The effects of different sowing methods on the yield and quality of cereal species in forage production

This research compares the yield and quality of barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i>), rye (<i>Secale cereale</i>), triticale (×<i>Triticosecale Wittmack</i>), and wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>) grown in dry conditions in winter and widely used in producing quality forage using straight and perpendicular row sowing methods. The study was conducted during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 growing seasons using a randomized complete block design with split plots and three replications. Cereal species were placed in the main plots, while sowing methods were assigned to the subplots. Harvesting times were determined according to the flowering stages of the cereal species. According to the two-year study results, the highest dry matter yield was obtained from rye with the straight sowing method, while the lowest yield was obtained from barley using the same method. The best results for crude protein content, digestible dry matter content, and relative feed value were observed in barley; the lowest acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents were recorded in rye. When evaluated regarding sowing methods, the perpendicular rows sowing method was superior to the straight row sowing method in yield. However, no significant effect of sowing methods on quality was observed. The perpendicular rows method of triticale is recommended for producing quality and high-yield forage in arid and semi-arid regions.