Determination of sowing and harvest times on hay yield and quality of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) plant grown under irrigated conditions in Igdir

In the present study, it was aimed to determine the suitable sowing and harvest times in terms of hay yield and quality of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa willd.) plant grown under irrigated conditions in Igdir. The trial was carried out in Iğdır University Agricultural Application and Research Center in 2017. The study was arranged in a completely randomized block design in split plots and in the experiment, and sowing times were established on the main parcels and harvest times were created on the sub-parcels. In our current study, Mint Vanilla variety was used as plant material. By leaving 10-day intervals between sowings, the first sowing (E1) was done on the 15th of March, the second sowing (E2) on the 25th of March, third sowing (E3) on the 5th of April and fourth sowing (E4) on the 15th of April. As harvest periods, the plants were harvested at the end of the vegetative period (H1), the beginning of flowering (H 2) and the full flowering period (H3). In the study, plant numbers in square meter (PN), plant height (PH), main stem thickness (ST), fresh hay yield (FHY), dry hay yield (DHY), crude protein ratio (CP), crude protein yield (CPY), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and relative feed value (RFV) were examined. In the result of research, sowing and cutting dates affected all the examined parameters on quinoa. In terms of cutting periods, the highest FHY, DHY and CPY were determined on the 25th of March, CP and RFV on the 15th of April, and NDF and ADF ratio on the 15th of March. In respect to, while maximum CP and RFV were obtained from the end of the vegetative stage, FHY, DHY, CPY, NDF and ADF values were measured at the full flowering stage. It was concluded that sowings should do in the end of March and the cutting in the full flowering stage.