LONG-TERM PLANT FORMATION ON THE BASIS OF NEW VARIETIES OF EASTERN GALEGA AND INTENSIVE TYPES OF CEREAL GRASSES

Abstract

Prospective cultivars of Eastern galega and intensive cereal grass species were studied at the landfill site of the All-Russia Research Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Reclaimed Lands during 2015-2018. Studied varieties of Eastern galega (Galega orientalis) include: the Gale variety of the Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture and Land Reclamation selection, Yubilyar and Krivich selected by SNU Pskov Research Institute of Agriculture. The cereal component consists of the following types of grass: the awnless brome (Bromopsis inermis) of the Vegur variety, timothy grass (Phleum pretense) of the VIK 9 variety, and the arundinaceous canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) of the Ural variety. The greatest density of the eastern galega stalk stand was recorded in pure sowing of the Krivich variety and amounted to 53–144 pcs/m2. On average, over the years of research, agrocenoses on the basis of the eastern galega form a stalk density of 36 pcs/m2 in a mixture with cereals up to 136 pcs/m2. Crops of the eastern galega in a mixture with cereals are able to ensure stable longevity and are less clogged with unseen species of grass. Under the conditions of the nonchernozem belt, the Upper Volga agrocenoses on the basis of the eastern galega provide high productivity of up to 11.7 t/ha of dry mass. The botanical composition of the grass stands and the competitiveness of herbs changed over the years of experience. As the age of agrocenosis increases, there is also a gradual increase in the share of the eastern galega. At the beginning of the research, the highest percentage of cereal grasses in legume-grass herbage was observed in the arundinaceous canary grass. By 2018, timothy grass prevailed among the cereal grass. The phytocenotic activity of the eastern galega gradually increased in 2018 reaching 0.5-1.2. The index of coenotic activity of cereal grasses over the years of experience comprised 0.5–1.8 of awnless brome, 0.6–2.6 for arundinaceous canary grass, 0.7–2.7 for timothy grass.