Pasture & Forage Crops

​Chief Breeder: Dr. Ilker INAL

Pasture and Forage Crops Breeders: 
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Celal YUCEL
Arif AKTAS
Feyza D. GUNDEL
Bulent CAKIR 

The aims of department's researches are to conduct regional experiments for cultivar candidates to compare their adaptability, yield and quality under Mediterranean conditions. We work on orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.), smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.),  intermediate wheatgrass (Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), alfaalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Our analysis include cytological and molecular characterisation of genotypes. In addition we study to develop warm season grass cultivars (rhodes grass and dallis grass) for subtropic regions of Turkey. 

In our region, annual legumes such as bersem clover and common vetch are grown pure or mixture with cereals during winter seasons. Our researches aimed to develop high yielding and quality new Berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) varieties which can fit well to the mid-winter cropping season in Cukurova region (Eastern Mediterranean). Besides, we are studying intercropping systems. Researches carried out to determine the most suitable mixture ratios and cutting stages of some annual forage legumes-grass grass mixtures under Cukurova conditions.

One of the most important problems in the forage production of Turkey is insufficiency of forage seed production. We want to determine most proper row spacing for alfalfa seed production and most proper leaf removing application under conditions of Adana and Kahramanmaraş. 

Energy Crops:
Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a strong candidate as a cheap renewable energy source. Sweet sorgum has high biomass yield and sugar content, easy and wide adaptation potential compared to other crops, and production of bioethanol from sweet sorghum is easier compared to starch and hemicelluloses containing materials. 
Department also has researches for increasing carbon sequestration in the soil, reducing the intensity of greenhouse gases and combat climate change with national and international agencies.
YUKARI