EVALUATION OF FORAGE TURNIP + CEREAL MIXTURES FOR FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY TRAITS

Abstract

The aim of current study was to investigate the effects of intercropping forage turnip “FT” with cereals (barley, “B”, wheat “W” and oat “O”) for improving forage yield and nutritive value in Bilecik conditions in 2019 and 2020 growing periods. The percentage of forage turnip and cereals in mixtures was 100+0%, 75+25%, 50+50%, 25+75%, and 0+100%, respectively. Experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The hay yield, crude protein yield, relative feed value (RFV), condensed tannin, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and mineral contents (K, P, Ca, and Mg) were determined. The hay yield of treatments was ranged between 5.45-10.27 t ha-1 . The highest crude protein yield was obtained mixture of 50FT+50O% (1.80 t ha-1 ). The pure forage turnip, 75FT+25B%, 75FT+25O%, and 50FT+50B% mixtures were statistically in the same group as 50FT+50O%. The condensed tannin was ranged between 2.00-2.84%. The highest RFV was calculated for 75FT+25O% (136.29), and the 50FT+50O% mixture (125.42) was statistically in the same group as mixture of 75FT+25O%. The present study showed that intercropping of forage turnip with barley and oat improved the hay yield and quality. The best results regarding for forage yield and quality were obtained from the FT+B and FT+O mixtures with seed rates of 75:25% and 50:50%.