DETERMINATION OF YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L.) CULTIVARS IN THE EAST ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY AND CORRELATION ANALYSIS BETWEEN THESE PROPERTIES

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine yield and some quality features of some alfalfa cultivars for three years between 2014 and 2016 in the East Anatolian Region of Turkey and correlation analysis between these properties. In this study, sixteen different alfalfa cultivars (Verdor, Magna-601, Magnum-V, Basbag, Elci, Kayseri, Nimet, Savas, Omerbey, Ozpinar, Alsancak, Gea, Verko, Sunter, Bilensoy-80 and Gozlu-1) were used. Experiments were conducted in the randomized block design with three replications. According to the results of this study significant differences were determined in terms of plant height, green herbage yield, dry herbage yield, crude protein ratio, crude protein yield, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), digestible dry matter (DDM), dry matter intake (DMI) and relative feed value (RFV) of alfalfa cultivars. In alfalfa cultivars, the highest green plant height, green herbage yield, dry herbage yield, crude protein yield and relative feed value were determined in Gea (54.7 cm, 3591 kg da(-1), 1227 kg da-1, 301 kg da-1 and 262.1, respectively). The highest crude protein ratio was determined in Magnum-V (25.9\%). The least ADF contents were obtained from Gea (18.7\%) and the least NDF contents were obtained from Gea, Sunter, Nimet and Ozpinar (27.1\%, 27.4\%, 27.5\% and 27.7\%, respectively). The highest digestible dry matter was determined in Gea (74.4\%). The highest dry matter intake was obtained from Gea, Sunter, Nimet and Ozpinar (4.53\%, 4.52\%, 4.48\% and 4.45\%, respectively). Also, significant correlations were found between the traits studied. As a result, Gea variety with high dry herbage and crude protein yield, low ADF-NDF ratios and high relative feed value was recommended for alfalfa culture in similar ecologies. Outside Gea; it seems that Bilensoy-80, Magna-601, Magnum-V, Omerbey, Sunter, Verdor and Verko cultivars gave results above averages and were remarkable in terms of yield and quality.