One of the representatives of cereals, which people often encounter even in the city, is perfect for decorating a lawn at the dacha and for feeding cattle. We are talking about ryegrass - a herbaceous plant from the genus Chaff, three species of which are most often used by people for different purposes. Although it is a weed, it brings many benefits with proper care and sowing.
Varieties and appearance
Of the many species of ryegrass, only three are actively cultivated . These are the types that are used both in agriculture and in landscape design:
- tall ryegrass;
- perennial (or perennial) ryegrass;
- multi-cut ryegrass.
Each of these species has its own characteristics and common features characteristic of plants of the genus Chaff. A powerful root system of fibrous type, long narrow leaves with a plate up to 5 mm wide, the presence of both vegetative and generative shoots, an inflorescence in the form of a spike - these are the characteristics of the perennial ryegrass grass and its “brothers”.
Features of growth and sowing
At a summer cottage, for the formation of beautiful lawns, the optimal choice would be perennial ryegrass, the description of which can be added with the following facts: it easily tolerates mowing and trampling, forms a thick cover of bright green color, and is not very picky about the composition of the soil.
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)- perennial loose-bush, short-rhizome plant of winter type of development. Does not tolerate drought, winter hardiness is weak.Varieties for park and home lawns are characterized by increased decorativeness, grass density, and resistance to trampling, frost and drought. The following domestic varieties stand out:
- Voronezh (characterized by tall shoots and resistance to mowing).
- Leningradsky (distinguished by the lighter color of the leaves and resistance to frost).
- Cinderella (lower and denser bushes, high resistance to drought).
- Phoenix (suitable for the Central region, differs in that in the first year of life the bushes spread half on the ground).
Feed value and yield
Several specialized varieties of ryegrass are used in pasture and hay production. Its powerful and developed root system extracts from the soil and accumulates a large amount of micro- and macroelements in the stems. The standard number of haymakings is three, and in favorable weather, even without additional feeding, this plant can be mowed four times per season. Already in the second year, the peak growth of green mass is reached. This is the main characteristic of perennial ryegrass as an agricultural crop.
Perennial ryegrass- grassroots loose-bush perennial grass. The leaves are thin, long (up to 30 cm and above), shiny, smooth below, rough along the veins, bright green. Unlike meadow fescue, the base of the blade has short, sometimes indistinct ears. The tongue is short, with a solid edge. The inflorescence is a straight, slightly drooping, loose brownish-green spike. Spikelets with 5-12 flowers are attached singly to the spike shaft with the narrow side, unlike wheatgrass, in which the spikelets are attached with the wide side.
All spikelets have one glume. The lower flower scales are awnless. The glume is longer than the adjacent lemma.
Perennial ryegrass moisture-loving, does not tolerate drought well; responsive to irrigation, but does not withstand prolonged flooding and close groundwater. Winter hardiness and spring hardiness are low. Well adapted to moderate humid climates with mild winters. It cannot withstand snowless winters. Old grass stands are more prone to freezing. One of the reasons for insufficient winter hardiness ryegrass- shallow location of the tillering node from the soil surface - 8-13 mm. When breeding, this feature must be taken into account. The plant is of a mid-season winter type of development; it grows quickly in the year of sowing, but, as a rule, does not form generative stems, although in some populations they sometimes form. It produces fruiting shoots in the second, and if the grass is preserved, even in the third year of life. Depending on the conditions of the year and the cultivation zone, it blooms in the second year of life in the second half of June - early July (in warm weather). Blooms in the morning. Cross-pollinated by wind. Can produce a significant number of seeds when self-pollinating. Seeds ripen in the forest zone, depending on the conditions of the year, on July 10-15 - August 5, in the forest-steppe zone - July 10-25. The seeds are lanceolate, grayish in color, 5.5-6.5 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, slightly concave on the inside. Sterzhenek, in contrast to meadow fescue flattened, expanding upward.
