Features of crop formation and productivity of legume-festulolium grass mixtures in the Central region of the Non-Chernozem zone of Russia

Abstract

The article presents the results of four years of research in a field experiment conducted on medium-loamy gray forest soil of the Kaluga region. The soil of the experiment was characterized by: humus content - 2.7%, pH – 5.9, gross nitrogen content - 0.12%, mobile phosphorus content - 135, exchangeable potassium - 100 mg/kg of soil. Objects of research: festulolium of the Fest and Allegro varieties, skip-row sown and in mixtures with legumes grasses - meadow clover of the Delets and Orlovsky varieties, alfalfa variable Sarga variety and Eastern galega Gale variety. Legumes-festulolium grass mixtures on average for three years formed the green mass and dry matter yield in the range of 34.5-43.5; 34,8-43,9 and 7,2-9,3; 7,2-9,4 t/ha, respectively, with skip-row and mixed sowing methods. The maximum productivity was obtained in a grass mixture of alfalfa of the hybrid Sarga variety with festulolium of the Allegro variety. The yield of exchange energy in legume-festulolium grass mixtures was in the range of 66.8-90.4 and 68.1-91.3 GJ/ha, respectively, with skip-row and mixed crops. The largest collection was provided by alfalfa-festulolium mixtures. Alfalfa grass mixtures of the Sarga variety with festulolium of the Fest and Allegro varieties provided the collection of crude protein 17.1-17.3 and 16.7-17.2 c/ha, respectively, with skip-row and mixed sowing methods. The collection of crude protein in clover- and galega-festulolium grass mixtures did not exceed 11.7 and 12.0 c/ha. The total energy costs and the energy efficiency coefficient according to the experimental variants were 17.2-17.7 GJ/ha and 3.8-5.1 for skip-row, 17.3-17.8 GJ/ha and 3.9-5.1 for mixed crops, respectively. Grass mixtures with the participation of alfalfa of the Sarga variety and festulolium of the Fest and Allegro varieties had the highest total energy costs and the maximum energy efficiency coefficient.