mm to 1.4 t/ha when rainfall was 245 mm. Most of the lines had wide adaptation to dry areas in terms of both grain yield and stability. Climate, except early spring rains had little effect on biological and grain yields.     

Growth Analysis, Herbage and Seed Yield of Certain Forage Legume Species Under Rainfed Conditions

The need to increase forage production for the growing livestock population in the Mediterranean region necessitates the evaluation of various promising forage species with respect to maximum herbage yield, optimum time for harvest and seed yield. Seven forage legumes, woolly pod vetch ( Vicia villosa subsp. dasycarpa accession 683), narbon vetch (V. narbonensis accession 67), common vetch ( V. sativa selections 2541, 2037, 2020), common chickling ( Lathyrus sativus selection 439) and ochrus chickling ( L. ochrus selection 104) were compared over two years with contrasting rainfall. In both years the entries were sown in November and their primary growths sampled periodically during growth. For each sample, phenology, total dry matter, leaf area index (LAI) and, at maturity, total dry matter, seed yield and harvest index, were recorded.
In both seasons, narbon vetch attained the highest dry matter and seed yields, and there was very limited variability in the maximum dry matter yield of the other entries. In general, the maximum dry matter occurred at 20–50 % podding in woolly pod vetch, 100 % podding in common vetch selection 2541 (local), narbon vetch and common chickling and at maturity in common vetch selection 2037, selection 2020 and ochrus chickling.
Throughout the vegetative to early flowering stages, woolly pod vetch had the highest dry matter yield and LAI. Possible uses of each species as animal feed are discussed.     

Effect of Genotypes and Plant Maturity on Forage Quality of Certain Forage Legume Species Under Rainfed Conditions

Evaluation of plant species for animal feed requires the quantitative and qualitative comparison of different genotypes. Promising lines of annual legumes comprising seven genotypes of vetche ( Vicia spp.) and chicklings ( Lathyrus spp.) were compared for herbage quality. The content of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in herbage and pods were measured at different stages of plant maturity. The proportion of the leaves to shoots (leafiness) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were also determined. As plants matured IVDMD, CP and leafiness decreased and NDF and ADF increased. For all the genotypes maximum digestible dry matter (DDM) and CP yields were more or less attained at 50–100 % podding. Narbon vetch had the highest DDM. The possible uses of the different genotypes as animal feed are discussed based on the partitioning of the DDM and CP yield as plants matured.     

Genotype-Environment Interactions and Stability Analysis for Herbage and Seed Yields of Forage Peas Under Rainfed Conditions

Twenty-five genotypes of forage peas (Pisum sativum L.) were evaluated under rainfed conditions for two years at four locations in Syria and one in Lebanon. Since local climatic variation is significant, each location in each year was treated as a separate environment, to give ten environments. Genotype-environment interactions (GXE) were analysed using linear regression techniques. There was considerable variation in herbage and seed yields within both genotypes and environments. Genotype-environment interactions were present for both herbage and seed yields; a large proportion of these interactions was accounted for by the linear regression. Although the non-linear component was also significant, its magnitude was smaller than that of the linear component. The highest and most stable herbage yields were obtained from accessions 46/61, 135/175, 3211/323, 99/103 and 88/335. The highest and most stable seed yields were produced by accessions 4/166, 2428/240, 424/242 and 88/335. Accession 88/335 from Germany, F.R. was the only genotype to combine high herbage and seed yields with wide adaptation and stability and could thus be considered the most widely adapted genotype. Other stable genotypes were identified as suitable for poor environments. Yield of the locally collected genotype, though often high, was found to be unstable. The importance of genotype-environment interactions in future breeding strategies is discussed.     

Agronomic Potential of Three Vetches (Vicia spp.) Under Rainfed Conditions

The major limiting factor to livestock production in West Asia and North Africa is the inadequate feed supply. The introduction of leguminous forage species into fallow lands represents a means of increasing feed supplies for the rapidly growing livestock population.
Twenty five lines each of common vetch ( Vicia sativa L.) wooly-pod vetch ( Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa Ten.), and bitter vetch ( Vicia ervilia L.) were tested over three seasons with contrasting rainfalls and winter temperatures. For each species, seedling vigour, winter growth, cold effect, spring growth, leafiness, herbage yield at 100 % flowering, grain yield, harvest index and aspects of herbage quality were recorded. There were considerable variation among entries with the same species, entries of V. ervilia were the earlier in flowering and maturity, and V. villosa ssp. dasycarpa almost the latest by 45 days. V. sativa , was the most affected by frost whilst both V. villosa ssp. dasycarpa and V. ervilia proved to be cold tolerant.
Although V. villosa ssp. dasycarpa produced high herbage yield in springs its grain yield is low resulting in a low harvest index. Both V. ervilia and V. sativa produced high grain yield with high harvest index. Seed yield was negatively correlated (P < 0.01) with days to flowering and maturity indicating the need of earlier types.
Quality of the herbage in term of digestibility was far lower (46 % IVDMD) in V. villosa ssp. dasycarpa than the other two species (69 % and 72 %).
The possible niches and utilization of each species as animal feed in the prevailing farming systems are discussed.     