Ryegrass used in grass mixtures to create cultivated pastures and hayfields in the northwestern, western and central regions of the forest zone, forest-steppe of Ukraine, in certain areas of the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia and Central Asia. Grows well in moderately moist, fertile loamy, clayey and sandy soils. Like white clover does not develop well on acidic soils and dry podzolized sandy loams.
Under favorable conditions it can produce high yields of dry matter. It is distinguished by its high shoot-forming ability, good mortality, and pasture resistance. In terms of nutritional merits, this is one of the most valuable cereals.
Longevity perennial ryegrass small. It produces the highest yields in the second or third years of life, and then its productivity decreases sharply. It can survive in grass cover on pastures for 3-4 years. Seeds are used for one to two years. It is affected by some fungal diseases: powdery mildew, rust, spotting and others.
Naturally, insufficient longevity and poor winter hardiness, as well as low disease resistance, hinder the widespread use of this valuable grassland cereal in a number of areas, especially characterized by a continental climate.
Is a highly productive component in the composition feed grass mixtures: Green Deer Agro "Combi", "Protein+", "Grazing" And "Mowing"
Ryegrass cultivation
Ryegrass(chaff) is one of the main components of grass mixtures in the establishment of long-term and short-term forage lands.
In lowland meadows in forest-steppe, steppe and mountainous areas, cereal grasses dominate, which make up 60-70% of the total herbage. Perennial cereal grasses have high feeding value and produce high yields of hay and pasture forage. Among them, chaff (ryegrass), a perennial and multi-flowered crop, is of great interest.
One of the most common grasslands in cultivated pastures is perennial ryegrass (or perennial ryegrass, English ryegrass). It develops quickly against other such crops and already in the year of sowing forms a good turf with many vegetative and generative shoots. Due to its high yield and feed value, ryegrass quickly spread throughout the European continent. It is one of the main components of grass mixtures for establishing long-term and short-term pastures.
The high foliage of perennial ryegrass provides good forage productivity. 100 kg of hay contains 55.2 k.e. and 4.4 kg of digestible protein. There is 7.9 g of calcium in 1 kg of dry matter, and this cereal is 2-3 times higher in sodium content than other types of herbs. The leaves of vegetative shoots contain a large amount of sucrose, much more than the leaves of generative shoots.
Multi-flowered ryegrass (chaff) is an unpretentious forage crop that is usually grown in the same field with or leguminous plants. This is done in order to reduce the cost of purchasing seeds, as well as to prepare a plentiful and high-quality hay harvest. The advantage of the plant is that young shoots germinate in early spring, when the soil temperature barely reaches 1 °C, which is very important for northern regions with short summers. Frost-resistant varieties contain a large amount of nutrients, increasing their nutritional value in animal husbandry. The economic benefits of growing grass are achieved due to abundant seedlings, the ability to make several slopes per season and the endurance of the growth even in the most unfavorable weather conditions.
Nuances of technology
Ryegrass in the generative phase is very sensitive to environmental factors, especially heat, moisture and light. Therefore, the best predecessors for ryegrass are winter grains, spring grains and row crops.
The main tillage is carried out using the semi-plow type. In weedy areas, continuous application should be applied over vegetative areas. Ryegrass requires high-quality soil preparation before sowing. In the pre-sowing tillage system, moisture is sealed off and the soil surface is necessarily leveled and compacted. This creates a fine-lumpy soil structure and helps retain moisture and create a compacted layer at the depth of seeding, which is an important condition for obtaining uniform shoots. To do this, you should use combined units that perform all soil preparation operations in one pass.
For the main treatment, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied in a dose of 45-60 kg of a.m. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied fractionally in the spring, depending on the purpose of cultivation: for green mass - N 60 during the growing season; N 30 - during trumpeting and N 15 - during flowering; for seeds - N 60 when restoring vegetation and N 30 when booting.
