Impact of Deficit Irrigation on Forage Yield, Quality, and Drought Tolerance: A Comparative Study of Berseem and Persian Clover Genotypes in a Semi-Arid Region

Mohammad Zamanian; Farid Golzardi; Emre Kara; Saeid Heydarzadeh; Mustafa Sürmen

Article Details

Impact of Deficit Irrigation on Forage Yield, Quality, and Drought Tolerance: A Comparative Study of Berseem and Persian Clover Genotypes in a Semi-Arid Region

Authors:

Mohammad Zamanian | Farid Golzardi | Emre Kara | Saeid Heydarzadeh | Mustafa Sürmen

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çayır-Mera ve Yem Bitkileri

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 3, pp.677-692

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358511

pISSN:

1302-7050

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Clover is recognized as one of the most distinguished forage crops within the leguminous family, particularly suited for temperate and humid regions. Given clovers sensitivity to drought stress, its yield and quality in semi-arid and arid regions heavily depend on the irrigation regimen. Revising irrigation and irrigation strategies due to global climate change is vital in semi-arid ecologies. To determine forage crops and varieties with high water use efficiency will have a key role in animal production in the future. The plants include Berseem clover and Persian clover species that can be grown in semi-arid ecologies. A two-year experiment was carried out in a semi-arid area Karaj of Iran, to investigate the impact of shortages of irrigation on production, forage values, efficiency of water use, and drought stress indices across five Berseem and five Persian clover genotypes. There were two levels of irrigation considered: full irrigation 100 moisture requirement and deficit irrigation 50 water requirement. Among the genotypes studied, Berseem-Win exhibited the highest fresh forage yield 104.48 Mg ha1 and dry matter yield 17.20 Mg ha1, Berseem-Ekinaton displayed the greatest plant height 69.63 cm and leaf area index 2.17, Berseem-Karaj recorded the highest energy content 2.76 Mcal kg1 and digestible protein 13.69, and Berseem-Alex showed superior energy efficiency in water use 4.88 Mcal m3 and digestible protein production 0.246 kg m3. The Berseem-Alex displayed the greatest drought tolerance. Persian clover genotypes exhibited lower drought tolerance compared to the Berseem genotypes, with the Harat emerging as the most tolerant among the Persian clovers. Overall, the findings suggest that Berseem clover genotypes possess greater potential for forage cultivation within semi-arid and arid areas than Persian clover.

 Clover is recognized as one of the most distinguished forage crops within the leguminous family, particularly suited for temperate and humid regions. Given clovers sensitivity to drought stress, its yield and quality in semi-arid and arid regions heavily depend on the irrigation regimen. Revising irrigation and irrigation strategies due to global climate change is vital in semi-arid ecologies. To determine forage crops and varieties with high water use efficiency will have a key role in animal production in the future. The plants include Berseem clover and Persian clover species that can be grown in semi-arid ecologies. A two-year experiment was carried out in a semi-arid area Karaj of Iran, to investigate the impact of shortages of irrigation on production, forage values, efficiency of water use, and drought stress indices across five Berseem and five Persian clover genotypes. There were two levels of irrigation considered: full irrigation 100 moisture requirement and deficit irrigation 50 water requirement. Among the genotypes studied, Berseem-Win exhibited the highest fresh forage yield 104.48 Mg ha1 and dry matter yield 17.20 Mg ha1, Berseem-Ekinaton displayed the greatest plant height 69.63 cm and leaf area index 2.17, Berseem-Karaj recorded the highest energy content 2.76 Mcal kg1 and digestible protein 13.69, and Berseem-Alex showed superior energy efficiency in water use 4.88 Mcal m3 and digestible protein production 0.246 kg m3. The Berseem-Alex displayed the greatest drought tolerance. Persian clover genotypes exhibited lower drought tolerance compared to the Berseem genotypes, with the Harat emerging as the most tolerant among the Persian clovers. Overall, the findings suggest that Berseem clover genotypes possess greater potential for forage cultivation within semi-arid and arid areas than Persian clover.

