Performance of grass mixtures with mountain brome (Bromus marginatus Nees ex Steud.) in Central European lowlands

Abstract

The seeding rate of 2 mil viable seeds of mountain brome cv. Tacit (28.1 kg/ha) is sufficient to establish a productive stand. The seeding amount can be decreased in the mixture with legumes. The growing in pure stand or in a simple mixture, e.g. with alfalfa, is appropriate, because of its low competitiveness. Mixtures with red clover were slightly worse, and mixtures with white clovers, resp. other grasses less suitable. The optimal cutting height of mountain brome to 5–8 cm with regard to forage yield and persistence. Although this grass does not have special demands on site, it does not tolerate long-term dampness and floods. It is mainly used as silage grass with high dry matter production potential, with forage of better-than-average nutritive value, which is kept till the stage of early flowering.