Effect of nitrogen fertilization and mowing on seed yield and germination of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.)

Abstract

To determine how mowing and nitrogen applications affect the seed yield components and germination characteristics of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), an experiment was conducted in Eskişehir Ecological Conditions in 2018 with Split-Plot in the Randomized Complete Block. The primary factor was mowing or not mowing, whereas the subfactor was nitrogen dose (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 kg/da). To determine the effect of the applications on the seed production and quality of annual ryegrass, plant height, spike length, number of fertile tillers, number of spikelets, thousand seed weight, seed yield, germination percentage, second-day germination percentage, mean germination time, seedling length, seedling fresh, and dry weight were examined. Among the results, mowing did not significantly affect the seed production and quality of annual ryegrass, and no significant difference occurred between nitrogen doses of 10–20 kg/da in terms of fertile tiller number and TSW. The highest seed yield, 132 kg/da, was obtained with the application of 10 kg/da of nitrogen to the mowed plots, and loss in yield was inevitable after this dose. Although total germination percentage did not change according to nitrogen dose, the highest second-day germination percentage and mean germination time were achieved in the unmowed plots with 20 kg/da of nitrogen. As a result, fields for planting annual ryegrass for seed production can be mowed or grazed in early spring. Although the best nitrogen dose for seed production was determined to be 10 kg/da, that rate can be slightly increased for earlier germination and seed emergence.

Keywords

• Annual ryegrass
• nitrogen doses
• mowing
• seed
• germination

Kaynakça

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