The effects of different nitrogen doses on herbage and seed yields of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv. caramba)

This study has been carried out during the growing seasons of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 in Turkey, to determine the effects of different nitrogen doses on the herbage (150, 230, 310, 390, 470, 550, 630 and 710 kg ha -1 ) and seed yields (150, 170, 190, 210, 230, 250, 270 and 290 kg ha -1 ) of and some agricultural characteristics of annual ryegrass cv. “caramba”. Two different trials were established separately for the production of herbage and seed in the research. According to the two-year research, applications of different nitrogen doses are observed to be important for all properties of herbage yield and properties except for plant height of seed yield. As a result, the highest forage yield in annual ryegrass with the aim of green herbage is obtained to be of (54834 kg ha -1 ) 470 and (54976 kg ha -1 ) 550 kg ha -1 at nitrogen levels, plant height (71.9 cm), crude protein ratio (21.2%) and the yield of crude protein is (1982 kg ha -1 ) 470 kg ha -1 . It was obtained for the seed production that the highest number of tiller (626 item/m 2 ), fertile tiller number (483 item/m 2 ) and grain yield are (0.54 mg) 210 kg ha -1 , spikelet number per grain is (32.7 item) 250 kg ha -1 and (33.6 item) 270 kg ha -1 , the highest seed yield is (343 kg ha -1 ) 250 kg ha -1 from the nitrogen dose application. In the light of information, the highest values were obtained from total 470 kg ha -1 nitrogen application in herbage production and 250 kg ha -1 in seed production.

This study has been carried out during the growing seasons of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005  ) of and some agricultural characteristics of annual ryegrass cv."caramba".Two different trials were established separately for the production of herbage and seed in the research.According to the two-year research, applications of different nitrogen doses are observed to be important for all properties of herbage yield and properties except for plant height of seed yield.As a result, the highest forage yield in annual ryegrass with the aim of green herbage is obtained to be of (54834 kg ha ) 250 kg ha -1 from the nitrogen dose application.In the light of information, the highest values were obtained from total 470 kg ha -1 nitrogen application in herbage production and 250 kg ha -1 in seed production.

