Long-term use of sown meadows

Long-term studies over 24 years have shown that variable alfalfa of the Pastbishchnaya 88 variety on well-cultivated soddy-podzolic soil can form stable agrophytocenoses, providing for the 12–15th years life with two- and three-fold mowing, the yield is 5,71 and 3,92 t/ha of dry matter, respectively. White clover varieties VIK 70 and Nanuk formed unstable herbage. Herbage with its participation was the least productive and in old-growth herbage its share varied from 2,5 to 7,1%. The productive longevity of the red clover variety Mars was 3 years. When oversown in the sod, red clover rooted better in old sown herbage than alfalfa. The following year, after sowing into a legume-grass grass mixture with the participation of alfalfa Vega 87, the share of red clover with three-time mowing reached 45,0%. Brome grass occupied the largest share in the composition of plant communities when nitrogen fertilizers were applied — in the 12–14th years life 62,3–83,9% and for the 24th year — 27,6–31,8%.