Biological and nutritional value of the genus Medicago L. in the conditions of the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

We investigated the biological peculiarities, productivity, biochemical composition and nutritional value of the natural fodder of species of the genus Medicago L., M. falcata L., M. varia Mart., M. tianschanica Vass., M. agropyretorum Vass., M. cancellata M.B. and M. glutinosa M.B., Medicago sativa L. was used as control. It was found out that, at the first mowing, the species Medicago tianschanica, Medicago varia and Medicago agropyretorum have a productivity of 2.00-2.14 kg/m2 exceeding by 22-27% the control, with a nutritional value of the natural fodder - 0.20-0.23 nutritive unit/kg and a content of digestible protein – 175.6- 211.6 g/ nutritive unit.