EFFECT OF HARVESTING STAGES ON FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY OF DIFFERENT LEAF TYPES PEA CULTIVAR

Abstract

This study is aimed to determine the effects of three different harvesting stages (beginning of flowering, full flowering and seed filling) on forage yield and quality of different leaf type pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars. Two semi-leafless cultivars (Ulubatli and Kirazli), two leafed cultivars (Golyazi and Urunlu) were used in this research. Dry matter (DM) yield, crude protein (CP) ratio, CP yield, acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), total digestible nutrients (TDN) and relative feed value (RFV) were determined. According to two years averages, Golyazi had the highest DM (2415 kg ha-1 ) and CP yield (442 kg ha-1 ). Harvesting at the late stages caused a reduction in forage quality. Contents of CP, TDN and RFV decreased with advancing growth while DM yield, CP yield, ADF and NDF contents increased.