Performance of Fodder Pea (Pisum Arvense L.) - Fiddleneck (Phacelia Tanacetifolia Benth.) Mixture Under Different Nitrogen Doses

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of different nitrogen doses on forage yield and quality in fodder pea-fiddleneck (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.) mixtures. This research was conducted at experimental areas of Field Crops Department, Agriculture Faculty, Namik Kemal University, Tekirdag located on The Marmara Sea coast of Turkey between 2010 and 2012. The tested variants were: fodder pea 50% + fiddleneck 50%; fodder pea 100% and fiddleneck 100%. The different nitrogen doses and mixtures affected the botanical composition, green fodder and dry matter yields, crude protein, ADF, NDF, P, Ca, K and Mg contents. The botanical composition changed with increasing N doses in all treatments. Contrary to fodder pea, fiddleneck and other species dry weight ratios increased depending on the N doses. The highest change in both fodder pea and other plant species dry weight ratios were observed between control and plots received 150 kg N ha(-1). In fodder pea 50% + fiddleneck 50% mixture, maximum green fodder and dry matter yields were 49.57 t ha(-1) and 13.04 t ha(-1), respectively, by applying 150 kg N ha(-1), which was followed by 45.93 t ha(-1) and 12.24 t ha(-1) applying nitrogen at the rate of 90 kg had. The nitrogen application at the rates of 90 to 150 kg N had significantly increased Ca ratio over control. The maximum K ratio was observed in fiddleneck (120 kg N ha(-1)), having 0.55% and 0.56% P ratios in 90 kg N ha(-1) and 150 kg N ha(-1) applications, respectively. Mg ratio was significantly lower in fiddleneck from plots not fertilized (control).