Before sowing, seeds are treated with a preparation containing the active ingredient Benomyl (500 g/kg) to protect against diseases and improve germination energy. Sowing is carried out in the spring - mainly under the cover of vetch - oatmeal and other mixtures of green fodder or in the summer. For spring grain crops, ryegrass is sown simultaneously or no later than 7 days after sowing the cover crop. The seeding rate of the cover crop is reduced by 25%. Summer sowing is carried out from mid-June to mid-August, say until September 1. They sow with precision seeders; they also use vegetable and grass seeders.
For growing ryegrass for seeds in conditions of sufficient moisture, the optimal seeding rate is 14 kg/ha. The best sowing method is inter-row, with row spacing 30 cm wide.
To grow ryegrass for green mass, you should follow the row sowing method with a row spacing of 15 cm and a seeding rate of 16-18 kg/ha. For laying pastures - up to 20 kg/ha.
Caring for crops involves carrying out a set of measures to protect against weeds, pests, diseases and creating optimal water-air and nutritional regimes for ryegrass. In the first year of the growing season, care consists of spraying the cover crop against weeds with recommended preparations during its tillering phase, as well as timely collection of the cover crop and its nutrient residues. After harvesting the cover crop, for a good overwintering of the grass crops, they must be fed in the fall with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers at the rate of P 45 K 45 a.i.
To control weeds on ryegrass seeds, herbicides approved for grain crops are used.
Ryegrass seeds are collected from the first cutting, mainly by direct combining, with a threshing drum rotation speed of 150-800 rpm. The duration of use of ryegrass crops, depending on the purpose of cultivation, is: for seeds - 2-3 years, for pastures and hayfields - up to 6 -8 years.
Grass collection and density
The harvest and especially the nutritional value of the feed largely depend on the timely mowing and harvesting of perennial grasses. The decrease in protein content in plants is due to the fact that during the aging process, intensive formation of fiber occurs in them. And although in cereal grasses the decrease in protein content according to the phases of plant development does not occur as intensely as in legumes, they also need to be collected on time.
For livestock farming, it is essential to organize a long period of supply of green mass and feeding it to animals in the summer. An important indicator in grass sowing is its density, since the yield of green mass depends mainly on the density and height of the grass stand.
The density of the grass stand is determined, first of all, by the intensity of shoot formation, due to which plants form a more developed root system and more fully utilize soil nutrients and accumulate vegetative mass. The nature of the influence of species in agrocenoses also depends on the density of the grass stand.
Two periods of intensive shoot formation have been established: spring - after the resumption of the growing season, and summer-autumn - from the second half of summer until the end of the growing season. For most species, the summer-autumn formation of pagons is of greatest importance. The absence of intensive formation of pagons during the heading and flowering phase of cereal perennial grasses is explained by the fact that the formation of generative shoots occurs with a large expenditure of energy resources, nitrogen and other elements of mineral nutrition.
The green mass of cereals is collected during the heading period, but not later than their flowering, since later the cereal tubes become coarser, the protein content in them decreases and the nutritional value decreases. When determining effective harvesting times, the logical features of plants should also be taken into account. Not all types and varieties of grass produce high yields in the second and subsequent slopes. Therefore, when mowing early, a significant amount of feed can be missed in the first slope. You should choose a mowing period that, in addition to a high yield of vegetative mass, would ensure the maximum collection of feed units and digestible protein per unit area.
To grow ryegrass for seeds, you should remember that during ripening it easily crumbles, so this process must be constantly monitored. If, after squeezing the panicle, there are ripe seeds in the palm of your hand, it is time to harvest.
Post-harvest seed treatment
The heap coming from the combine must be immediately cleaned using wind machines. After this, drying is carried out in the sun or in floor dryers. Shaft and drum dryers are not very suitable, since the seeds form lumps and can catch fire. Drying mode: 30 min. blow with unheated air, then for one hour - heated to 40 ° C. They do this several times and bring the humidity up to 14%.
The final cleaning of the seeds is carried out using the Pectus-Giant (K-531) and Pectus-Selectra (K-218) machines. Seeds are stored in bags.
