METHODS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF FLOODPLAIN MEADOWS IN THE AREAS NEAR THE OB RIVER

Abstract

The resource-saving methods for improving floodplain meadows in the areas near the Ob River were studied. Investigations were conducted in 1995-1997 at the floodplain grasslands of the JSC “Skala”, Kolyvan District, Novosibirsk Region. In the experiment was used the SibNIISkhoz 189 cultivar of smooth bromegrass (Bromopsis inermis (Leys.) Holub). When studying the effect of dates for strip complementary seeding of smooth bromegrass on productivity of flood meadow, the most productive date was found to be early summer date of 1 June. The yields of green and dry masses made up 16.5 and 4.7 tonnes per ha, respectively. The minimal yields of green and dry masses were in the variant with autumn date (15 October) of strip complementary seeding - 13.4 and 3.8 tonnes per ha, respectively. It was established that strip complementary seeding of smooth bromegrass to the grass sod of flood meadows allowed obtaining yields of 13.9 t/ha of green mass and 3.97 t/ha of dry mass. In the control variant of field meadow experiment, productivity was 1.4-3 times lower as compared with the different improvement techniques. Carrying out the strip complementary seeding of smooth bromegrass 2.8 times increased productivity of flood meadows. With that, the number of graminoids in the herbage increased up to 56.9%, motley grasses decreased down to 37.6%. The number of leguminous plants in the herbage made up 5.5%, the content of digestible protein per 1 fodder unit was 104. Among the meadow improvement methods studied, the strip complementary seeding of smooth bromegrass turned out to be profitable and resource-saving.