The dissertation provides a theoretical justification and a new solution to the scientific problem, which is manifested in establishing the characteristics of the growth and development of cereal and legume components of grass mixtures and their mutual influence, substantiation of measures to increase the productivity of grass stands and the quality of fodder depending on the selection of grasses in grass mixtures, taking into account the doses of mineral fertilizers and timing introduction of highly concentrated chelated microfertilizer on sod-podzolic soils of Precarpathia.
The soil and climatic conditions of Precarpathia were analyzed, in particular the peculiarities of weather conditions during the years of research. The research scheme, methods and methods are described.
Chapter 3 "Peculiarities of the formation of legume-cereal grass stands in the conditions of Precarpathia" highlights the influence of the composition of grass mixtures on the height, botanical composition, density, structure of leaf-stem mass and survival of legume-cereal grass stands. It was established that the highest height was characterized by a grass stand with a multi-component grass mixture (timothy grass, meadow clover, alfalfa seed, horned sedge). In the structure of leaf-stem mass, the share of leaves was - the first slope - 18-26%, the second - 18-36%, the third - 24-40%. The highest density in the first slope was marked by the herbage of meadow timothy and alfalfa - 1,828 units/m2, in the second and third slopes - a multi-component herbage (meadow timothy, perennial fenugreek, eastern sedge, meadow clover, hornwort, and alfalfa) - respectively 2111 pcs./m2 and 1929 pcs./m2. The botanical composition of the studied herb mixtures was dominated by leguminous herbs. Their share, depending on the species composition, varied between 48–86%, and the survival rate was 69–93%. It was established that the introduction of nitrogen at the rate of 60 kg/ha made it possible to obtain a grass stand 72 cm high in the first slope and 47 cm in the second. The highest density of grass in the first slope (1202 pcs./m2) was observed when phosphorus and potassium fertilizers were applied at the rate of P60K90. In the second slope, the increase in the density of the grass stand was mainly due to the more intensive branching of leguminous components. Application of N30 and Nanit Turbo after the first slope provided the highest density in the third slope (1549 units/m2). The highest content of meadow clover (66%) in the first slope was recorded when applying N30 + Nanit Turbo (N30 after the first slope) against the background of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. In the second slope, a clear tendency to increase the cereal component was observed, its percentage was 50–63%. Cereal grasses prevailed in the third slope, their percentage was 57–66%.
In chapter 4 "Formation of fodder productivity of perennial grasses in the conditions of Precarpathia" the effectiveness of selection of the species composition of grass mixtures, application of fertilizers and foliar top dressing is substantiated. The most productive was a multi-component grass mixture consisting of meadow timothy, perennial fenugreek, reed sedge, meadow clover, seed alfalfa, and hornwort, with a yield of 12.95 t/ha of dry weight. Grassland with meadow timothy and meadow clover ensured the supply of 10.15 t/ha of dry fodder. When using N30, Nanit Turbo and N30 after the first mowing, the productivity of the clover-timothy grass stand was 12.33 t/ha of dry fodder.
In chapter 5 "Chemical composition and nutrition of fodder depending on the component composition of grass mixtures and fertilizers" it was established that the content of feed units in dry matter was practically independent of the type of grass mixture and ranged from 0.79 to 0.83 feed units per 1 kg of dry weight . However, the saturation of feed units with digestible protein varied from 107.5 to 143.8 g per one feed unit, which fully corresponds to the zootechnical norms of animal feeding. On the sown clover-timothy herbage with the use of fertilizer and foliar feeding, the protein ratio was favorable for feeding animals and did not decrease below 1:5.7.
Chapter 6 "Economic and energy assessment of technological measures depending on the component composition and fertilization of sown grass mixtures" provides calculations of the economic efficiency of fodder production of sown perennial legume-cereal grass mixtures. It was established that a high level of profitability of 208% with a conditional net profit of UAH 44,780/ha ensures the sowing of a multi-component grass mixture (timothy grass, perennial fenugreek, reed sedge, meadow clover, hornwort and alfalfa).
The high percentage of legumes under phosphorus and potassium fertilization caused the highest energy efficiency coefficient - 4.6.