This herbaceous plant belongs to the grass family. It grows mainly in Europe, Asia, African countries and the southern part of Western Siberia. The second name of the plant is perennial chaff. This grass variety prefers areas with a mild and humid climate. Grown for landscaping lawns and creating pastures for animals. In the wild, perennial ryegrass can be found in meadows, forest clearings and along roads.
Note! Grass in almost any climate zone begins to bloom in June and continues until the beginning of the autumn season.
Before sowing, many are interested in the question of what ryegrass is and what it is needed for. A detailed description of perennial ryegrass for lawn or pasture will help you get the information you need.
Description of ryegrass culture
The plant has a powerful root system, which is characterized by rapid growth. It grows up to 70 cm in length. The stems of ryegrass are smooth and have good branching. Bright green leaves do not lose their color until frost occurs. The plant has long and thin plates about 30 cm in size. They are smooth to the touch, but rough in places where the veins are located. The base of each plate contains ears. The inflorescence has the appearance of a drooping spikelet. From 5 to 10 flowers usually bloom on a spike, from which ryegrass seeds subsequently ripen.
Ryegrass
For your information! Perennial ryegrass differs from its relatives in its higher nutritional value: 100 kg of ryegrass grass corresponds to 23 feed units, and 100 kg of hay corresponds to 60 feed units.
Varieties of ryegrass
The plant is considered a weed, but is actively used as lawn grass and for feeding livestock. There are several varieties of ryegrass with distinctive features:
Perennial ryegrass
- Perennial ryegrass. A distinctive feature of the herbaceous perennial is its rapid germination and more intensive growth. Already in the first year after sowing the crop, a thick, bright green carpet is formed on the lawn or pasture area with a well-developed root system. After mowing, it grows back very quickly and retains its decorative qualities until the onset of winter.
- Ryegrass is tall. The average summer grass reaches a length of 80 to 150 cm. It grows in dense turf. Tall ryegrass has flat and rough leaves and long shoots with a panicle at the end. The flowering period occurs in late May and early June. It is considered a drought-resistant crop, but responds well to watering.
- Bulbous ryegrass. The remarkable decorative appearance of the grass will be noted even with minimal care, so it is often used for the design of various lawns. The plant is a perennial species of the grass family. The rhizome is located shallow, so after 3 years the roots with bulbs can reach the surface of the soil. If such a problem occurs, you need to cover them with soil and transplant the bulbous ryegrass to another place. The leaves of bulbous variegated ryegrass have a golden-variegated color.
- Annual ryegrass. It can mainly be cultivated in Russia in combination with leguminous plants for green animal feed or for storing feed for the winter. Planting is carried out using seeds, which are pre-treated with preparations. The plant is used as a covering material for meadows, places that did not survive the winter well and contain little grass, where farm animals can be grazed to consume nutritious green food.
- Ryegrass is multi-cut. Grows well in areas with mild winters and humid summers. Multi-cut ryegrass is distinguished by its rapid development and remarkable ability to produce several productive shoots after mowing. It can be used not only to effectively fill pasture areas, but also to decorate lawns in any garden or summer cottage. The variety is absolutely unpretentious in the choice of soil: it can be planted on clay, peat and sandy soils.
Benefits of perennial ryegrass
The main advantage of the crop is its high yield. This fact makes perennial ryegrass a popular plant used in animal feeding. In parallel with the important advantage, there are the following advantages of the herb:
- The herbaceous plant is not only an excellent fertilizer for the soil where it grows, but also a medicine for the earth. Growing ryegrass prevents erosion.
- It goes well with other herbal crops.
- After the first mowing, the plant acquires a high rate of re-growth.
Sowing and cultivation features
Sowing ryegrass
In order for perennial ryegrass for lawn landscaping to grow into a beautiful thick blanket, you need to follow the technology when sowing seeds. When sowing occurs, you need to determine the area and use the approximate number of seeds. The norm for 1 hectare of land is 10 kg of planting mixture, and for sowing for livestock feed - 13 kg. By following the approximate dosage, you can hope to obtain an excellent herb harvest.
