Terms of sowing forage crops for haylage production under the conditions of Central Yakutia

Abstract

In recent years the agricultural production in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has been introducing the technology of haylage production, which can replace part of the silage and hay in the ration of animals. However, stable raw materials of herbage are not enough for the technology of haylage production in Yakutia. Natural forage lands cannot provide a new technology of haylage production with herbage, since the entire area of haymaking goes to hay harvesting. Therefore, the selection of forage crops to create a reliable raw material base for haylage is a very relevant research topic. The purpose of the research was to study the terms of sowing forage crops for haylage production under the conditions in the Central Yakutia. The research has been carried out in the research and production permanent out-station in the M. G. Safronov Yakut Scientifi c Research Institute of Agriculture for three years. The experimental site was located on the second above-fl oodplain terrace of the Lena River Valley. The objects of research were the following varieties of zoned annual crops – oats of Pokrovsky variety 9, peas of Capital variety, spring vetch of Priobskaya variety 25, barley of Tammy variety. It has been found as a result of research that in the soil and climatic conditions in the Central Yakutia for the production of haylage for plant growth and development, dynamics of accumulation of dry matter, yield and nutritional qualities, the most effective mixtures are: vetch (1,2 million pcs/ha) + oats (2,5 million pcs/ha) and peas (0,8 million pcs/ha) + oats (2,5 million pcs/ha) germinating seeds. As the result of the conducted research, the optimal terms for sowing annual grasses for haylage have been established such as the 1st term (sowing in the third decade of May, harvesting in the first decade of August), the 2nd term (sowing in the second decade of June, harvesting in the third decade of August), the 3rd term (sowing in the first decade of July, harvesting in the first decade of September) in the phase of milk-wax ripeness in cereals and in the phase of fruit formation in legumes.