Effects of different harvesting times on forage yield and quality characteristics of some soybean (Glycine max Merrill.) varieties

This research was established in Tokat-Kazova conditions on the research areas of Agricultural Research and Application Center of Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University in order to determine the effects of different harvesting times on forage yield and quality characteristics of some soybean varieties in 2021. The study was conducted at split block design with three replications. In the experiments; the main plots were harvest times and the subplots were cultivars. Adasoy, Cinsoy Mersoy, Nazlican, Türksoy, Umut2002, Yemsoy and Yeşilsoy soybean varieties were used as plant materials. The harvesting times were taken as R2 (one of the top two nodes on the main stem has a flower), R4 (one of the last four nodes on the main stem has a 2 cm long pod) and R6 (one of the last four nodes on the main stem has a pod with a green seed filling the fruit). In the study, plant height, stem diameter, branch number, leaflet width, leaflet length, leaf ratio, stem ratio, forage yield, dry matter yield, crude protein content, crude protein yield, ADF and NDF contents were determined. In terms of harvesting times × cultivar interaction averages in the study; plant height 32.8-129.9 cm, stem diameter 7.2-12.7 mm, branch numbers 2.4-10.0, leaflet width 5.8-9.9 cm, leaflet length 11.3-15.6 cm, leaf ratio 24.9-56.8%, stem ratio 28.6-43.4%, forage yield 1087.8-5965.0 kg.da-1, dry matter yield 289.1-2330.4 kg.da-1, and crude protein content 11.8-24.2%, crude protein yield 46.9-349.6 kg.da-1, ADF content 25.1-36.2% and NDF content 31.4-42.8% has changed between. According to the results of the one-year research, It was determined that if it is desired to obtain high dry matter yield in the R6 period of Adasoy variety; If it is desired to obtain high quality hay, Adasoy cultivar R4; Umut 2002, Cinsoy, Mersoy, Yeşilsoy cultivars in the R6 period, would be suitable to be harvested in soybean as the main crop in Tokat-Kazova conditions.