When sowing in open ground, it is advisable to provide moderate soil moisture. The planting depth should not exceed 3 cm. The soil should first be dug up and nitrogen supplements should be added to stimulate grass growth. After digging, you need to break up all the bumps and level the soil with a rake. Then the seeds are fanned out.
The grass is unpretentious to growing conditions, but some nuances should be taken into account. If ryegrass is grown for the lawn, then there is no need to neglect the needs of the other plants included in the composition. The best time for sowing is spring. If it’s rainy, then you shouldn’t worry about watering, but if the weather is dry and warm, you need to provide the plants with a regular supply of water. To avoid weeds that inhibit the normal development and growth of the plant, the soil should be treated with special herbicides. You can do this in the fall after work on the ground, or in the spring - before planting.
A lawn grown using perennial ryegrass always looks well-groomed and attractive. Throughout the summer, private property will be decorated with a bright green dense carpet of grass. Having started landscaping the local area, you can immediately purchase a mixture of herbs, which includes not only chaff, but also meadow grass, fescue, bentgrass and many other representatives of forbs. Paired with ryegrass they will look very impressive.
The plant is up to 70 cm high (usually from 15 to 50 cm). Perennial ryegrass has both vegetative and generative shoots.
Perennial ryegrass is widely used in agriculture as a valuable forage and pasture plant, as well as lawn grass.
Perennial ryegrass is valued for its ability to form dense grass within a month and a half after sowing the seeds and for its high resistance to trampling.
Application. Perennial ryegrass is included in many grass mixtures for the common lawn. Perennial ryegrass can already form a thick, beautiful carpet of grass in the first year of its life, a month after planting. After mowing, it grows back quickly and evenly, remaining green until frost.
Perennial ryegrass is very resistant to trampling and independently fills bald spots in the lawn. However, when shading this property is lost. Perennial ryegrass is a grass that is ideal for meadows, sports and ordinary lawns.
Perennial ryegrass is considered one of the best types of lawn grasses after fescue, meadow grass and some types of bentgrass.
Root. The root system is powerful.
Stems smooth, and the leaves are bare and smooth, up to 4 mm wide.
Inflorescence- a single spike located at the top of the shoot, up to 15 cm long. The spike consists of spikelets, their length is from 7 to 15 mm, they have from 4 to 10 flowers. Flowering time is usually from June to September.
Fetus- grain. Fruiting time is usually from July to October.
Seeds have a lanceolate shape, greenish-gray color, length 5.5-6.5 mm, width 1-1.5 mm, average weight of a thousand seeds is 2.2 grams, one kg contains 465 thousand seeds.
Growing conditions. Perennial ryegrass can grow in heavy soils and grows quickly. It tolerates moderate shade, trampling and soil compaction. A powerful root system promotes good regrowth and rapid recovery from mechanical damage. But it does not tolerate highly acidic soils. It loves moisture, but does not tolerate constant waterlogging. Sensitive to winter frosts and late spring frosts. In frosty, snowless winters, it often freezes, then bald spots form on the lawn, which perennial ryegrass eliminates on its own.
Sowing. I will propagate perennial ryegrass by seeds, sowing them from May to August. Its shoots usually appear on the 5th - 13th day, depending on the time of sowing and weather conditions.
Perennial ryegrass can form a beautiful thick grass carpet already in the first year of life. After mowing, it grows quickly and evenly and remains decorative until frost.
Care. Perennial ryegrass is very moisture-loving, so in summer it needs to be watered often and fed generously. For feeding I will use biocompost and vermicha solutions. This will compensate for the rapid growth rate.
Cleaning. As it grows, I will mow the perennial ryegrass with a lawn mower or rider, and use the resulting mulch to prepare.
Obtaining seeds I will carry out this from areas of the lawn that have not been mowed until the seeds ripen. I will use a hand scythe and shake out the seeds onto a piece of plastic film measuring 3*3 meters.
The following varieties of perennial ryegrass are popular in Russia: Danilo, Jessica, Capri, Cleopatra, Margarita, Ponderosa, Sherwood, Esquire.
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