Determination of Forage Yield Performance of Some Promising Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) Lines under Rainfed Conditions in Southeastern Turkey

This study was conducted to determine fresh forage yield, dry matter yield, and their affecting components in promising narbon vetch lines (Vicia narbonensis L.) under rainfed conditions in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. Field trials were performed in the research areas of GAP International Agricultural Research and Training Center (GAP IARTC) in Diyarbakir, Turkey during the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 growing seasons with winter sowings. Experiments were established according to randomized blocks design with three replications. Although the genotype x year interaction for the natural plant height trait was not found to be significant, the interaction was statistically significant (P < 0.05) for the main stem number trait. For the other five traits, including fresh forage and dry matter yields, the genotype x year interaction was highly statistically significant (P < 0.01). Among growing seasons and genotypes the investigated traits had ranges as follows: fresh forage yield -19.42-37.95 t ha(-1); dry matter yield -4.07-7.16 t ha(-1); days to 50% flowering -142.3-171.0 days; natural plant height -63.8-79.3 cm; main stem height -79.3-133.3 cm; main stem numbers per plant -1.93-3.40 stems plant-1; and main stem thickness -33.2-4.97 mm. Correlation analyses indicated that there were highly significant and positive correlation between fresh forage yield and dry matter yield, though the correlation between fresh forage yield and days to 50% flowering were found as statistically significant and positive (P < 0.05). According to averages over the three study years five promising narbon vetch lines: IFVN 564-Sel 2379, IFVN 565-Sel 2380, IFVN 567-Sel 2382, IFVN 116-Sel 2461, IFVN 562-Sel 2470, were all found more productive than the control cultivar, Tarman-2002, in terms of both fresh forage yield and dry matter yield.