Yield and Nutritive Value of Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L.) Lines and Varieties

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the straw yields and biochemical compounds for lines and varieties of common vetch grown under rainfed conditions in semi-arid regions of Turkey. Four common vetch lines (Pt-41, I-3, C-5 and Pt-45) and six common vetch varieties (Emir, Kubilay-82, Uludağ, Nilüfer, Adana-22 and Çubuk) were obtained from the Agricultural Faculties of Uludağ, Atatürk and Çukurova Universities. Field experiments were designed according to randomized block design with three replications during 2009. Straw yields, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ash, dry matter (DM), dry matter digestibility (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI) and relative feed value (RFV) contents of the lines and varieties of common vetch were determined. Straw yield, DM, CP, NDF, ADF, Ash content and DDM, DMI, RFV of vetches were significantly different (P<0.05). Straw yields ranged from 184-300 kgda-1, CP content ranged from 5.1-15.4%, ADF content ranged from 28.1-31.2%, NDF ranged from 37.4-48.1%, Ash content ranged from 4.5-10.1%, DM content ranged from 90.5-95.0%, DDM content ranged from 64.6-67.0%, DMI ranged from 2.50-3.21% and RFV ranged from 128.1-163.6 based on the lines and varieties of common vetch. The results of this study showed that CP, DDM and RFV of variety of Nilüfer were higher than in the other lines and varieties of common vetch. This is due to low amount of ADFand NDF.