Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2014-2015 in a private farm near AL- Khalidiyah district of west of Ramadi city 43° longitude and 33° latitude, to in vistigate effect of sowing date (10th Oct, 20th Oct, 30th Oct and 9th Nov) and cutting date (45, 60, 75 day from sowing) in some of growth characteristics, fodder yield and quality of oat (cv. Shofan 11). Split-plot arrangement was used in RCBD with three replicates. Sowing dates occupied the main plots, while the cutting dates occupied the sub-plots. The results were summarized as follows: Cutting date after 75 day from sowing was superior in most traits in first cut; however, plant height 87.66 cm, number of leaves 6.97 leaf plant-1, stem diameter 5.40 mm, fresh and dry weight of fodder 46.58 and 6.27 ton. ha-1 respectively, As for second and third cutting dates, the first date was superior in most traits under study (e.g. plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter and fresh fodder) their averages were 21.90, 19.90 ton. ha-1 and dry fodder 2.69, 2.72 ton. ha-1 for the first and second cut respectively.
The sowing date 10th Oct in most studied traits for the three cuttings. As for the two way interaction between the cutting dates and sowing dates, plants sown at 10th Oct and cut after 75 days in most of studied traits e.g. number of leaves, stem diameter, fresh and dry fodder where the means were 7.46 leaf plant-1, 5.99 mm, 57.49 ton ha-1 8.29 ton ha-1 in first cut. Plants sown at 10th Oct and cut after 45 days was superior in plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, fresh and dry weight which recorded 69.90, 71.90 cm, 5.26, 4.63 leaf plant-1, 5.03 and 4.52 mm, 28.78, 28.68 ton ha-1, 3.25 and 4.30 ton ha-1 for the second and third cut.