Research on the determination of proper perennial forage grasses and their mixture rates for the pasture mixtures with white clover (Trifolium repens L.) under irrigated conditions of Çukurova

ABSTRACTPhD THESISRESEARCH ON THE DETERMINATION OF PROPER PERENNIALFORAGE GRASSES AND THEIR MIXTURE RATES FOR THE PASTUREMIXTURES WITH WHITE CLOVER (Trifolium repens L.) UNDERIRRIGATED CONDITIONS OF CUKUROVAbrahim ATIŞDEPERTMENT OF FIELD CROPSINSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCESUNIVERSITY OF CUKUROVASupervisor: Prof. Dr. Rüştü HAT POĞLUYear: 2006, Pages:166Jury: Prof. Dr. Tuncay TÜKELProf. Dr. Hasan Rüştü KUTLUProf. Dr. Turan SAĞLAMT MURAsist. Prof. Dr. Nafiz ÇEL KTAŞThis research was conducted to determine the proper forage grasses and theirmixture rates for pasture mixtures with white clover under irrigated conditions ofÇukurova during the years of 2002 and 2005. In the research, double component (onegrass + one legume) and thriple component (two grasses + one legume) mixtures ofperennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) , tall fescue(Festuca arundinacea) and white clover (Trifolium repens) were studied. Sowingrates of white clover in the mixtures were 20, 30 and 40 %.The results showed that establishment of white clover was slow but it becamedominant species in the mixtures in the second year. Establishment of perennialryegrass was good in the first year but it?s persistence was short. The cultivar oforchardgrass (Fleurance) was not good adapted to the climatical conditions ofÇukurova. Tall fescue was a good compatible species with white clover andmixtures of tall fescue and white clover gave a high hay yield. Mixtures of perennialryegrass and/or orchardgrass with white clover gave hay yield with higher quality.The mixture rates did not affect the characteristics of mixtures studied. Species inthe mixtures were dormant during summer, and their yield were significantly lowduring that season.Key Words: Pasture, Perennial Forage Mixtures, Yield, Quality