Dependence of the dynamics of the content of legumes and the yield of herb mixtures on their component composition

Abstract

In a field experiment, the influence of grass mixtures' component composition on legumes' productivity and dynamics was studied. Analysis of the botanical composition of grass mixtures by mowes indicates the importance of using mixed grass mixtures to ensure a stable content of legumes at different stages of vegetation. The highest content of legumes is demonstrated by multicomponent grass mixtures that include alfalfa, in particular options 3 (timothy grass + alfalfa), 5 (red clover + alfalfa + bird's-foot trefoil) and 6 (timothy grass + perennial fenugreek + reed fescue + red clover + alfalfa + bird's-foot trefoil). Dry matter yield also significantly depended on the composition of grass mixtures. The highest average productivity for the period 2021–2024 was in option 6 (11.59 t/ha), while the lowest was in option 1 (6.13 t/ha). In the first mowing, the best indicator of the content of legumes was in option 5, which emphasises the synergistic effect of the components of the grass mixture. In the second mowing, although the content of legumes decreases somewhat, stability and adaptability are ensured by alfalfa, which is also confirmed in options 5 and 6. Red clover functions effectively only during the first years of use, gradually falling out of the grass stand, while the inclusion of alfalfa and bird's-foot trefoil allows for maintaining high productivity of the grass stand at long-term stages of use. This reduces the need for additional fertilisation, increasing the profitability and stability of agrocenoses.