ACCUMULATION OF ROOT MASS AND SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN ON LEGUME-CEREAL GRASS MIXTURES

Abstract

The most optimal sowing period was determined in one of the experiments with winter barley for the conditions of the southern Steppe zone of Ukraine, such as the 2nd decade of October. At the same time, during sowing in the 1st decade of October, the average grain yield over the years of cultivation, for varieties and preparations from pre – sowing seed treatment increased by 13.7 %, for sowing in the 2nd decade it Legume-cereal grass mixtures cause alkalization of sod-podzolic soils by slow recovering of soil microorganism activity by root excreta and plant residues. Research purpose was to study the influence of legume-cereal grass mixtures composition and fertilizers on accumulation of root mass and symbiotic nitrogen in sod-podzolic surface-gleyed soil during 2015–2018. Analysis of research results showed that in variants without fertilizers yield capacity of legume-cereal grass mixtures was fluctuated in the range of 7.23–7.54 t/ha of dry mass. Accumulation of roots in 0–20 cm layer of soil was 7.43 t/ha, which indicates the formation of strong turf upon the years of research. Introduction of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (Р60К60) helps to increase the yield capacity of legume-cereal mixtures up to 2 %. Accumulation of root mass increased upon the years of research irrespectively from fertilizer application and composition of legumes and grass mixtures. The highest amount of root mass was in variant with Lotus corniculatus-cereal grass mixture and applying of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers (P60K60) – 7.77 t/ha. Medicago sativa, Trifolium pratense and Galega orientalis showed significantly less root mass accumulation. Nutrient content of root mass in 0–20 cm layer of the soil averaged over the years of research was nitrogen – 1.00-1.54 %, phosphorus – 0.19–0.22 %, potassium – 0.85–0.87 %. Formation of symbiotic apparatus in legume crops highly dependent on: fertilizer application, biological features of plant growth and development. These features also have an influence on symbiotic nitrogen accumulation over the years of their cultivation. Received experimental data demonstrate expediency of fertilizer application upon the cultivation of legume-cereal grass mixtures on Precarpathian sod-podzolic soils and importance of further research to improve the technology of their cultivation.

Keywords

• fertilizers
• roots
• nutrients
• soil
• legume and cereal grasses
• yield capacity.