INTERCROPPING IN A TEMPERATE ENVIRONMENT FOR FORAGE PRODUCTION IN DRYLAND CONDITIONS

The basic objective of the experiment was to determine vetch and cereal intercropping for forage yield in dryland conditions. The experiment was conducted under Tekirdag-Turkey ecological conditions during 2013-2015 years. Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz.), Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were used as plant material of vetch ? cereal mixtures. Plant height, branch number per plant, fresh forage yield, and dry forage yield were determined. Significant differences were found among vetch ? cereal mixtures for plant height, branch number per plant, fresh forage yield and dry forage yield. The two years average data showed that vetch ? cereal mixture performed better under dryland conditions in terms of fresh and dry forage yield. Narbon vetch+oat, Hungarian vetch + barley double mixtures, and common vetch+Narbon vetch+barley triple mixture was recommended for forage production in Tekirdag-Turkey dryland conditions