The Effect of Intercropping Elephant Grass and Legumes (Centrosema pubescens) on Forage Production and Nutrient Content

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intercropping systems between Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Centrosema pubescens on the production and nutrient content, specifically dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein, in forage for livestock feed. The study utilized A Randomized Block Design with four treatments: P0 (monoculture Elephant Grass), P1 (intercropping Elephant Grass and Centrosema at a 4:1 ratio), P2 (intercropping Elephant Grass and Centrosema at a 3:2 ratio), and P3 (monoculture Centrosema). The results indicated that P0 produced the highest dry matter (4.61 ton/ha) and organic matter (4.25 ton/ha) yields, along with 0.34 ton/ha of crude protein. In contrast, P3, the monculture of Centrosema, had the lowest crude protein (0.01 ton/ha), dry matter (0.07 ton/ha), and organic matter (0.05 ton/ha) production. Intercropping treatments P1 and P2 showed optimal results, with crude protein content of 10.98% and 12.27%, respectively. Organic matter content in all treatments was relatively high, ranging from 86.68% to 91.87%. These findings suggest that intercropping, particularly the 3:2 ratio (P2), can improve forage nutritional quality, enhancing crude protein content and reducing dependence on costly protein supplements, thus improving livestock feed efficiency.