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This study was conducted in Demirhanli village in Edirne province for two years in 2008-2009. Demirhanli village, which was determined as the study field, is situated on the coordinates of41°43’4″N and 26°44’26″E, and has an area of 311.5 ha. Aim of this study is to determine the change of yield and botanical composition of meadow vegetation in different cutting periods, With this purpose, green forage and hay yields and botanical composition ratios according to their weight in three different cutting periods were determined. Samples were taken on the 30 April, 15 May and 4 June in both trial years (2008-2009).
Whilst in the first year, the green forage and hay yields were 1042.3 and 334.4 kg/ha, in the second year their yields were determined as 684.2 and 281.4 kg/ha respectively. In both years, the highest yield of green forage and hay were taken from the second cutting (15 May). When the first year’s hay samples were considered according to their compositions throughout the meadow, as the mean of the three different cuttings, gramineae (poaceae) plants took the first place with %63.2, other vegetation families followed with %35.0 and fabaceae plants took place with the lowest ratio of %2.7. When we evaluated the second year’s hay samples according to their botanic compositions, gramineae plants were in the first place with a ratio of %68.3, other families (plant species) followed with %26.6 and again fabaceae (leguminosae) plants were in the last piace with %5.1. In the year of 2009, while there was an increase in both gramineae and fabaceae plants, there was a decrease in other family species.
Composite fertilizer applications in meadow have a considerable effect on yield and botanical composition. The second cutting date could be advised as the most suitable grazing period and most convenient cutting from the aspects of green forage and hay yields and botanical composition. Besides, this kind of studies should be encouraged and increased as to demonstrate models for meadow improvement (amendment) and management studies in the region.