Experience of growing new varieties of perennial grasses in the forest-steppe zone of the Tula region

In the 2015-2018 studies, the productivity of new promising varieties of alfalfa and clovers for lawn purposes, allowing to obtain high-quality lawn coverings from the second year of life of grass stands, was evaluated. The objects of the research were: white clover ( Trifolium repens L. ) Rosinka, hybrid clover ( Trifolium hybridum L. ) Ladoga, alfalfa seed ( Medicado sativa L. ) Nikolena. Mutual and separate influence of the factors (a year of the using of the grass, a quantity of productive shoots (stems) per 1m2, a weather conditions) on a yield and the indicators of its quality was determined. It is established that for the formation of seed yield it is important to create optimal conditions in the agrophytocenosis. The decisive factor in this case is the reduced rate of seeding. The data obtained indicate that the seeding rate in seed plots can be reduced to 50%, since modern varieties have high sowing conditions, causing the highest field germination of seeds. Reduced seeding rates of alfalfa and clover seeds 4-5 kg/ha allow to form highly productive seed grass. During the third year of using alfalfa Nikolena an increase of the leaves quantity, of the stem density and of the plant height were observed; it shows that alfalfa has a high potential. The most highly productive crop within three years of use were grass stands of alfalfa and clover, which in the first year had a density of shoots 350-500 pcs/m2, 200-250 pcs / m2 in subsequent years. For the formation of the seed yield, 2016-2017 were the most favorable years because of hot and humid vegetation conditions but the highest value was reached in 2017 - during the second year of the usage.