INTRODUCTION
Annual ryegrass is used as an important fodder crop in a very wide area including North America, Ireland, England, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa (Hannaway et al., 1999).It can easily be used both as a good cover crop and as a preceding crop in rotation in our region as well as in other regions (Saglamtimur et al., 1998).It is also widely used for over-seeding purposes to meet the need for herbage in pasture lands during winter months.It is being grown on a land of about 3 million ha in USA, about 90% of which is used in the form of overseeding to prolong the grazing or usage period of summer pastures, during the winter season in places where the warm season fodder crops grow more in the pasture lands located southeast of the country.Cukurova Region located south of Turkey and being one of the leading agricultural regions of Turkey has a great potential for fodder crop growing, because it has a production pattern consisting of rich and diverse products (Saglamtimur et al., 1998).Even though fodder crops are grown for their herbage, they need seed productions for replanting and wide spreading them.It is also hard to make a plant hardly producing seeds widespread no matter how good is the herbage yield and quality.Plants grown for seed production remain longer on the field (Serin, 1999).Seed harvesting should be made in the yellow maturing period and a seed yield of 700-1000 kg ha -1 is obtained under normal growing conditions.1000grain weight about 2 g (Saglamtimur et al., 1998;Acikgoz, 2001).
The nitrogen content is the greatest individual nutrition factor effecting the growth and development of annual ryegrass (Griffith and Chastain, 1997).A principal limiting factor in ryegrass crops can be water deficit, and among mineral elements, nitrogen impedes the growth and yields the most (Simic et al., 2009).
When the grasses, especially water and food stuffs are enough, they significantly react positive to the nitrogen fertilization.Especially, nitrogen fertilizer is inevitable to promote the growing in critical periods.However, this positive reaction continues increasing to a certain level and declines.In addition, climatic factors play an important role on the reaction of grasses to the nitrogen.It is possible to have more qualified herbage with the fertilization besides increase the yield.Nitrogen fertilization increases crude protein ratio of herbage especially in grasses.
Nitrogen amount giving into the grass varies based on the aim for cultivation, soil texture, depth and water holding capacity, amount and distribution of precipitation, length of growing season.Absolutely 1000 kg nitrogen per hectare can be found in much fertile soil and precipitation area (Acikgöz, 2001).
In research on annual ryegrass; Alvim and Moojen (1984) applied on annual ryegrass 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha -1 nitrogen doses.They reported that the dry matter yields are 3370, 4480, 5220, 5500 kg ha -1 and the crude protein yields are 620, 880, 1140 and 1200 kg ha -1 , respectively.Ozel (1989) has found out that the plant height changed between 110.1 and 176.2 cm, the green herbage yield between 33791 and 89431 kg ha -1 and the hay yield 9221 and 18791 kg ha -1 in the conserved forage and reported that the leaf ratio ranged from 20 to 32.4% and the stem ratio from 67.6 to 80.1%.For the seed production, he also found out that the plant height is 123.5-231.0cm, the spikelet number is 448-697 item/m 2 , the spike length is 35.2-39.7 cm, the spikelet number per spike is 30.2-35.0 item/spike and the seed yield is 980-1640 kg ha -1 .Celen (1991) obtained 16460 to 39800 kg ha -1 of green herbage yield and 470-1060 kg ha -1 of crude protein yield in the conserved forage and 340-630 kg ha -1 of seed yield in seed production.Saglamtimur et al. (1993) obtained the highest green herbage yield as 61050 kg ha -1 and hay yield was 13031 kg ha -1 .Serin and Gokkus (1993) found that the plant height, spike length, number of spikelet per spike and 1000 grain weight were 130 cm, 17-35 cm, 38 item and 2 g, respectively.Sancak and Manga (1994) determined that the green herbage yield is 5861-11791 kg ha -1 , the hay yield is 1521-5730 kg ha -1 and the crude protein ratio is 4.7-8.5%.Orak and Uygun (1996) reported that, the plant height, and the green herbage yield ranged from 89.7 to 103.7 cm and 9000 to 22330 kg ha -1 , respectively.The highest green herbage yield value is obtained from sowing rate of 30 kg ha -1 and at 30 cm row spacing.Ozdil (1996) found that the plant height, the green leaf ratio, the green stem ratio, the dry leaf ratio, the dry stem ratio ranged from 104.0 to 146.7 cm, 20.1 to 31.8%, 68.3 to 79.9%, 27.9 to 32.9%, and 67.1 to 72.7%, Kusvuran 12917 respectively.In addition, the green herbage yield changed between 23051 and 59491 kg ha -1 , the hay yield between 5031 and 19311 kg ha -1 and the seed yield between 181 and 931 kg ha -1 .Serin et al. (1996) found that the highest hay yield was 8220 kg ha -1 , the crude protein yield was 1411 kg ha -1 and the crude protein ratio was 17.8%.In addition, Szyszkowska and Sowinski (2001) found that the crude protein ratio was 7.54-23.38%.Kusvuran and Tansi (2004), working with herbage production found that the plant height, the green herbage yield, the hay yield, the green leaf ratio, the crude protein ratio and the crude protein yield ranged from 65.7 to 68.6 cm, 60145 to 80754 kg ha , 67.3 to 68.8%, 14.9 to 16.9%, 1893 to 2376 kg ha -1 , respectively.And that, with seed production, the plant height, the number of tiller, the number of fertile tiller, the spike length, the number of spikelet per spike, 1000-grain weight, the spike weight and the seed yield ranged from 99.5 to 103.1 cm, 469 to 877 item/m 2 , 299 to 470 item/m 2 , 29.2 to 32.5 cm, 26.3 to 28.3 item, 2.06 to 2.34 g, 0.36 to 0.39 mg and 208 to 360 kg ha -1 , respectively.Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), working with herbage production found that the plant height, the green herbage yield, the hay yield, the green leaf ratio and the dried leaf ratio ranged from 60.4 to 86.0 cm, 27691 to 32441 kg ha , is from 46.0 to 58.9% and from 43.1 to 50.0%, respectively.And that, with seed production, the found that the plant height, the tiller number, the fertile tiller number, the spike length, the spikelet number per spike, 1000-grain weight, the total yield and the seed yield ranged from 56.6 to 59.9 cm, 366 to 473 item/m2 85 to109 item/m 2 , 17.2 to 19.9 cm, 18.4 to 20.0 item, 2.72 to 2.92 g, 3270 to 3500 kg ha -1 and 200 to 365 kg ha -1 , respectively.Parlak (2005) found that the plant height, the green herbage yield, the hay yield, the nitrogen ratio in hay and the nitrogen yield in hay were 95.6 cm, 45833 kg ha , respectively.Choi et al. (2006), in the Koreanean conditions reported the following crude proteins quantities for the four domestic cultivars: 145, 161, 152 and 132 g kg -1 .Parlak et al. (2007), working with caramba cv.annual ryegrass, determined that the green herbage yield, and the