CHANGE IN FORAGE QUALITY OF WHOLE PLANT, LEAF AND STEM ACCORDING TO SOWING AND HARVESTING PERIODS IN Atriplex nitens SCHKUHR GROWN WITHOUT FERTILIZER

Abstract

Atriplex nitens, which can grow in extreme ecological conditions and produce a high amount of forage material, has been seen as an important alternative forage source for livestock. With the present study, the effect of different sowing (mid-April, late-April, early-May, mid-May) and harvesting periods (end of vegetative period, beginning of flowering, full flowering period) on forage quality was tried to be determined. For this purpose, a study was planned according to randomized complete block design in split plots with three replications in Iğdır irrigated conditions in 2019 and 2020. As a result of the study, the forage quality values of the stem, leaf and whole plant differed according to the sowing and harvesting periods. Accordingly, it was determined that the crude protein, dry matter digestible, disgestible energy, metabolic energy and relative feed value of the stem, leaf and whole plant increased as the sowing time was delayed, but neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre ratios decreased. Similar results were obtained by moving harvests to an earlier time. As a result, it was determined that the stem, leaf and whole plant produced a low, very high and medium quality forage material in late sowing and early harvests, respectively.