EFFECTS OF SINGLE AND MIXED SOWING OF PERENNIAL GRASS (LOLIUM PERENNE L.) WITH COOL SEASON SPECIES ON GRASS PERFORMANCE

This study has been conducted in Bayramic District of canakkale Province in 2017 aiming to determine the seasonal performance of single and mixed sowing of perennial grass with some cool seasoned Gramineae species. Integra of Lolium perenne, Rebel XLR of Festuca arundinacea, Dumasl of F. ovina, J-5 of F. rubra commutata, Redskin of F. rubra rubra, Samantha of F. rubra frichophylla and Miracle of Poa pratensis were used as the experimental subjects of this study. Total biomass production and grass quality attributes were investigated based on the number of species in mixtures and seasons. Fresh and dry biomass values significantly varied correlating to the seasons. The highest biomass productions were observed in spring and autumn. The highest values for grass quality, color, width, and coverage were observed in autumn. Single-sown L. perenne plots had superior attributes as compared to the mixed-sown plots. But grass color had darker green tones with the increasing number of species in mixtures. Present findings revealed that single-sowings yielded better grasslands than that of mixed-sowings and better structures were observed in autumn and spring as compared in summer. To establish quality grasslands in similar ecologies, L. perenne should be preferred and 2-3 species should be incorporated into the mixtures.