Effects of different cutting times and mixture ratios on yield and quality in binary mixtures of annual ryegrass with Anatolian clover and berseem clover

The research was carried out in Kırşehir ecological conditions in 2023 to determine the effects of different mixture ratios and cutting times on yield and quality in binary mixtures of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), Anatolian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) and Alexandrian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). The research, in which annual ryegrass İlkadım, Alexandrian clover Efsane, and Anatolian clover Demet-82 varieties were used as materials, was carried out according to the split-plot design in randomized blocks with three replications. In the research, the plant heights ranged between 73.2-82.3 cm in annual ryegrass, 69.4-75.9 cm in Anatolian clover, and 75.1-88.9 cm in berseem clover. The green herbage yields were determined between 2959.6-4602.3 kg da-1, and the dry forage yields were 758.0-1121.0 kg da-1. Anatolian clover rates in dry forage were between 41.5-80.6%, and berseem clover rates were between 44.6-81.3%. The crude protein rates were between 14.25-19.21%, and the crude protein yields were 112.1-205.0 kg da-1. ADF rates were between 28.5-33.37%, NDF rates were between 44.77-54.74%, DMD rates were between 62.90-66.70%, and DMD yields were determined between 488.5-739.9 kg da-1. The findings obtained in the research showed that as the cutting times progressed, green and dry herbage yields increased with the increase in plant heights, and the yield of the mixtures was superior to the pure sowing of the species. As the legume ratio increased in the mixtures, ADF and NDF ratios decreased, while crude protein and digestible dry matter ratios increased. When the yield and quality factors were evaluated together, according to the research results, 25% ARG + 75% AC and 25% ARG + 75% BC mixtures showed higher performance than other species and mixtures in terms of green herbage, dry herbage, crude protein, and digestible dry matter yields. According to the results of one-year research, to obtain high yield and quality roughage from the binary mixtures of annual ryegrass with Anatolian and Alexandrian clover, 25% ARG + 75% AC and 25% ARG + 75% BC mixtures should be grown in Kırşehir and similar ecologies and should be mowed at full bloom to obtain the expected performance.