CHANGE IN FORAGE QUALITY OF WHOLE PLANT, LEAF AND STEM ACCORDING TO SOWING AND HARVESTING PERIODS IN Atriplex nitens SCHKUHR GROWN WITHOUT FERTILIZER

Abstract

Atriplex nitens, which can grow in extreme ecological conditions and produce a high amount of forage material, has been seen as an important alternative forage source for livestock. With the present study, the effect of different sowing (mid-April, late-April, early-May, mid-May) and harvesting periods (end of vegetative period, beginning of flowering, full flowering period) on forage quality was tried to be determined. For this purpose, a study was planned in a randomized complete block design in split plots with three replications under irrigated conditions of Igdir during 2019 and 2020. The results of the analysis showed that the forage quality values of the stem, leaf and whole plant were statistically significant in terms of the sowing and harvesting periods. The crude protein content, dry matter digestible, disgestible energy, metabolic energy and relative feed value of the stem, leaf and whole plant increased with late sowing while acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber ratios decreased. Similar results were obtained by moving harvests to an earlier time. As a result, in late sowing and early harvestings, it was determined that the stem, leaf and whole plant produced a low, very high and medium quality forage material, respectively.