Turan et al.: Yield and quality performances of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars sown at various dates under sub-Mediterranean ecological conditions -15615 -APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631. Abstract. In this study it was aimed to determine the best sowing date and cultivar for the cultivation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in the Southeastern Anatolian Region of Turkey, using a randomized splitblock design with three replicates. The study was conducted from 2015

more »

... to 2017 using alfalfa cultivars of Kayseri, Magnum V, Gea, and Nimet and these cultivars sowed at three different sowing dates March 10, April 5, and April 30, 2015. The mean plant height of the cultivars was 66.04 cm, mean number of main stems was 10.77 number/plant, mean fresh herbage yield was 50020.1 kg ha -1 , mean hay yield was 13509.2 kg ha -1 , mean crude protein yield was 2464.0 kg ha -1 , mean crude protein rate was 17.88%, mean acid detergent fiber (ADF) rate was 34.01%, and mean neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rate was 39.49%. The highest mean plant height, fresh herbage yield, hay yield, and crude protein yield were observed at first and second sowing times. The results clearly indicate that the first and second sowing dates were the most suitable periods for alfalfa planting in the region studied. Additionally, Magnum V cultivar was the highest cultivator for fresh herbage and hay yield. Turan et al.: Yield and quality performances of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars sown at various dates under sub-Mediterranean ecological conditions -15616 -APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631. protein rate (22.67%) was obtained from Bilensoy cultivar. Aka and Avcioglu (2003) , who investigated the adaptation of seven alfalfa cultivars to the conditions within the Aegean Region, indicated that the height of the main stem varied between 61.56 and 67.50 cm, and that the highest hay yield was obtained from Pioneer-5715 (15730 kg ha -1 ), whereas it was the lowest for Elci (11780 kg ha -1 ). In Similar studies on alfalfa cultivars it showed that hay yield of alfalfa was 11020 -12660 of kg ha -1 , 9820 -17970 of kg ha -1 and 12910 -17810 of kg ha -1 (Sengul and Tahtacioglu, 1996) . Moreover, Yılmaz and Albayrak (2016) sowing the some cultivars such as Bilensoy, Verko, Gea, Prosementi or candidate alfalfa cultivars under Isparta conditions found that the highest crude protein rate was produced by candidate cultivars (17.3 7%). In that study it was detected that acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) rates in Bilensoy cultivar were the lowest (34.50 and 42.20%, respectively). Engin and Mut (2017) conducted at to identify some quality parameters in alfalfa fodder and determine hay yield under Yozgat conditions using alfalfa cultivars of Bilensoy, Kayseri, Verko, Gea, Plato, Victoria, Emiliano, Sunter, Nimet and Basbag during the 2013 and 2015. The mean plant height was the highest in Emiliano cultivar (86.90 cm), whereas it was lowest in Kayseri cultivar (57.50 cm). Authors detected that total hay yield for two year was 21070.0 and 43305.0 kg ha -1 for Bilensoy and Sunter, respectively. Again, in that study, the crude protein rate was between 24.20% and 26.10% of percent, and the total protein yield was the highest for Sunter (5906.0 kg ha -1 ), whereas it was the lowest for Gea (3251.0 kg ha -1 ). Alfalfa can be effectively grown for both silage and grain production in Southeastern region of Turkey and thus increasing forage shortage currently encountered will considerably be decreased. The aim of this study was to determine the optimum sowing date for alfalfa under the Southeastern conditions of Turkey, and identify the alfalfa cultivars with the highest quality and yield. Materials and methods This research was conducted in researching and application fields of Siirt University Faculty from 2015 through 2017 (Fig. 1) . As plant material we used four cultivars of alfalfa cultivars such as Gea, Magnum V, Kayseri, Nimet obtained from different research institutes and private seed companies in Turkey. These cultivars sown three different sowing dates (March 10, April 05, and April 30, 2015) are more plant height and more resistant to lodging, and the characters of growing is upright. These cultivars in Turkey have been also recommended for the Southern Marmara, Aegean, Thrace, Black Sea, Southeastern and Eastern Anatolia, Central Anatolia, and Mediterranean regions. According to the randomized split-block trial design with three replications, the whole plot was divided according to the alfalfa cultivars, and subplot parcels were determined by sowing date. There were eight rows in each parcel with 25 cm between them, and the seeds were sown to a depth of 1 -1.5 cm. Three kilograms of seeds were sown over each 0.1 hectare and fertilized with 150 kg ha -1 diammonium phosphate. The parcel was 2 m wide and 5 m long. There were 2 m of distance between each block and 1 m between each parcel. The entire experimental field was 19 m wide and 35 m long, encompassing a total area of 0.0665 ha. Turan et al.: Yield and quality performances of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars sown at various dates under sub-Mediterranean ecological conditions -15617 -APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631. Turan et al.: Yield and quality performances of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars sown at various dates under sub-Mediterranean ecological conditions -15618 -APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631. Turan et al.: Yield and quality performances of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars sown at various dates under sub-Mediterranean ecological conditions -15619 -APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631. APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):15615-15631.