Improving Yield of Non-Perennial Crops in the Conditions of Yakutia Using Different Doses of Mineral Fertilizers

Abstract

Providing sustainable feed supplies is the main condition for the high productivity of the livestock industry. Feed supplies shall meet the needs of farm animals. The application effectiveness of mineral fertilizers is one of the most important factors of technology ensuring the improvement of yield, chemical composition, and nutritional value of feed. The article presents the results of research on the effectiveness of different doses of mineral fertilizers used to improve the yield of non-perennial fodder crops in the conditions of Yakutia. Experiments were held in 2015–2016 in the Moydoch plot of the Khangalassky District. Non-perennial fodder crops were sown on June 1. Sowing was done by drilling with 46 cm inter-row spacing for corn and sunflower, 30 cm for oil radish and sudangrass, and 15 cm for millet. The sowing depth was 4–6 cm for non-perennial fodder crops, and 2–3 cm for oil radish. The experience of application of mineral fertilizers to improve the yield of non-perennial crops has shown to primary affecting factors: the first factor — non-perennial crops variety (corn, sunflower, millet, sudangrass, oil radish), the second factor — mineral fertilizer dose (reference, (NPK)90 kg/ha, (NPK)120 kg/ha of primary nutrient). On average during two years of studies, corn crops have shown the highest fresh yield with mineral fertilizers applied at an NPK120 kg/ha dose of 9.7 t/ha; sunflower — 14.6 t/ha, millet — 6.1 t/ha, oil radish — 12.2 t/ha, and sudangrass — 7.6 t/ha with fertilizers applied at an NPK90 kg/ha dose. NPK120 kg/ha dose of mineral fertilizers ensured high nutrient content in the crops of corn, millet, oil radish, and sudangrass, and NPK90 kg/ha for sunflower. Sunflower and oil radish have shown the best nutritional value from all the studied species of non-perennial fodder crops.