EFFECT OF SOWING METHOD AND CUTTING SYSTEM ON FORAGE AND SEED PRODUCTION OF SOME EGYPTIAN CLOVER CULTIVARS (TRIFOLUM ALEXANDRINUM, L.).

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University in Al-Ismailia, during 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 winter seasons. The present investigation aimed to study the effect of two sowing methods (in rows and broadcasting) and three cutting systems ( system (A): the three growth periods were 60, 35 and 30 days before the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cuts respectively. While, these periods were prolonged by 5 and 10 days in the second (B) and the third (C) systems, respectively. on forage and seed production of three Egyptian clover multicuts Meskawi cultivars namely Helaly, Sakha 4 and Giza 15 under sandy soil conditions. A split-split plot design with three replicates was used in both seasons. The results revealed that broadcasting method gave higher values in plant height, fresh, dry yields and seed yield and its attributes than sowing in rows one. Whereas, forage quality (CP, DCP, TDN and SV percentages) were not significantly affected by sowing methods. At the three cuts, prolonging the cutting intervals by 5 and 10 days in B and C systems caused a continuous and significant increase in each of plant height, fresh, dry forage and seed yields/fad.. The number of heads/plant was not significantly affected in both seasons. While, TDN and SV percentages were gradually increased by prolonging the cutting intervals but the CP and DCP percentages took an opposite trend in the first two cuts. Helaly cv. recorded the highest values of plant height, fresh, dry forage yields and seed yield and its components in the two seasons and their combined while, Giza 15 and Sakha 4 cvs, recorded the highest values of CP% and DCP% in the 2nd and 3rd cuts of the combined data followed by Helaly cv. in respective order. The results did not show significant interaction effects between sowing methods and cutting systems in all studied traits except, pant height. There was a positive and significant correlation between each of plant height, total forage yield, TDN% and SV% on one hand and total dry forage yield per fad. on the other. However, the correlation between total dry forage yield and both CP% and DCP% negative and significant. Conclusively ,Results indicated that Helaly Egyptian clover cv. when broadcasted and cut as in C system can produced the highest forage and seed yields under sandy soil conditions of Ismailia Governorate..