Abstract:
Forage legumes have been suggested as important components of low input, sustainable systems for livestock
production and are the basis of organic agriculture. We have studied some biological peculiarities, chemical
composition and nutritional value of the species Lupinus perennis L., native to North America, which was cultivated in
the experimental land of the Botanical Garden (Institute) of the ASM, the traditional forage crop alfalfa Medicago
sativa L. and Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. served as control variant. It has been established that the species L. perennis
in the first year of vegetation has a slow growth and development, develops only rosette-like radical leaves, but in the
following years, it grows and develops more intensively, this species starts flowering 15-29 days earlier than the
traditional forage crops. Chemical composition of dry substances of green mass of the species Lupinus perennis is
represented as follows: 14.42% raw protein, 3.91 % raw fats, 25.44% raw cellulose, 10.56 % minerals, 45.67% nitrogen
free extractive substances, but Medicago sativa – 16.16 % raw protein, 1.88 % raw fats, 34.74 % raw cellulose, 10.00 %
minerals, 37.22 % nitrogen free extractive substances, respectively, and Onobrychis viciifolia – 15.88% raw protein,
3.57 % raw fats, 34.95% raw cellulose, 8.92 % minerals, 36.74% nitrogen free extractive substances. The fodder of
Lupinus perennis is distinguished by a high content of alanine, histidine, tyrosine, arginine. Due to the earlier first
harvest time, stable productivity and quality of fodder, the use of the plantation of the species Lupinus perennis for a
long period of time can serve as initial breeding material for enriching the range of forage crops, recovery of degraded
and polluted lands.
