The effect of the cutting time and sowing density on forage and grain production and quality in dual-purpose oat growing

This study was carried out to determine the effects of sowing density and different cutting practices on forage and grain production in oats to be grown for dual purposes (forage + grain) in Amik Plain conditions. The research was carried out in the Telkaliş Research Station of Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, at the winter main crop growing season of 2020-2021. In the research, 3 different sowing densities (400, 500 and 600 plants/m2) and three different cutting times (90, 105 and 120 days after sowing) formed the experimental subjects. The experimental design was a split-plot randomized complete block with cutting times as the main plot and sowing densities as the subplot with three replicates. As a result of the research, it was determined that both fresh grass yields and dry forage yields were significantly affected by both trial factors and their interaction. In the study, the highest hay yield (559.2 kg/da) was obtained from treatment that cut 105 days after sowing and planted with a sowing density of 500 plants/m2 while the lowest hay yield (405.2 kg/da) value was found in treatment that cut 90 days after sowing and planted with 400 plants/m2 sowing density. Plant height values determined at cutting time and NDF and ADF contents showed an increasing trend depending on the delay in cutting time and increasing sowing density. Crude protein contents of hay were above 20% in all treatments harvested 90 days after sowing. The effects of experimental factors on panicle length were found to be insignificant. The highest grain weight in the panicle was obtained in the cutting treatments made after 90 days. The grain yields obtained in the cutting applications were higher than those obtained in the control application. Considering all applications, grain yields varied between 94.3 kg/da and 174.3 kg/da. Grain crude protein contents ranged from 12.0% to 17.3%. Generally, cutting after 120 days increased grain crude protein. The highest biological yield value was obtained in the control treatment. Among the cutting times, higher biological yield values were obtained in the mown plots after 105 days.