In our institute, Field Day event was organized on the theme of Alternative Plants for Combating Erosion, Energy and forage Production (Switch-grass and Sorghum). Mehmet Ali Dündar, director of the institute, made the opening speech of the program. He expressed that the main working field of the institution is combating the desertification and he continued his speech by saying "We are also conducting research on the agriculture of alternative and different products that may be beneficial to our farmers". We have some research on maize that breeds with biochar and compost, switch-grass and sorghum cultivation that can be used in erosion and also we can produce high quality protein with less irrigation which can be alternative to other forage plants.
"Boost to the National Economy"
Switch-grass is a forage plant that can breed in temperate climate and it can be used against to soil erosion induced by wind.
Sorghum can be also harvested twice a growing season. It has the same appearance like maize but it needs less irrigation than maize. That is why it can be an alternative plant as animal feed. Our research results show that this project can be used to prevent soil erosion induced by wind. According to Mr. Dündar, Sorghum will contribute to the national economy in terms of agriculture and livestock especially because it is an energy plant.
Project Manager Erdal Gönülal,
"Switch-grass can be also breeded without irrigation and it makes to switch-grass more economic than other forage plants".
"Thanks to its strong root structure, switch-grass can prevent the erosion and it acts like a mud-brick".
Plant productivity of Switch-grass is increasing every next growing season. Mr. Gönülal said that thanks to its strong root structure between 0 – 30 cm, switch-grass can prevent the erosion and it acts like a mud-brick.