crude protein yield changed between 6263.4 and 11627.2kg ha -1 , and between 237.8 and 798.9 kg ha -1 .Gultekin (2008), working with herbage production found that the plant height, the green herbage yield, the hay yield, the green leaf ratio, dry matter yield, crude protein ratio and crude protein yield ranged from 68.45 to 80.2 cm, 28260 to 51140 kg ha -1 , 7191 to 12100 kg ha -1 , 35.9 to 40.4%, 2190 to 3680 kg ha -1 , 6.78 to 7.99%, and 104 to 216 kg ha -1 , respectively.And that, with seed production, the plant height, the tiller number, the spike number, the spike length, 1000-grain weight and the seed yield ranged from 138.6 to 149.3 cm, 366 to 473 item/m 733 to 1387 item/m 2 , 30.6 to 35.0 cm, from 3.56 to 4.20 g, and 221 to 350 kg ha -1 , respectively.Darwishi et al. (2009) reported that the highest forage yield and hay yield were 26340 kg ha -1 and 9450 kg ha -1 , respectively.Kunelius and Boswall (2009) stated that for a high herbage yield in the conserved forage a total amount of 235-295 kg ha -1 of nitrogen should be given as split applications, such as; 35-50 kg ha -1 at seeding, 35-50 kg ha -1 at tillering period, 65-80 kg ha -1 after first harvest and 50-65 kg ha -1 after subsequent harvests.Simic et al. (2009) reported that crude protein and hay yield ranged from 50 to 300 g kg -1 and from 3600 to 8250 kg ha -1 , respectively.Anonymous (2010) also, in herbage production, the crude protein ratio was 15.8% in vegetative period and was 5.8% in maturity period, while it was 15.2% in early vegetative period, was 12.9% in early flowering period and was 6.6% in full flowering period, for hay.Kesiktas (2010) determined that the tiller number per plant, the plant height, the green herbage yield, the hay yield, the crude protein ratio and the crude protein yield ranged from 11.0 to 13.1 numbers, 60.3 to 71.6 cm, 13346 to 18145 kg ha , respectively.This study is conducted to determine -particularly with the purpose of ensuring that livestock producers and businesses can supply their animals with abundant and delicious feed throughout the winter season both before main crop and second-crop farming-the herbage yield and seed yield and certain agricultural characters in the event of growing of caramba, a species of annual ryegrass, in different nitrogen doses in Cukurova Region which permits two crops a year from the farming field.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was conducted during the growing seasons of 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, to determine the effect of different nitrogen doses in Cukurova Region (37°57´N and 35°30´E, elevation 24 m) which permits two crops a year from the farming field.
In this study, Lolium multiflorum cv.caramba, a cultivar of annual ryegrass is used as the material.Cukurova Region, including the city of Adana, has the characteristics of Mediterranean climate.The summer season is warm and dry, and winters are temperate and rainy.In the Cukurova Region, 23 November is the first and 28 February is the last frost date.Average rainfall is 625 mm.An average of 74 days of the year is rainy.Rainfall is 51% during the winter, 26% spring, 18% autumn and 5% summer season.Although, the average relative humidity is 66%, it rises over 90% during the summer season.Average temperature of the last 37 years is 18.7ºC.January is the coldest month, and August is the hottest month.Average temperature in January is 9°C, and average temperature in August is 28ºC (Anonymous, 2007a).
During the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 growing seasons, whenthe field trials were conducted the average temperature values were parallel to average values for long years with no observation of any value that would negatively affect the plant development.It was found that the rainfall was irregular in consideration of both the averages of the trial years and of long years (Anonymous, 2007b).When needed, crops were irrigated.The average temperature and total precipitation were found to be 16.3°C and 626.3 mm in 2003-2004; 16.5°C and 473.4 mm in 2004-2005; 16.0°C and 621.8 mm in long years, respectively (Table 1).The soils where the study was conducted are entisols brought by Seyhan River, formed of very young alluvial deposits.They are in almost flat and near-flat topographies.The trial area soil properties (texture C, organic matter ratio 0.6-1.1%,soluble salt 0.060-0.065%,total N 0.056-0.0112%,available P 40.8 kg ha -1 , pH 7.47-7.60,CaCO3 24-27%, silt 27-28%, sand 14-18%, clay 55-58%, cec 370-470 cmol ha -1 ) indicated that there was any limiting factor in terms of soil properties to grow crops for herbage and seed (Anonymous, 2003).
Two different trials were established separately for the production of herbage and seed in the research.In both years and trials, sowings were made based on the calculation of 45 kg ha -1 seed and 30 cm row spacing (Kusvuran and Tansi, 2004) during the first week of October.100 kg 20.20.0 fertilizer was applied to the hectare in plantation.Furthermore, 50 kg N was applied to the hectare in order to make under soil and top soil development of plant in sufficient level and in order to show the development in desired level at the tillering period.N was applied in different doses in order to redevelop of herbage in growing after harvesting, also, in order to obtain better seed in production seed onset of heading.Nitrogen was applied in the form of urea (46% N) by reason of affecting more quickly with regard to other nitrous fertilizer and losing less nitrogen.There is a great need for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium when high quality annual ryegrass growing is the target.The field trials were arranged in complete randomized block design with three replications.Plot sizes were 3.6 m x 8 m=28.8 m 2 and observations were made in the area of 2.4 m x 6.8 m=16.3 m 2 after removing 0.6 m in both sides as edge impact.Distance was kept 5 m between blocks and 1 m between plots.In this study, 8 different nitrogen doses were used (Table 2).
Cutting was made four times in both years.The first year was between on the 17th of January, 2004 and on the 13th of May, 2004; and the second year was between on the 1st of February, 2005 and on the 11th of May, 2005 for the cultivating of herbage.Cutting was made onset of blooming and from height of 5 cm.When cutting at the start of the flowering period, it is a rapidly drying species, with high digestion rate and desirably eaten by livestock (Saglamtimur et al., 1998;Acikgoz, 2001).There were no developments in the plants after May.Cutting was not applied to the plant for the growing of seed, and seed harvest was made when plants were in yellow maturing period, which was on the 14th of June, 2004 for the first year and on the 28th of June, 2005 for the second year.
Data was analyzed according to the randomized complete block design using the MSTAT-C statistical software.Where the difference between the treatments were significant, this difference was compared by Duncan multiple comparison method (Mstat-C, 1991).

