Forage Yield and Quality of Intercropped Annual Ryegrass With Berseem Clover Sown at Different Seed Mixture Ratios Under Rainfall Conditions of Mediterranean Climate

Abstract

This research was carried out under rainfall conditions of Mediterranean climate with the aim to study the effects of different seed mixture ratios on forage yield and quality characteristics of mixture. Annual ryegrass sown as pure produced higher green forage yield than berseem clover sown as pure and the mixtures. In the mixture of berseem clover at 20% seed rate and pure annual ryegrass, higher hay yields were determined compared to the other mixtures. As the seed rate of berseem clover decreased, the proportion of berseem clover in the mixture yield and the crude protein ratio of the herbage decreased linearly. In terms of total LER, BC80-AR20 and BC20-AR80 mixtures were the two most advantageous mixtures, while the aggressivity value of annual ryegrass showed a positive value and became the dominant species. Pure sown berseem clover had lower ADF, NDF and higher crude protein content than pure sown annual ryegrass and other mixtures tested. According to these results, it can be said that berseem clover can be included in the mixture at low seed rates for high forage yield under rainfall conditions, while berseem clover can be grown as pure for high forage quality.