FORMATION OF DRY MASS BY AGROPHYTOCENOSIS OF PERENNIAL GRASSES BASED ON TETRAPLOID RED CLOVER

• Main Authors: Zh.S. Neliubina, N.I. Kasatkina, I.Sh. Fatykhov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editorial and publishing department of FSBEE HE Penza SAU 2020-10-01
• Series: Volga Region Farmland
• Subjects: tetraploid clover; grass mixtures; leaf area; dynamics of dry matter accumulation; yield
• Online Access: https://niva-volga.ru/file/vipuski/2020_3_56/en/2020_2_6_en_7-11.pdf

In the field fodder production of the Middle Urals, red clover remains the main fodder crop, which is used both in single-species and polyspecies crops. The tetraploid type red clover is of par-ticular value, as it is more productive, winter-hardy, disease-resistant, providing a feed yield with a high crude protein content. Determination of leaf area, photosynthetic activity, dynamics of accumula-tion of dry matter of red tetraploid clover in agrophytocenoses has been little studied, but of practical interest. In 2013-2017 In the Udmurt Research Institute of Agriculture, on sod-podzolic soils, formation specifics of dry mass of agrophytocenoses of perennial grasses based on Kudesnik red clover were studied. To create polyspecies agrocenoses, we used timothy grass, alfalfa, Lotus corniculatus, and Eastern galega. The leaf area varied depending on the composition of the agrophytocenosis from 34.4 thousand m2/ha in the branch stage to 107.2 thousand m2/ha in the flower bud stage. The main contribution to the formation of the assimilation surface of grass mixtures was made by red clover (66.7-92.4%). The photosynthetic potential was the highest (948-1034 thousand m2 x day/ha) in grass mixtures clover + timothy grass, clover + alfalfa and in single-species sowing of clover. Determina-tion of the dynamics of the accumulation of dry matter showed that in the branch-bud period there was the greatest increase in dry matter. The yield of dry matter in this stage was 525-647 g/m2, while in mixed crops this indicator was significantly higher than in single-species clover crops. By the flower-ing stage, the dry matter decreased to 474-618 g/m2. The yield of dry matter of agrophytocenoses was 67-76% formed due to the first mow. The most productive (4.7 t/ha) in the first mow was a mix-ture of clover with timothy grass.