MORPHOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERS OF Bituminaria bituminosa (L) CH (Stirtion) GROWN NATURALLY IN THE MIDDLE BLACK SEA REGION

Abstract

In this study, morphological and chemical characters were investigated in Bituminaria bituminosa (L.) C.H. Stirtion genotypes collected from 24 different locations Middle Black Sea Region Turkey. The experiment was established in Samsun ecological conditions and carried out for two years (2009-2010). The investigated characters were; plant height, shoot number, main stem diameter, leaflet width and length, leaf number, inflorescence number, flower number per inflorescence, seed width and length, a thousand seed weight, dry matter yield, crude protein content, ADF, NDF, ADP values, ash, Ca, Mg, P, K, Fe, Zn and Mn contents. Only one cut was done in the first year as plant growth was relatively slow. Two cuts were performed in the second year due to greater regrowth ability. Plant height was 88.4 cm in 2009 and, was 80.5 and 74.2 cm for the first and second cutting in 2010 year. Main stem diameter in three cut in both years were recorded as 5.2 cm, 6.3 cm and 3.6 cm, respectively Chemical characters of the genotypes were examined in both leaves and stems, separately. Protein ratios in the leaves were found as 24.30%, 24.60% and 19.61%, respectively, These protein ratios remarkably decreased in the stems; 13.28%, 13.58% and 8.99%.