ABSTRACT
Field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm Station of El-Serw, Domietta Governorate, Agriculture Research Center, Egypt during 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 winter seasons to evaluate the effect of different sowing dates (September 30th, October 15th, October 30th and November 15th) and seeding rates (20, 25, 30 and 35 kg fed-1) on forage, quality and seed yields of Egyptian clover cv, Serw -1. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block in a split plot arrangement with three replications. The obtained results could be summarized as follows:
-Sowing dates had significantly affected plant height, dry leaves/stem ratio, number of stem m-2, fresh and dry forage yields (ton fed-1), crude and digestible protein% in both seasons. The highest value of this traits were obtained with sowing date in October 15th, however minimum values were recorded with sowing date in November15th.
-Seeding rates significantly affected plant height, dry leaves/stem ratio, number of stem m-2, fresh and dry forage yields (ton fed-1), crude and digestible protein% in both seasons. The results indicated that sowing Egyptian clover at the rate of 30 kg seed fed-1 produced the highest averages of plant height, fresh and dry forage yields (ton fed-1), crude protein (CP%) and digestible crude protein (DCP%) at all studied cuts in both seasons. Moreover, seed yield kg fed-1 were significantly affected by seeding rates where the highest seed yield was recorded with 25kg fed-1 seed rate compared with other seeding rates in combined analysis.
-The interaction among sowing dates and seeding rates was significantly affected each of fresh and dry and seed yields. The highest yields for fresh and dry, the percentage of crude and digestible protein were of October 15th with 30 kg fed-1. Whereas, the highest yield of seed was obtained with sowing date on October 30th with 25kg seed rate fed-