The Effects of different row spacings and nitrogen application on forage yield and quality of annual ryegrass in ecological condition of Ankara

This trial was conducted in ecological condition of Ankara in 2000. Annual ryegrass {Lolium multiflorum Lam.) cv. Caramba was used as a plant material. The experiment was established in completely randomized block desing with split plots with four replications. Two different row spacings as 17.5 and 35 cm were used in main plots and five nitrogen doses (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 kg N/da) in sub-plots. The results from the experiment showed that generally the effects of row spacing on investigated characteristics except on fresh yield was not significant. Increasing application doses of nitrogen increased the yields of fresh forage, hay and crude protein, and the contents of dry matter and crude protein of hay. The highest fresh plant weight (1162.72 kg/da), hay (383.64 kg/da) and protein yield (79.89 kg/da) were obtained at the highest nitrogen dose (20 kg/da). Key Words: Lolium multiflorum, N fertilization, row spacing, fresh and hay yield, dry matter, crude protein, crude cellulose, crude ash.