Research for competition relations between the Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L. species cultivated in simple mixtures

Abstract

Purpose of research carried out in 2022 at Ezăreni Farm (47°05'-47°10 ' North latitude and 27°28'-27°33' Eastern longitude) belonging to the Iaşi University of Life Sciences, was to analyze the competitiveness of the species Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L., grown alone or in simple mixtures, under different conditions of fertilization with complex mineral fertilizers, under the climatic conditions from Moldavian Forrest Steppe. The studied factors were: species or mixture of grasses and perennial legumes, with 5 graduations, respectively a1 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (100%); a2 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (75%) and Trifolium pratense L. (25%); a3 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (50%) and Trifolium pratense L. (50%); a4 - Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (25%) and Trifolium pratense L. (75%); a5 - Trifolium pratense L. (100% ) and fertilization with mineral fertilizers, with 5 graduations, respectively b1 - unfertilized, b2 - N50P50; b3 - N75P75; b4 - N100; b5 - N150P150. In the second year of vegetation, the RYT index (Relative Yield Total) recorded values >1, except for variants fertilized with N150P150, showing that the Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Trifolium pratense L. species competes for the same vegetation factors, and the CR index for the Festuca arundinacea Schreb. species was higher than in the case of the Trifolium pratense L. species only at a percentage of participation in the mixture of 75%, under fertilization conditions, in which case the species was more competitive.