Non-traditional legumes in the soil-protecting crop rotation of the mountain zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania

Abstract

Mountainous and sloping lands occupy one third of the territory of our country, more than 50% in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, and are a huge reserve for increasing agricultural production. Soil and climatic conditions on the slopes of the mountains and in the intermountain valleys make it possible to grow environmentally friendly products, to heal the seeds of agricultural crops from viral diseases. Increasing the production of agricultural products is one of the most important problems of agriculture. The mountainous territory of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania is an important reserve for increasing the volume of agricultural production. About forty percent of the total area of the republic is concentrated here, most of which is characterized by favorable soil and climatic conditions. The development of agrotechnical, anti-erosion measures is one of the factors of preventing erosion processes in the soil and restoring soil fertility. The research was carried out in a mountainous area on mountain-meadow soils. According to the mechanical composition, it is middle loamy. The soil contains a high level of organic matter. It is moderately provided with hydrolyzable nitrogen and mobile phosphorus, and is highly provided with potassium. Studies have shown that these soils are favorable for the cultivation of perennial non-traditional leguminous grass species-eastern galega and crown vetch and the obtaining of products with high feed rates. The greatest soil protection effect from water erosion in the crop rotation was possessed by perennial leguminous grasses cultivated on a herbage – clover with timothy, eastern galega and crown vetch, which have a coefficient of soil protection from water erosion. In the soil-protecting six-field crop rotation eastern galega and crown vetch improved the structural and aggregate composition of the soil, the water resistance of soil aggregates, density and pore volume, also they increased soil fertility.