Assesment and Comparison of Crimson Clover Forage Yield with other Clover Species in Different Planting Dates

In order to assess and compare the potential forage production of Crimsonclover with other clover species in different planting dates, an experiment was carried out in split plot arranged in a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments in four replications in Karaj during 2003-2005. In this study pkanting dates were considerd as main plot in four levels (d1: 23 Aug., d2: 6 Sep., d3: 23 Sep. and d4: 7 Oct.) and clover cultivars as subplot in three levels (v1: Crimson clover, v2: Berseem clover and v3: Persian clover). The results of combined analysis of the experiment demonstrated that effects of year, planting date, year × planting date, species, year × species, planting date × species and year × planting date × species (except dry matter yield) were significantly different for fresh and dry matter yield. Mean comparison of planting dates and cloverspecies showed that planting date d1 with 70.20 tha-1 fresh yield, 13.23 tha-1 dry matter yield, and Persian clover with 83.40 tha-1 fresh yield (the same group with Berseem clover), 15.23 tha-1 dry matter yield were the best treatments. Meanwhile, mean comparison of the interaction of planting date × species showed that d3v3 with 90.21 and 18.82 tha-1 fresh and dry matter was the best treatment.