Effects of Seeding Pattern and Harvest Date of Persian Clover and Annual Ryegrass on Hay Yield and Quality in a Mediterranean Environment

Abstract

This study was carried out at Experimental fields of Ege University Faculty of Agriculture Bornova/Izmir/Turkey, during the years of 2012-2014. Three different harvest dates (Early Spring, Mid Spring and Late Spring) and mixture rates (100+0%, 80+20%, 60+40%, 40+60%, 20+80% and 0+100%, respectively) of Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum) with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) were tested. The experiment was arranged in a split block design with three replications. As the average of 2 years results, highest yield were recorded in sole Persian clover sown as catch crop and harvested in late spring under Mediterrenean climatic conditions. The data also indicated that pure Persian cover sowing provided the highest green matter, dry matter and crude protein yields, being 36.04 t ha-1 , 5.61 t ha-1 and 89 kg ha-1 , respectively. Legume ratio, NDF and ADF concentrations increased by advancing harvest dates.

DETERMINATION OF SEEDING RATE IN THE BLUE MELILOT (Melilotus caeruleus (L.) Desr.) FOR FORAGE YIELD AND SOME QUALITY FEATURES UNDER SUBTROPICAL CONDITIONS

“…Total protein and fiber contents are inversely related to growth stages of the forage crops, nevertheless, protein and fiber contents of forage crops can be quite variable among species and their cultivars. The CP content is one of the most important parameter for forage quality (Kavut, 2019). Generally, forage legumes typically contain higher protein levels (12 % -26 %) compared with grasses (8 % -22 %) (Ates, 2011;Tenikecier and Ates, 2018).…”