Productivity, chemical composition and energy efficiency in organic vetch cultivation

Abstract

The development oforganic agriculture in Bulgarian in recent years has become more topical in connection with the modern requirements for protection of the environment. This study was conducted to investigate the possibility for organic cultivation of common vetch (Vicia sativa L., cultivars ‘Obrazets 666’ and ‘Tempo’) and the changes in terms of forage productivity, chemical composition and energy use compared to conventional cultivation. The decrease of productivity in organic system compared to conventional system was 15.3%. The chemical composition of the feed obtained in conventional and organic farming was similar. The energy balance in all organic variants was positive but lower in comparison with conventional variant. Cultivar ‘Obrazets 666’ was more responsive to application of organic products in terms of productivity and parameters of energy use.