Proposals to reduce the impact of climatic anomalies on the productivity of hayfields in arid conditions

Abstract

The aim of the research was to assess the productivity of natural and phytomeliorated hayfields depending on the hydrothermal coefficient in the arid climate of the Don basin. An increase in the biomass of a phytomeliorated meadow from the beginning of the growing season and after mowing in the first and second years of use after phytoreconstruction is shown. A potential harvest of phytomeliorated hayfields has been established, which can be obtained with sufficient moisture and heat, depending on the biological properties of the cultivated species. The maximum possible yield of dry biomass of hayfields corresponds to 12.7 t/ha. The dependence of the yield of phytomeliorated and natural haymaking on the hydrothermal coefficient is presented. In 2023 (the second year of the meadow’s use), a significant decrease in the dependence of the yield of phytomeliorated hayfields on weather conditions was revealed (r = 0.011) compared with natural hayfields (r = 0.392).