Change of Forage Yield and Quality Characteristics of White Clover (Trifolium repens L.) at Different Harvest Time

Authors : Erdal Çaçan, Selim Özdemir, Kağan Kökten, Rıdvan Uçar, Sam Mokhtarzadeh, Muammer Ekmekçi, Mehmet Ali Kutlu

Pages : 1099-1111

Doi:10.33462/jotaf.1349101

View : 81 | Download : 71

Publication Date : 2024-12-23

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study was conducted to determine the yield and quality characteristics of white clover at different harvest time. The study was carried out according to the randomized blocks experimental design in 2021 and 2022, and the Rivendel variety of white clover was used as the plant material in the study. Four different harvest time of white clover, as early bloom, mid-bloom, full bloom, and after-bloom, were considered as the research subject. In the experiment, the plant height, green forage yield, dry matter yield, dry matter ratio, crude protein, crude protein yield, insoluble fiber in acid detergent (ADF), insoluble fiber in neutral detergent (NDF), relative feed value and phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium contents of white clover were investigated. It has been determined that the differences in all of these examined features in different harvest time of white clover were statistically significant. In the research, white clover reached the highest plant height (32.3 cm and 27.8 cm), green forage yield (38.367 kg ha-1 and 52.080 kg ha-1), dry matter yield (10.707 kg ha-1 and 13.424 kg ha-1), and crude protein yield (1987 kg ha-1 and 2544 kg ha-1) in full bloom in both years. In 2021, the highest crude protein and relative feed value and the lowest ADF and NDF ratios were obtained during early bloom and mid-bloom, while in 2022, the highest values for these characteristics were obtained only from early bloom stages. It was determined that the lowest phosphorus and potassium contents and the highest calcium and magnesium contents were obtained from the after bloom stage in both years. As a result, since the highest yield values and average quality values are obtained from the full bloom stage, it has been concluded that it was more advantageous for the producer to harvest the white clover at this stage.
Keywords : Çiçeklenme, Kuru ot, Ham protein, Nispi yem değeri, Makro elementler