Influences of Sowing Date and Harvest Stage on Dry Matter Yield and Forage Quality of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Sowing time and harvesting period are very important to obtained better forage yield and quality. The study was carried out to determine the effects of sowing times and harvesting period on dry matter yield and quality of quinoa in Marmara conditions. The experiment was carried out in experimental field at Agricultural Application and Research Area of Agriculture Faculty of Bursa Uludag University in 2018 and 2019 years. The experiment was established in a split-plot randomized complete blocks design with three replicates. Four different sowing times were considered in the main plot and three different harvesting periods in the sub-plot. Plant height, dry forage yield, crude protein, crude protein yield, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, relative feed value, macro and micro elements were investigated in the study. According to the two-year results the highest hay yield (2797.95 kg ha-1) and crude protein yield (584.40 kg ha-1) were obtained from sowing on 1 May. In terms of harvest periods, seed setting period came to the fore in terms of high forage and crude protein yield.