 Clover is recognized as one of the most distinguished forage crops within the leguminous family, particularly suited for temperate and humid regions. Given clovers sensitivity to drought stress, its yield and quality in semi-arid and arid regions heavily depend on the irrigation regimen. Revising irrigation and irrigation strategies due to global climate change is vital in semi-arid ecologies. To determine forage crops and varieties with high water use efficiency will have a key role in animal production in the future. The plants include Berseem clover and Persian clover species that can be grown in semi-arid ecologies. A two-year experiment was carried out in a semi-arid area Karaj of Iran, to investigate the impact of shortages of irrigation on production, forage values, efficiency of water use, and drought stress indices across five Berseem and five Persian clover genotypes. There were two levels of irrigation considered: full irrigation 100 moisture requirement and deficit irrigation 50 water requirement. Among the genotypes studied, Berseem-Win exhibited the highest fresh forage yield 104.48 Mg ha1 and dry matter yield 17.20 Mg ha1, Berseem-Ekinaton displayed the greatest plant height 69.63 cm and leaf area index 2.17, Berseem-Karaj recorded the highest energy content 2.76 Mcal kg1 and digestible protein 13.69, and Berseem-Alex showed superior energy efficiency in water use 4.88 Mcal m3 and digestible protein production 0.246 kg m3. The Berseem-Alex displayed the greatest drought tolerance. Persian clover genotypes exhibited lower drought tolerance compared to the Berseem genotypes, with the Harat emerging as the most tolerant among the Persian clovers. Overall, the findings suggest that Berseem clover genotypes possess greater potential for forage cultivation within semi-arid and arid areas than Persian clover.

 Üçgül, baklagiller familyasının en önemli yem bitkilerinden biri olarak kabul edilir ve özellikle ılıman ve nemli bölgelere uygundur. Üçgüllerin kuraklık stresine karşı duyarlılığı göz önüne alındığında, kurak ve yarı kurak bölgelerdeki verimi ve kalitesi büyük ölçüde sulama rejimine bağlıdır. Küresel iklim değişikliği sebebiyle sulama ve sulama stratejilerinin yeniden gözden geçirilmesi yarı kurak iklime sahip ekolojilerde hayati öneme sahiptir. Su kullanım etkinliği yüksek olan yem bitkisi ve çeşit seçimi hayvansal üretimde kilit role sahip olacaktır. Bu bitkiler arasında yarı kurak ekolojilerde yetiştirilebilen İskenderiye üçgülü ve İran üçgülü türleri bulunmaktadır. İranın yarı kurak bir bölgesindeki Karaj beş adet İskenderiye ve beş adet İran üçgülü genotiplerinde kısıtlı sulamanın verim, yem kalitesi, su kullanım verimliliği ve kuraklık stres indeksleri üzerindeki etkilerini incelemek için iki yıllık deneme yapılmıştır. Denemede iki farklı sulama seviyesi dikkate alınmıştır: haftalık buharlaşma ve su ihtiyacının 100ünü içeren tam sulama ve haftalık buharlaşma ve su ihtiyacının 50sini oluşturan kısıtlı sulama. İncelenen genotipler arasında İskenderiye -Win en yüksek yaş ot verimini 104,48 Mg ha-1 ve kuru madde verimini 17,20 Mg ha-1, İskenderiye - Ekinaton en yüksek bitki boyunu 69,63 cm ve yaprak alanı indeksini 2,17 sergilemiştir. Genotipler arasında İskenderiye - Karaj en yüksek enerji içeriğini 2,76 Mcal kg1 ve ham protein oranını 13,69 sağlamıştır. İskenderiye - Alex, enerji 4,88 Mcal m3 ve sindirilebilir protein üretimi 0,246 kg m3 parametreleri açısından üstün su kullanım verimliliği göstermiştir. En fazla kuraklık toleransı İskenderiye - Alex genotipinde görülürken İran üçgülü genotipleri, İskenderiye üçgülü genotipleriyle karşılaştırıldığında daha düşük kuraklık toleransı sergilemiştir. Harat, İran üçgülü genotipleri arasında en toleranslı olanı olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Genel olarak bulgular, İskenderiye üçgülü genotiplerinin kurak ve yarı kurak bölgelerde kaliteli kaba yem üretimi açısından İran üçgülüne göre daha fazla potansiyele sahip olduğunu göstermiştir.

Article Details

Impact of Deficit Irrigation on Forage Yield, Quality, and Drought Tolerance: A Comparative Study of Berseem and Persian Clover Genotypes in a Semi-Arid Region

Authors:

Mohammad Zamanian | Farid Golzardi | Emre Kara | Saeid Heydarzadeh | Mustafa Sürmen

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çayır-Mera ve Yem Bitkileri

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 3, pp.677-692

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358511

pISSN:

1302-7050

Digestible protein

Energy

Stress tolerance

Water-use efficiencySindirilebilir protein

Enerji

Stres toleransı

Su kullanım etkinliği

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mohammad Zamanian | Farid Golzardi | Emre Kara | Saeid Heydarzadeh | Mustafa Sürmen

Publisher: Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics: Çayır-Mera ve Yem Bitkileri

Journal: Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 3, pp.677-692

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 9/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358511

pISSN: 1302-7050

Issues

Authors:

Mohammad Zamanian | Farid Golzardi | Emre Kara | Saeid Heydarzadeh | Mustafa Sürmen

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Çayır-Mera ve Yem Bitkileri

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 3, pp.677-692

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

9/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358511

pISSN:

1302-7050