Feed Legumes for Dryland Agriculture: Hay Yield, Quality and Farmer Preferences.

Hay yield and farmer preferences of 11 common vetch (Vicia sativa), narbon vetch (V. narbonensis) and grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) accessions were studied on farms at El-Bab and Khanesser in north-west Syria with annual average total rainfall of 283 mm and 140 mm respectively. Hay samples were analyzed for crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). Dry matter intake (DMI) and relative feed value (RFV) were estimated from the laboratory analyses.  The location x accession interaction was significant (P < 0.05) for all variables.  Hay yield at El-Bab (1.48-2.44 t DM/ha) was greater than Khanesser (0.96-1.59 t DM/ha).  Average preference score for the narbon vetch (7.7) accessions was greater (P < 0.05) than the grasspea (5.6) and common vetch (4.7). The average RFV for the grasspea (234) and narbon vetch (230) accessions were higher (P < 0.05) than common vetch (197). Using hay yield, preference score and RFV as selection criteria, promising accessions were narbon vetch 2561 and grasspea 445 for El-Bab; and narbon vetch 2380 and grasspea 445 for Khanesser.