Agrotechnical methods of formation of legume-grass agrophytocenoses with festulolium inclusion

The article presents the results of a six-year research studying the agrotechnical methods of Festulolium growing. The research method included conducting field experience in 2011-2016 on the experimental field of the Northwestern Research Institute for Dairy and Grassland Farming in the Vologda Oblast. The soil of the experimental site is drained, medium cultivated, derno-podzolic, medium loamy. The experience scheme included 10 options. The following varieties were used: Festulolium VIC 90, Carmine meadow clover, alfalfa VEGA 87, bird's-foot Solnyshko. Records and observations were carried out according to the generally accepted methods of the All-Russian Williams Fodder Research Institute. The aim of the research is to study agrotechnical methods (grass mixture composition, mowing time) of formation of legume-grass agrophytocenoses with Festulolium inclusion in the conditions of the European North of the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty of the research is that the influence of effective methods of Festulolium growing on the derno-podzolic soils of the European North of the Russian Federation is studied for the first time. As a result of the conducted research it is established that Festulolium and its grass mixture with clover have high content of seed species 90-97% during the first three years of use, since the 4th year there is a decrease to 57-66%. Agrophytocenoses including bird's-foot and alfalfa maintained a high content of seed species during five years of use. The proportion of alfalfa in the mixtures was high, it had a depressing effect on other crops. Legume-grass herbage provided increased productive indicators in comparison with Festulolium - 1.2-1.7 times on dry matter, 2.0-4.3 times on protein collection. Festulolium and its mixture with clover provided high yielding (6.2-7.3 t/ha and 8.8 to 9.5 t/ha, respectively) in the first two years of use, the mixtures with bird's-foot and alfalfa for all the years of use made up 7.7-9.7 t/ha. When harvesting in the phase of Festulolium earing and legumes budding, the crop with a protein content of up to 17.0% and a concentration of metabolic energy up to 10.0 MJ in 1 kg of dry matter was obtained. The research results can be applied at the agricultural enterprises of the European North of the Russian Federation.