Current status and future strategy in breeding grasspea (Lathyrus sativus)

Efforts in grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) improvement have increased since the development of lines that are very low in the neurotoxin Beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha-beta-diamino propionic acid (ODAP); also referred to as Beta-N oxalyl-amino-L-alanine (BOAA). Many programs now address several related aspects of improvement simultaneously. These include reduced ODAP concentrations, insect and disease resistance, nitrogen fixation, agronomic practices, fodder and forage production, and components for increased yielding ability. The coordinated, multidisciplinary approach now being applied to the genetic improvement of grasspea should allow the potential of this largely neglected grain legume to be fully realized.     

Comparative therapeutic effect of toltrazuril, sulphadimidine and amprolium on Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii given at different times following infection in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis)

We compared the therapeutic effect of three anticoccidial drugs (toltrazuril, sulphadimidine and amprolium) in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves experimentally infected with Eimeria bovis (E. bovis) and E. zuernii oocysts (3 x 104oocyst/calf). Buffalo calves (1.5-4 month old, 70-kg body weight) were randomly allocated into 3 groups (9 calves each). Group T was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with toltrazuril (20 mg/kg BW twice orally at a 1-week interval). Group S was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with sulphadimidine (125 mg/kg injected IM followed by half dose for 4 successive days). Group A was experimentally infected with oocysts and treated with amprolium (50 mg/kg orally for 7 successive days). Each group had three subgroups (three calves/subgroup) to represent timing of the drug administration: 1st day of coccidia infection (FD), onset of clinical signs of coccidiosis (CC), and onset of oocyst shedding into the faeces (OS). Clinical signs, body-weight gain (BWG) and number of oocysts per gram feces (OPG) were monitored daily for 35 days post-infection (DPI). The OPG were reduced (but the BWG was not different) in the T calves compared to S and A calves. Within the same group, treatment from the 1st day of infection reduced the OPG and increased the BWG compared to the later treatment timings.     

Underground Vetch (Vicia sativa ssp. amphicarpa): A Potential Pasture and Forage Legume for Dry Areas in West Asia

Subterranean vetch [Vicia sativa ssp. amphicarpa (Dorth.) Aschers & Graebn.] is native to disturbed grasslands of the Mediterranean basin where heavy grazing, seasonal drought and erosion act as strong selection forces. It produces two pod types, above‐ground and 5 cm below the soil surface. Unlike subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean L.), which buries its seeds after flowering above‐ground, subterranean vetch flowers and forms pods beneath the soil surface on underground stems. The aerial pods are produced after vegetative development ceases, while the underground pods are produced in ontogeny. The ability of this unusual vetch to survive in marginal areas with low rainfall (about 250 mm year^?1) and to produce nutritious herbage and pods is an important characteristic which helps address rehabilitation of degraded rangelands and increase feed production for small ruminants. Research at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) during the 1988–93 growing seasons has assessed the herbage and seed productivity of underground vetch, its ability to grow in rotation with barley in marginal low‐rainfall areas, and its capacity to regenerate after heavy grazing. Drier conditions in 1989 favoured earlier underground flowering; the number of underground pods was higher than that of aerial pods. Grain yield of barley (var. Atlas) was around 2.0 t ha^?1 after underground vetch and only 1.2 t ha^?1 after barley. Grazing underground vetch had no effect on the productivity of the succeeding barley crop. The aerial and underground pods serve two distinct functions; aerial pods increase dissemination within suitable habitats, while underground pods increase the probability of plant survival under adverse conditions such as drought and heavy grazing. Underground vetch has two potential uses, namely the rehabilitation of marginal areas and production in rotation with barley.     

Germplasm Evaluation of Annual Sown Forage Legumes under Environmental Conditions Marginal for Crop Growth in the Highlands of West Asia

In the very large areas of arid highlands in West Asia, of which land over 1000 m in Balochistan is typical, as a result of rapidly increasing numbers of small ruminants and subsequent overgrazing of natural rangelands, severe shortages in animal feed are being experienced. To address this problem the And Zone Research Institute (AZRI) have been evaluating annual forage legume germplasm for adaptability to the harsh climatic conditions of highland Balochistan. Due to the marginality of the environment for sustained crop production an unconventional germplasm evaluation strategy has been adopted which emphasizes the introduction of landraces, particularly of the genus Vicia. The substantial risk of crop failure from either cold or drought, in any year, makes continuity of seed supply of selected lines a major problem. Support from ICARDA in Syria for re-supply of seed is a major advantage to the AZRI program.
In the last three years some tangible progress has been made in selection. V. villosa ssp. dasycarpa Ace. 683 has with autumn sowing shown sufficient cold tolerance and is highly productive in wet years. V. ervilia Ace. 2542 has shown some potential for drought tolerance which could be exploited for spring sowing.