EFFECT OF SEED PROPORTION AND PLANTING PATTERN ON DRY MATTER YIELD,COMPATIBILITY AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF OAT AND VETCH MIXTURES IN SINANA DISTRICT, ETHIOPIA

Oat (Bonsa) and Vetch (Gebisa) mixture pasture experimental trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed proportion and planting pattern treatment) on Dry Matter Yield (DMY), compatibility and chemical composition of the mixed stand. Seeds of oat and vetch were mixed as A1B1(50%oat+50%vetch), A2B3(75%oat+25%vetch), A3B3(25% oat+75%vetch), A4B1(100% oat), A5B2 (100% vetch), A4B2 (100 % oat), A5B1 (100 % vetch), A4B3(100% oat) and A5B3(100% vetch) and were sown in the same row (B2), alternate (B3) and broadcasting pattern (B1). Randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement having two factors

(five levels of oat-vetch mixture with three planting pattern and two Locations) with three

replications were used to layout the experiment. The longest plant height (88 .3 and 115.83 cm) was recorded for A3B3 and A2B3 in vetch followed by oat in mixture in both alternate row pattern whereas the shortest (41.9 and 55.7cm) recorded for A2B2 (75%oat+25%vetch) and A3B2 (25% vetch +75% oat) for vetch and oat seed proportion in both same row planting pattern, respectively. Similarly, the highest FBY (21.7 and 3.95 t/ha) followed by (53.5 and 12.95 t/ha) was recorded in vetch followed by oat for A3B3 and A2B3(25% vetch+75%oat) and (75%oat+25%vetch) in both alternate row planting pattern respectively.The A2B3 and A3B3 (75%oat+25%vetch) and A3B3 (25%oat+75% vetch) seed proportion resulted in significantly higher (P<0.001) DMY for oat and vetch (P<0.001) in the mixture. For oat and vetch, total herbage yield, an alternate row planting pattern gave significantly the highest (p<0.0001) DMY, followed by broadcasting. The maximum RY in oat(1.79)and vetch (0.77) was observed with RYT of 3.2 forA2B3 and A3B3 in plots planted with alternate row pattern. Yet, the minimum (0.1) and (0.17)was observed at A3B2 and A2B2 in oat and vetch in plots treated with same row pattern.

Similarly, the maximum CR in oat (9) and vetch (1.2) and total LER (5.94) was observed at A2B3 and A3B3 in plots treated with alternate row pattern .Yet, the minimum CR 2.13, 0.29 and 0.57 was observed in oat, vetch and total LER at A1B3, A2B1 and A3B2 in the treatment. The maximum (22.23%) and minimum (12.1%) CP content was observed for A5B1 and A4B2 in sole vetch and oat in the treatment. Similarly, the maximum DM content was 92.6 observed for A3B1 whereas the minimum 88.2 % was observed A3B2 in plots treated with broadcasting and same row pattern. The maximum Ash (12.72 %) recorded for A2B2 in plot treated with same row pattern whereas the minimum 8.37 % was recorded for A5B1 in plot treated with broadcasting. Similarly, the maximum NDF (59.6%), ADF (33.39%) and ADL (7.65%) was recorded in plots treated with same and broadcasting row pattern. Whereas, the minimum NDF (35.41 %) , ADF (24.03 %) and ADL(3.23 %) was recorded for A5B1, A3B3 and A5B2 in plots treated with broadcasting, alternate and same row planting pattern respectively. Therefore, to get the maximum DM yield A2B3 was appropriate for oat and vetch seed proportion whereas to get maximum CP A5B1 in sole stand vetch was suitable among