Effect of altitude on morphological and nutritive characteristics of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.) collected from natural flora of Ganos Mountain in Thrace region, Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine some morphological characters and nutritive values of orchard grass collected from four different elevations of natural flora. At each elevation, 70 plant samples were randomly collected at full-bloom stage. Altitudes did affect the plant height, number of tiller per plant, panicle axis length, number of spiklet per panicle, number of flower per spiklet and dry matter biomass per plant of orchard grass. The lowest plant height (75.0 cm), number of tiller per plant (9.1), panicle axis length (9.2 cm), number of flower per spiklet (3.5), number of spiklet per panicle (116.7) and dry matter biomass (55.6 g plant-1) values were found at 845-890 m a.s.l. The acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium contents decreased with increasing elevation. The highest acid detergent fiber (36.49%), neutral detergent fiber (65.17%), potassium (1.23%), phosphorus (0.36%) and calcium (0.59%) contents were obtained at the low altitude site (5-24 m a.s.l.). The magnesium concentration of samples decreased from 501 m (0.13%) to 890 m (0.12%) altitudes.