The article presents the results of four-year studies on the formation of perennial legume-grass agrophytocenoses depending on the seeding method, intensity of use, and species composition. The research method included conducting a field experiment on the practice ground of the NWDFGMRI – a separate subdivision of VolRC RAS. The soil of the site is drained, medium cultivated, derno-podzolic, and medium loamy. The scheme of the experiment included 18 variants in triple repetition. The composition of agrophytocenoses includes one-cutting clover, double-cutting clover, variegated alfalfa, meadow fescue, tall fescue, timothy, brome, and perennial ryegrass. The purpose of the research is to study the influence of the seeding method and the intensity of use on the botanical composition, productivity and nutritional value of legume-grass agrophytocenoses in the conditions of the Russian North. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time on drained sod-podzolic soils, we have studied changes in the botanical composition, productivity and nutritional value of legume-grass agrophytocenoses depending on the seeding method and the intensity of use. As a result of research for the period 2017–2020, we have found that the botanical composition of herbage varied both by years of use and by cutting. The content of seeded grass species in the composition of agrophytocenoses was high and in the third year of use was 81.7–95.7%. In the first year of use, leguminous types of herbs prevailed in herbage, in the second and third − grasses. The proportion of weed vegetation was 1.1–1.5 times higher in herbage of the underseeding method. The yield depended on the species composition of agrophytocenoses. In the first year of use, when legume species prevailed, the highest yield was obtained: 50–57 t/ha of green mass. On average, for three years of use, the yield at the control level was provided by grass mixtures with tall fescue (var. 3, 5, 8–9). Significantly inferior to the control by 0.69–1.74 t/ha were dry matter agrophytocenoses with brome, ryegrass and meadow fescue. A high protein content of 13.4–15.3% was noted in the first year of use, later it decreased. Herbage with triple-cutting use exceeded the double-cutting in protein gather by 12–32%, in terms of protein content in plant mass – by 24–39%. The research will be continued within the framework of the topic 151 research project. The sphere of application is agricultural enterprises of the Russian North
Keywords
agrophytocenoses, botanical composition, Seeding method, triple-cutting use, productivity and nutritional value