Effects of Legume–Grass Mixture Combinations and Planting Ratios on Forage Productivity and Nutritional Quality in Typical Sand-Fixing Vegetation Areas of the Mu Us Sandy Land

Yuqing Mi, Hongbin Xu, Lei Zhang (), Ruihua Pan (), Shengnan Zhang, Haiyan Gao, Haibing Wang and Chunying Wang
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Yuqing Mi: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
Hongbin Xu: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
Lei Zhang: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
Ruihua Pan: School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, China
Shengnan Zhang: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
Haiyan Gao: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China
Haibing Wang: College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Chunying Wang: Inner Mongolia Academy of Forestry Sciences, Hohhot 010010, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: Monoculture and legume–grass mixed cropping are the two most common planting methods, with mixed cropping generally demonstrating higher hay yield and superior nutritional quality compared to monoculture. However, research on legume–grass mixed cropping for establishing cultivated pastures in typical sand-fixing vegetation areas of the Mu Us Sandy Land remains scarce. These knowledge gaps have hindered the synergistic integration of forage production and ecological restoration in the region. This study conducted mixed cropping trials in the sand-fixing vegetation zone of the Mu Us Sandy Land using Dahurian wildrye ( Elymus dahuricus ), Mongolian wheatgrass ( Agropyron mongolicum ), and Standing milkvetch ( Astragalus adsurgens ) to investigate the effects of species combinations and planting ratios on forage productivity and nutritional quality, aiming to determine the optimal planting strategy. Results showed that in the first establishment year, the yield of all mixed cropping systems significantly exceeded that of monocultured Dahurian wildrye and Mongolian wheatgrass. All mixed cropping combinations exhibited land equivalent ratios (LER) and relative yield totals (RYT) below 1, indicating varying degrees of interspecific competition during the first year, with grass species generally demonstrating stronger competitive abilities than legumes. Mixed-cropped forages showed higher crude protein, crude fat, and crude ash content compared to monocultures, alongside lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) levels, suggesting improved relative feed value (RFV). Among the combinations, E 5 A 5 and E 6 A 4 (5:5 and 6:4 ratio of Dahurian wildrye to Standing milkvetch) achieved higher RFV, with RFV gradually declining as the legume proportion decreased. In conclusion, both monoculture and legume–grass mixed cropping are viable in the Mu Us Sandy Land’s sand-fixing vegetation areas and the E 5 A 5 combination (5:5 ratio of Dahurian wildrye to Standing milkvetch) as having the highest overall score, demonstrating that this mixed cropping ratio optimally balances yield and nutritional quality, making it the recommended planting protocol for the region. This mixed cropping system offers a theoretical foundation for efficiently establishing artificial pastures in the Mu Us Sandy Land, supporting regional pastoral industry development and desertification mitigation.

Keywords: mixed cropping; Mu Us Sandy Land; interspecific competition; yield; nutritional quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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