Utilizing canary grass hay meadows.

摘要

The efficiency of different dates of autumn cutting (20-25 August, 20-25 September, 20-25 October) was evaluated over a 7-year period in a natural floodplain meadow of the River Oka dominated (90-94% of plant mass) by reed canary grass [Phalaris arundinacea] in research conducted at the Dedinovsk Experimental Station for Floodplain Meadow Cultivation, Moscow province. Data were recorded on stolon weight, viability and content of carbohydrates, stem dynamics, effect on botanical composition of the meadow, and yields of dry matter (DM), metabolizable energy, fodder units and crude protein. In general, the latest cutting date gave the best DM, energy and fodder unit yields and improved plant viability. In a 9-year study on poorly drained peat soil in the River Dubna valley in Moscow province, with 2 cuts per year, persistence of reed canary grass was highest when sown in monocultures; the species showed high phytocoenotic activity, so that even at the end of the 9-year period it comprised 79% of the stand. Of the 6 grass species tested (reed canary grass, timothy [Phleum pratense], meadow fescue [Festuca pratensis], tall fescue [F. arundinacea], cocksfoot [Dactylis glomerata] and awnless brome grass [Bromus inermis]), reed canary grass gave the highest DM and fodder unit yields.