The effects of different nitrogen doses on herbage and seed yields of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv. caramba)

Abstract

This study has been carried out during the growing seasons of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 in Turkey, to determine the effects of different nitrogen doses on the herbage (150, 230, 310, 390, 470, 550, 630 and 710 kg ha^-1) and seed yields (150, 170, 190, 210, 230, 250, 270 and 290 kg ha^-1) of and some agricultural characteristics of annual ryegrass cv. “caramba”. Two different trials were established separately for the production of herbage and seed in the research. According to the two-year research, applications of different nitrogen doses are observed to be important for all properties of herbage yield and properties except for plant height of seed yield. As a result, the highest forage yield in annual ryegrass with the aim of green herbage is obtained to be of (54834 kg ha^-1) 470 and (54976 kg ha^-1) 550 kg ha^-1 at nitrogen levels, plant height (71.9 cm), crude protein ratio (21.2%) and the yield of crude protein is (1982 kg ha^-1) 470 kg ha^-1. It was obtained for the seed production that the highest number of tiller (626 item/m²), fertile tiller number (483 item/m²) and grain yield are (0.54 mg) 210 kg ha^-1, spikelet number per grain is (32.7 item) 250 kg ha^-1 and (33.6 item) 270 kg ha^-1, the highest seed yield is (343 kg ha^-1) 250 kg ha^-1 from the nitrogen dose application. In the light of information, the highest values were obtained from total 470 kg ha^-1 nitrogen application in herbage production and 250 kg ha^-1 in seed production.

Key words: Crude protein, fodder crops, herbage yield, seed yield, nitrogen doses.