Determining of Some Cell Wall Compenents on Alfalfa’s Cultivars in Central Anatolian Conditions

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) maturity at the time of harvest greatly influences forage quality. The main objective of this research was investigation on effects of phenological stages (five diffrent stage times) on values of forage quality indices of Alfalfa. Bilensoy, Kayseri, Gozlu and Plato cultivars (dormant), Elçi, Mırna, MA-414 and Posovina (non-dormant) cultivars of Alfalfa were used as materials. Samples were collected from Reseach Field of Ankara University in Ankara. They were dried, grained and analyzed in Laboratory. The results showed that forage quality indices values including forage acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and total digestible nutrients (TDN), dry matter intake (DMI), digestible dry matter (DDM) and relative feed value (RFV) were significantly differed culture variety and five different stage times P<0.01). For all culture variety DMI, DDM, TDN decreased and ADF, NDF, increased with plant growth development. Considering forage quality indices values among tree culture variety, Bilensoy had highest forage quality. Among life forms, forbs, higher forage quality obtained from forbs. In terms of growth stage, vegetative growth stage had better forage quality.