Ecology & Safety ISSN 1314-7234, Volume 10, 2016 Journal of International Scientific Publications www.scientific-publications.net Page 430 SEED AND BIOLOGICAL YIELDS OF NARBON VETCH GENOTYPES UNDER CENTRAL ANATOLIA CONDITION, TURKEY Onur Ileri, Suleyman Avci, Ali Koc Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops, Eskisehir, Turkey Abstract Narbon vetch is an annual forage legume that can be successfully cultivated and used as both grain and hay in animal feeding in arid and semi-arid climates. Even though narbon vetch is not commonly grown in Turkey, the plant has a significant potential for the future because it is suitable for winter sowing and capable of enough production (forage or seed) capacity under shorten spring growing period. The study was conducted in Eskisehir plain (Central Anatolia Region of Turkey) between 2014 and 2015 years. In the study, 6 lines and 2 cultivars of narbon vetch that obtained from different sources were compared in terms of plant height, biological yield and grain yield. According to results, plant height did not show significant difference among cultivars but it was different between years. Plant height was 50.0 and 73.8 cm in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Average plant height was 61.8 cm, however, it varied between 44.7 and 77.5 cm among cultivars. Although there was no significant difference between cultivars with regard to biological yield, differences were significant between years (P<0.05). Overall biological yields were 5064 kg/ha -1 and it was 3896 and 6232 kg ha -1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Biological yield ranged from 2865 to 7967 kg ha -1 among cultivars. Grain yield was significantly different (P<0.01) between years, it was 1112 kg ha -1 in 2014 and 1754 kg ha -1 in 2015. The highest grain yield was 2274 kg ha -1 and it was obtained from line 2461. Year x cultivar interaction was significant (P<0.05). There was no difference recorded in Bozdag cultivar among years while genotypes 2391, 2461 and 2466 were produced more grain under better climatic conditions. Line 2466 showed satisfying grain production in the contrast experimental years. In conclusion, Bozdag cultivar is recommended to cultivation in the region and similar ecologic conditions however line 2466 have a prominent potential to developing new cultivar. Keywords: Semi-arid Climate, Narbon vetch, Plant Height, Seed Yield, Biological Yield 1. INTRODUCTION Due to global warming, seriously climatic changes occurred worldwide but the adverse effect of climatic changes are more pronounced in arid and semi-arid regions (Lioubimtseva & Henebry, 2009). The climatic change affects climate patterns in Central Anatolia Region, located semi-arid climatic zone of Turkey, as other areas of the world. Thus, moisture shortage is a critical factor for agricultural production, plant diversity and pattern. The commonly depicted or foreseeing effects of global warming in semi-arid zone is changing of annual rainfall amount and distribution pattern which cause shortening of spring growing period (Kizilelma et al, 2015). This change leads researchers to develop new cultivation patterns. In this context, plant species which can be able to sown as winter crop reaches harvest maturity earlier in spring, thus they can escape from the adverse effects of drought and provide benefit for producers. Narbon vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.) is cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions on the world. It can be sown in either spring or autumn in the Central Anatolia Region (in Turkey) where semi-arid climate conditions prevail. In eco-friendly agriculture, narbon vetch has a reputation for its low requirements for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Beside its high crude protein content (Iptas & Karadag, 2009), the plant is also capable of adapting to the shortened spring period. Narbon vetch has greater potential of grain production as livestock feed than other vetch species and the grain contains tanin and trypsin inhibitors that is directly affecting it’s feed efficiency (Berger et al, 2003; Larbi et al, 2010), therefore, narbon vetch is cultivated generally for grain production (Buyukburc & Iptas, 2001). Erect growth habit appears as an advantage for the plant due to facilitating mechanical harvest.