Vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is one of the most important annual forage legumes in the World due to its multiple uses (i.e., hay, grain, silage and green manure) and high nutritional value. However, detrimental cyanoalanine toxins in its plant parts including seeds and its vulnerability to hard winter conditions are currently reducing the agronomic values of vetch varieties. Moreover, the existence ...

Soil carbon (C) sequestration in tilled and nontilled areas can be influenced by crop management practices due to differences in plant C inputs and their rate of mineralization. We examined the influence of four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secale cereale L.)], biculture of legume and nonlegume (vetch and rye), and no cover crops (or winter weeds)} and...

Vegetable production is heavily dependent upon high off-farm inputs of polyethylene (plastic) mulch, nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides. Such a production practice potentially contributes to the unintentional environmental pollution with fertilizer and pesticides as well as water run off and soil erosion. This raises serious environmental concerns for human and animal health. The integration of...

Zonal management of cereal–legume cover crop mixtures may help address weed and nitrogen challenges common in organic reduced tillage systems. During a field study conducted over 3 years Michigan, we evaluated the effects management, tillage, supplemental mulch on organically produced acorn squash ( Cucurbita pepo ). fall season before production, rye Secale cereale L.) vetch Vicia villosa Roth...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The phylogenetic relationships among 27 vetch species belonging to the subgenus Cracca of the genus Vicia were studied in comparison with three species of Lathyrus section Lathyrus on the basis of isozyme variation. METHODS Isozymes encoded by 15 putative loci of ten enzymes were resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isozyme variation was analysed by using par...

Weed management is a major issue in organic farming systems. Although interseeding cover crops is one alternative to herbicides, cover crops often suppress not only weeds but also main crops. Therefore, using cover crops for weed control without adverse effects on main crop growth is important. To verify the effect of cover crops on competition between main crops, cover crops and weeds in snowy...

Genetic modification of crop plants to introduce desirable traits such as nutritional enhancement, disease and pest resistance, and enhanced crop productivity is increasingly seen as a promising technology for sustainable agriculture and boosting food production in the world. Independently, cultural practices that utilize alternative agriculture strategies including organic cultivation subscrib...

GeorGieva, N., i. Nikolova, T. ZhelyaZkova, D. Pavlov and y. NayDeNova, 2011. Energy efficiency of spring vetch (Vicia sativa l.) cultivated for fresh biomass. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 17: 612-720 Field experiment with spring vetch, cultivated for fresh biomass was conducted for establishing productivity, composition, nutritive value and energy efficiency under the influence of different growth re...