The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of cultivars, growth stages and different phosphorus doses on forage yield, some cell wall components and macro-element content of fodder pea. This research was conducted during 2014-2019 on farmland (41°12ʹ24ʺ N, 27°18ʹ23ʺ E) in Muratli-Tekirdag, Turkey, in a randomized split block design with four replications. Each year, the fertilizer treatments were comprised of five levels of phosphorus (triple superphosphate (TSP), P 43%) viz-0 (control), 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1. At all growth stages (pre-bud, ½ bloom and full-bloom), some morphological characters, crude fiber, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus contents, herbage and dry matter yields of two fodder pea cultivars at each treatment were determined. The highest main stem length (127.1 cm), main stem diameter (4.1 mm), number of branches per plant (4.3 pcs), number of leaves main stem (24.3 pcs), leaf/stem ratio (2.1), herbage yield (50.8 Mg ha-1) and dry matter yield (11.1 Mg ha-1) values were found at application of 60 kg P ha-1. Increasing phosphorus doses resulted in a decrease in crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and acid detergent lignin contents. The highest potassium (16.9 g kg-1), calcium (16.6 g kg-1), magnesium (4.5-4.6 g kg-1) and phosphorus (3.5 g kg-1) content was found at applications of 60 to 120 kg P ha-1. The content of these macro-elements increased with advancing maturity.

26.2.2021