Determination of Yield and Quality of Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trotter) Sown at Different Times

In this study, the yield and quality of Italian ryegrass and tef plant were compared according to their sowing at different times, and the potential of using tef plant instead of Italian ryegrass, whose development slows down especially during the hot summer period, was revealed. This study was conducted in 2020 to determine the herbage yield and quality of tef and Italian ryegrass sown at different times as summer crops under Konya conditions. The experiment was established according to the randomized block design with 3 replications. Italian ryegrass and two tef plant cultivars were sown at three different times on May 1, June 1 and July 1. As a result of the study, plant height 75.4 - 84.6 cm, stem thickness 1.70 - 2.15 mm, green grass yield 5152.2 - 7555.8 kg da(-1), dry grass yield 1458.6 - 2390.7 kg da(-1), dry matter rate 25.98% - 32.14%, dry matter yield 1335.0 - 2176.2 kg da(-1), crude protein rate 6.12% - 8.55%, crude protein yield 108.3 - 149.7 kg da(-1) in tef; plant height 35.9 - 88.9 cm, stem thickness 2.44 - 3.73 mm, green grass yield 739.2 - 4604.2 kg da(-1), dry grass yield 221.4 - 952.6 kg da(-1), dry matter rate 14.73% - 30.13%, dry matter yield 221.4 - 952.6 kg da(-1)da, crude protein rate 9.45% - 11.19%, crude protein yield 20.9 - 149.7 kg da(-1) in Italian ryegrass. As a result of the study, tef, which is a warm climate plant, yielded more than Italian ryegrass in terms of green grass, dry matter and crude protein in summer sowing dates under Central Anatolian conditions. The crude protein ratios of Italian ryegrass varieties were higher than the crude protein ratios of tef varieties. It was determined that summer sowing was not suitable for Italian ryegrass cultivars used in the study. In Central Anatolian conditions, Tef plant reaches harvest maturity within 55-65 days after sowing. In Central Anatolian conditions, tef can be mowed twice and give a good yield even when sown on July 1 as a second crop. It would be appropriate to conduct similar studies with more tef varieties.