Influence of perennial legumes on the productivity of meadow phytocenoses

Abstract

We investigated the effectiveness of soil liming during grass sowing and application of inoculation of perennial legume grass seeds with nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-mobilizing preparations. Methods. Field studies were conducted during 2016-2020 in the National Scientific Center "Institute of Farming of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine" (northern part of the Forest-steppe of Ukraine, Chabany settlement, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky district of Kyiv region). Area of the sowing plot was 30 m2, control plot - 25 m². Repetition of experience four times. Technology of cultivation of perennial grasses and their mixtures was generally accepted. Nitrogen fertilizers in the form of ammonium nitrate containing 34% of active substance, phosphorus as simple superphosphate (18.7%) and potassium as potassium chloride (60%) were applied annually in early spring according to the experimental scheme. Liming was carried out by the lime application under pre-sowing cultivation during perennial grass sowing in a dose of 5 t/ha. Seeds of perennial legume grasses were inoculated with the strains of nodule bacteria, according to the technological instructions, immediately before the sowing. Dry weight content was determined by thermostatic weight method at 105 °C. Green mass yield was accounted by weight method, by weighing with subsequent recalculation of yield from 1 ha of dry weight. Results. The productivity of monogenic sowings of perennial leguminous grasses and their mixtures with awnless bromegrass in the variant without fertilization varied within the range of 5.12-8.38 tons, which is 1.7-2.5 times higher compared to the cereal grass stand which was formed from monogenic sowings of awnless bromegrass, for the five years on the average and for the yield from 1 ha of dry weight. The highest productivity and the level of accumulation of symbiotic nitrogen (191-266 kg/ha) were obtained in agrocenoses with alfalfa and the lowest one - with meadow clover.

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“…According to the data listed in Table 2 on the background of all fertilisers, a higher ratio of calcium to phosphorus Ca:P (in the range of 1.33-1.51) and a lower ratio of potassium to the sum of calcium and magnesium (K:(Ca+Mg)) (in the range of 3.04-3.58) were in the dry mass of alfalfa and alfalfa-cereal mixtures, which, respectively, is 0.11-0.26 units more and 0.83-2.08 units less than in dry feed biomass cereal stand. Similar patterns regarding the effect of nitrogen symbiotic fixation on changes in the ratio of these macroelements in the dry mass of feed were observed by other researchers (Karbivska 2019; Demidas & Galushko, 2020; Kurhak et al, 2020).…”

“…In the studies (Kotyash et al, 2019; Demidas & Galushko, 2020; Martsinko et al, 2021), as in this one, it was shown that under the action of symbiotic nitrogen in alfalfa and alfalfa-cereal stands, compared with cereals among mineral elements, to the greatest extent increased the content of calcium and magnesium in the dry mass of feed (respectively, to 0.86-1.07% and to 0.21-0.35%), and the content of potassium decreased. Kurhak et al (2020) in their study identified that when applying high doses of nitrogen fertilisers to a perennial cereal stand, the nitrate content increases in the aboveground biomass of cereals in an amount that may exceed the maximum permissible concentration. When applying moderate doses of nitrogen fertilisers, as a rule, despite the fact that the accumulation of nitrates in the dry mass of feed increases, it does not exceed the MPC and is not harmful to animals, which confirms this and similar studies.…”

“…It is known that the mineral composition of the feed, in particular, the content of macro-and microelements, is important in feeding animals. The content of mineral elements in the biomass of perennial phytocenoses depends on their species composition, fertiliser system, timing and frequency of harvesting, and other technological measures of cultivation (Nilsdotter-Linde et al, 2016; Kurhak et al, 2020;Martsinko et al, 2021).…”

Mineral composition of alfalfa, alfalfa-cereal, and cereal feed agrophytocenoses biomass

“…Most of the experimental data presented in the studies (Demidas & Galushko, 2020;Kurhak et al, 2020) concerns changes in the microelement composition of feed from perennial cereals under the influence of nitrogen and mineral fertilisers. In particular, it was identified that under its influence, the copper content in the feed biomass of perennial cereals depends on its presence in the soil.…”

Energy Aspects of Alfalfa Seed Production in Southern Ukraine

“…During studies in the northern part of the foreststeppe of Ukraine, it was found that symbiotic nitrogen accumulates the most in alfalfa plants (1.91-2.66 centner/ha), and the least -in meadow clover plants (Kurhak et al, 2020).…”