Plant height, green herbage and hay yield
The differences between treatments with respect to the plant height, green herbage yield and hay yield v al ue s of annual rye gra ss were found significant, statistically for each two-year and average of these years (Table 3).
The lowest values (successively: 53.6 cm, 33997 and 6123 kg ha -1 ) in each three properties were obtained in 150 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.Therefore, values increased distinctly with the increasing of nitrogen dose.Change nitrogen dose, after it became stable.

Leaf ratio in green herbage, crude protein ratio and crude protein yield
The differences between treatments with respect to the l eaf rat i o i n green h erba ge yi el d, crude pr ot ei n rat i o an d crud e pr ot ei n yi el d v al ues of a nn ual rye gr a ss wer e f ound si gni f i cant , st at i st i cal l y f or e ac h t wo-y ea r, an d av erage of t he se ye ar s (T abl e 4).As is the case in previous values, the lowest values (successively: 65.6%, 16.0% and 974 kg ha -1 wer e obtained in 150 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.Increase in nitrogen dose increased the values up to the certain level.Optimum values (successively: 74.4%, 21.6% and 1982 kg ha -1 ) were obtained in 470 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose in these properties, too; hence, there was not positive effect of increasing nitrogen dose on the values in terms of statistical.Moreover, decreases  in values happened from this nitrogen dose.

Plant height, number of tiller and number of fertile tiller
No statistical differences were observed among average plant height values, nearly close values were obtained in different nitrogen doses.However, the differences between treatments with respect to the num ber of t i ll er and num ber of f ert il e ti ll er v al ues of annu al ryegra ss were found significant, statistically for each two-year, and average of these years (Table 5).The lowest values in the tiller number and the fertile tiller number were obtained in 290 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose; however, the highest values were stated in 210 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose (626 and 483 item/m 2 ).Seed yield properties; nitrogen which was given in low dose did not produce an increasing effect to the tiller and the fertile tiller number.Also, nitrogen dose which was applied in 210 kg ha -1 did not affect the values positively.

