Research on hay yield and botanical composition of an afforestation area protected since 1997 in Topak Ardıç locality of Oluk Koyak Village, Tarsus-Mersin

ABSTRACTMScRESEARCH ON HAY YIELD AND BOTANICALCOMPOSITION OF AN AFFORESTATION AREAPROTECTED SINCE 1997 IN TOPAK ARDIÇ LOCALITYOF OLUK KOYAK VILLAGE, TARSUS-MERSİNAbdul Haluk TÜRKERDEPARTMENT OF FIELD CROPSINSTITUTE OF NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCESUNIVERSITY OF ÇUKUROVASupervisor : Prof. Dr. Tuncay TÜKELYear : 2006, Pages : 78Jury : Prof. Dr. Tuncay TÜKELProf. Dr. Rüştü HATİPOĞLUAssist. Prof. Dr. Necattin TÜRKMENThe study was carried out with the aim of comparing different aspects of a range landvegetation on an afforestation area protected from grazing since 1997 in Topakardıç locality ofOlukkoyak village, Tarsus-Mersin, for hay yield and quality as well as botanical composition.Results of the study showed that mean plant basal cover percentage of the range vegetationwas 47.72 %. Percentages of grasses, legumes and other family plants in the total plant cover were44.37 %, 9.29 % and 46.34 %, respectively. Percentages of grasses, legumes and other family plantswere highest respectively on North (58.50 %), North-East (32.36 %) and South-West (50.74 %)aspects according to others. A total of 83 species from 63 genus belonging to 25 families weredetermined in the vegetation.The most frequent plants encountered in the range vegetation were respectively Bromustomentellus (80.0 %), Galium album (35.69 %), Asphodeline isthmocarpa (20.97 %), Teucriumchamaedrys (12.08 %), Onobrychis sp. (11.11 %) ve Daphne oleoides (9.31%).The hay yield wasn?t statistically different in spite of varying from 53.67 kg/da to 112.0kg/da depending on the aspects. Grazing capacity of the range was calculated as 9 BBHB.Percent contribution of grasses, legumes and other family plants in the hay yield were 49.11%, 5.11 % and 45.77 % respectively. In North and South-West aspects were highest percentages ofgrasses (54.67 % and 52.0 % respectively) while in North-East aspect was highest percentage of otherfamily plants (49.67 %) according to hay yields.Crude protein ratio of hay varying from 10.26 % to 12.85 % depending on the aspects wasstatistically different (P≤0.05).Crude protein yields wasn?t statistically different in spite of varying from 5.56 kg/da to 14.30kg/da depending on the aspects.Key Words : Range, Aspect, Plant Cover, Botanical Composition, Hay YieldII