1000-Grain weight, spike length and number of spikelet per spike
The differences between treatments with respect to the 1000-grai n wei ght , spi ke l engt h and num ber of spi kel et p er spi ke v al ue s of annual ry egr ass were found significant, statistically for each two-year, and average of these years ( while the highest values (2.54 mg) were obtained in 1000-grain weight in the same dose.However, the highest value (34.4 mm) in length of spike was obtained in 230 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose, and the lowest value (31.2 mm) was obtained in 290 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.However, obtained values in applied nitrogen doses were close to each other and they took place in the same group statistical.The highest value (33.6 items) in the number of spikelet per spike was obtained in 270 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.However, the lowest value (26.3 items) was stated in 150 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.

Spike weight and seed yield
The differences between treatments with respect to the spi ke wei ght a nd see d yi el d v al ues of ann ual ryegra ss were found significant, statistically for each two-year, and average of these years (Table 7).
It was seen that different nitrogen doses, which were applied in spike weight and seed weight, had different affects.The highest value (0.54 mg) in weight of spike was obtained in 210 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose, while the highest seed yield (343 kg ha -1 ) was obtained in 250 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose.

DISCUSSION
Herbage yield properties; plant height values were indication of re-growing up of annual grass after cutting.With the increasing of nitrogen dose, height of plant increases until definite level.Later, plant height has a tendency of decrease on account of nutritional element competition.
Green herbage (54834 kg ha -1 ) and hay yields (9220 kg ha -1 ) were important in terms of yield in animal breeding.470 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose was considered the most suitable dose.Hence, the amount of extra fertilizer applied, means cost, and the difference in terms of increasing of green herbage and hay yields was not economic sufficiency.Griffith and Chastain (1997) started that high nitrogen dose causes a decreased of annual grass yield by reason of over competition.However, Simic et al. (2009) started that low nitrogen dose causes an increase in grass yield.As a result of the research, it is possible to say that obtained green herbage and hay yields were in sufficient level in terms of animal breeding.Green herbage yield values obtained from the study were similar to the values found by Ozdil (1996), Parlak (2005), and Gultekin (2008).While the values found by Celen (1991), Sancak and Manga (1994), Orak and Uygun (1996), Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), Parlak et al. (2007), Darwishi et al. (2009), Kunelius andBoswall (2009), andKesiktas (2010) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than the studies of Ozel (1989), Saglamtimur et al. (1993), and Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).
Hay yield values obtained from the study are similar to  the values found by Serin et al. (1996), Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), Darwishi et al. (2009), andSimic et al. (2009).While the values found by Alvim and Moojen (1984), Sancak andManga (1994), andKesiktas (2010) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than the studies of Ozel (1989), Saglamtimur et al. (1993), Ozdil (1996), Kusvuran and Tansi (2004), Parlak (2005), and Gultekin (2008).It was preferred that leaf ratio should be high, in other words, stem ratio should be low level in order to obtain nutritive and pleasure herbage in grasses.Because assembled lignin and cellulose in stems cause to decrease not only in nutritional value, but also in pleasure of plants with the increasing and thickening of stems.When the plants were onset of flowering, cutting was made in each two-year.So, leaf ratios of plants were in high level.
While leaf ratio in green herbage values were considerably higher than ones found by Ozel (1989), Ozdil (1996), Gultekin (2008), and slightly higher than Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), they were similar to ones found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).Simic et al. (2009) informed that nitrogen dose should be applied in high dose in order to increase crude protein ratio of grass.As it is known, forage grasses are rich in carbohydrate, and forage legumes are rich in protein.While the protein ratio rises to the level of 30-35% in legumes, this ratio is at lower levels (10-15%) in grasses.The protein ratio obtained from the annual ryegrass in the current study is higher than the 12% threshold value approved for livestock raising.Depending on harvest frequency, it is possible that the leaf ratio increasing because of shortening of the period between the harvests contributes to this.
Crude protein ratio values obtained from the study were higher than the values found by Sancak and Manga (1994), Kusvuran and Tansi (2004), Parlak (2005), Gultekin (2008), Anonymous (2010), andKesiktas (2010).The values were similar to ones by Serin et al. (1996), and Szyszkowska and Sowinski (2001).Crude protein yield values obtained from the study are similar to the values found by Serin et al. (1996), While the values found by Alvim and Moojen (1984), Celen (1991), Parlak (2005), Parlak et al. (2007), andKesiktas (2010) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than ones of Kusvuran and Tansi (2004), Choi et al. (2006), Gultekin (2008), andSimic et al. (2009).Plant height applied from plants, which were grown in an effort to seed production, was higher in comparison with herbage production.Because, there was not any cutting process to the plant, seed production was aimed at directly.Furthermore, nitrous fertilizer produced an increasing effect to the tiller and the fertile tiller number.But, this positive effect continued until certain level.Later, it affected in a negative way, because plants were in competition with nutritional element of in high nitrogen dose.It is possible to say that there was decreasing in the tiller and the fertile tiller number because of the competition.Plant heights before harvest for seed yield were found to be lower than ones by Ozel (1989), andGultekin (2008), while they were higher than ones Kusvuran and Tansi (2004;2005), and Parlak (2005).The values were similar to ones by Serin andGokkus (1993), Ozdil (1996).While the numbers of tiller study findings were higher than values found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), and Gultekin (2008), they were partly similar to the values found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).The numbers of fertile tiller study findings were higher than values found by Kusvuran andTansi (2004, 2005), while they were lower than to the values found by Gultekin (2008).
While 1000-grain weight study findings affect negatively on values spike length and spikelet number per spike values were high until certain level (between 210-270 kg ha -1 ), the values except these were low.It is possible to say that there was no certain consistency in different nitrogen doses when each of three qualities was analyzed.1000-grain weight values obtained from the Kusvuran 12923 study are similar to the values found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).While the values found by Serin and Gokkus (1993) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than ones Kusvuran and Tansi (2005), and Gultekin (2008).Spike length values obtained from the study are similar to the values found by Serin and Gokkus (1993), Kusvuran andTansi (2004), andGultekin (2008).While the values found by Ozel (1989) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than ones Kusvuran and Tansi (2005).Spikelet number per spike values obtained from the study is partly similar to the values found by Ozel (1989), and Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).While the values found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2005) are lower than the study findings, the other values were higher than ones in the study of Serin and Gokkus (1993).
Applied nitrogen doses produce variable effect on values.Namely, the highest value in nitrogen dose was obtained in 250 kg ha -1 at seed yield.The lowest (295 kg ha -1 ) value was obtained in 290 kg ha -1 dose.Thus, when 210 kg ha -1 nitrogen was given, the highest tiller and fertile tiller number was obtained.Obtained 1000-grain weight in this dose was the lowest level.Spike weight ones obtained from the study was higher than the values found by Kusvuran and Tansi (2004).The seed yield from the current study were lower than the values found by Ozel (1989), Celen (1991), andOzdil (1996), and were similar to the values found by Kusvuran andTansi (2004, 2005), and Gultekin (2008).

Conclusion
In this study, the annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) cultivar, caramba, which are potential fodder species, was studied to determine the herbage and seed yield, and certain agricultural characters in different nitrogen doses for livestock.It can be used as grazing, if not, as cutting throughout the winter season.According to the two-year research, applications of different nitrogen doses are observed to be important for all properties of herbage yield and properties except for plant height of seed yield.Consequently, it is stated that yield is taken in satisfactory level and plant gave positive reaction to the nitrogen which was applied after cutting and it gave high quality feed.In addition, it is stated that the most suitable dose was in total 470 kg ha -1 (80 kg ha -1 after each cutting).
In seed production, annual ryegrass gave positive reaction to the nitrogen and it is stated that the highest seed production was obtained in 250 kg ha -1 (onset of heading 100 kg ha -1 ).
On the other hand, it is notable that seed yield is taken (329 kg ha -1 ) in satisfactory level although there is not any nitrogen application namely onset of heading in 150 kg ha -1 nitrogen dose application.Nitrogen which was applied onset of heading increased the seed yield about 4% and this nitrogen means cost.

Table 1 .
Monthly average temperatures and total precipitation at Cukurova-Turkey.

Table 2 .
Applications of nitrogen doses for herbage and seed production.

Table 4 .
Leaf ratio in green herbage, crude protein ratio and crude protein yield average values and groups.

Table 5 .
Plant height, number of tiller and fertile tiller average values and groups.

Table 6 .
1000 grain weight, spike length, and number of spikelet per spike average values and groups.

Table 7 .
Spike weight and seed yield average values and groups.