Introduction

Under new economic conditions, the traditional use of arable land, natural pastures and hayfields on the prevailing territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan does not meet the requirement of the time. Large areas of arable land, previously used for crops cultivation, are now out of production, due to the decline in yields of the traditional crop – wheat. In addition, long permanent use of these lands in the fallow system of crop rotation, led to a decline of soil fertility.

In this regard, at the current stage of agricultural development, in order to re–develop wastelands, it is relevant to select crops, including fodder crops, develop the technology of their cultivation, introduce new cultivation technologies into production, which together with restoration of soil fertility will provide livestock with nutritional fodder. Such activities should be carried out on forage lands as well – on natural grasslands and pastures, where a decrease in the productivity of herbage is noted, as well as overgrowth of weeds and inedible vegetation, that is where degradation signs of pasture or hay array are observed. At such sites, surface or radical methods for herbage improvement are used. According to the first option, fodder crops are sown on the site after loosening, harrowing, without the destruction of primary vegetation. In the second case – during radical improvement a degraded land site is ploughed destroying natural vegetation at the same time, fodder crops are sown. In the first two–three years, annual crops are sown on the ploughed site, including grains – oats, barley, rye and herbs – mohar, sorghum and others. Only then perennial fodder crops are sown. The crops that restore oil fertility include plants from the legume family: different types of alfalfa, sainfoin, galega, melilot, including their annual types.

The priority advantage of growing perennial legume fodder crops in the south-eastern region of Kazakhstan is due to arid soil and climatic conditions, low soil fertility and minimum level of precipitation. Moreover, this need has to be linked with economic expediency, namely, to provide the region with its own livestock and crop production.

Currently, the demand for meat and dairy products of animal husbandry is not covered only by domestic production, it is also compensated with imported products, often of poor quality. The calculations show that all regions of the country, including the south–east, have unlimited possibilities and conditions for the production of basic agricultural products and it can meet their needs, but to some extent also export to other regions of the country and even abroad.

In this regard, to address the relevant problems of rational use of arable land, degraded forage lands, it is necessary to develop scientific and technical cultivation methods for perennial legume fodder crops, contributing to the economic growth of agriculture, providing the population with ecologically clean livestock products while maintaining or even increasing soil fertility.

The lack of scientifically grounded recommendations for perennial legume crops in the Almaty region, especially for eastern galega, served as a basis for the research on the cultivation of perennial fodder crops – blue alfalfa, Hungarian sainfoin, Eastern galega and yellow melilot.

Alfalfa is one of the oldest and widely distributed fodder plants. According to various sources, the global cultivated area under alfalfa is 36-40 million hectares. It is cultivated in all parts of the world. In Kazakhstan, alfalfa is cultivated on the area of 1,100,000 hectares, 850-900 thousand hectares of which are annually harvested for hay, green mass and 150-250 thousand hectares – for seeds [1].

Alfalfa is a very valuable fodder plant. It successfully grows in soil with different fertility; its herbage is a cheap source of protein, easily digestible by animals. It is high yielding, it can grow in combination with other fodder crops, and its herbage is resistant to diseases and pests. Its herbage can be used as pasture, for hay, silage, hay flour and for making hay briquettes, pellets. Furthermore, alfalfa has a high nutritional value, contains many vitamins – A, C, D, PP and other essential amino acids [2-4].

Furthermore, alfalfa has a high agrotechnical value. Like other legumes, it assimilates atmospheric nitrogen and forms a large amount of organic matter in soil that has a positive effect on physical and chemical properties of the soil and its fertility [5-7].

Alfalfa has many advantages over other fodder crops such as: wide ecological adaptability, longevity, high productivity, it gives lots of green mass, responds to high agronomic background and fertilizers, especially with irrigation [8, 9].

In Kazakhstan, the following varieties of alfalfa are known: Karaganda 1, Ural blue, Shortandy 2, Irtysh, Krasnovodopad 8, Kokshe, Karabalyk 80, Darkhan 90, yellow hybrid 55 and others.

Hungarian sainfoin has many species, mostly perennial plants, they grow mainly in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Ukraine [10].

Sainfoin has low requirements to soil, but grows best on loamy sand. It tolerates acidic, boggy, a bit sod soils poorly. It gives high yields on uncomfortable lands that are of little use, as it removes moisture from soil horizon depths well, thanks to an extensive root system that penetrates deeply into the soil [11-14].

Like other legumes, it fixes nitrogen from the air, enriching soil fertility. In addition, sainfoin can grow on alkaline soils, as it is an ameliorating culture. Sainfoin is a winter hardy, drought–resistant culture, it secures the soil with crops, preventing it from water erosion [15-17].

The Republic of Kazakhstan there are the following varieties of sainfoin: Almaty 1, Hybrid 15, 1251 Hungarian, Hungarian improved, North Caucasian double crop and Shortandy.

Eastern galega is a perennial legume. The fundamental book “Cultural Flora of the USSR” [18] indicates eight kinds of galega growing in the central and southern Europe and western Asia. Eastern galega presents the greatest interest in regards to fodder.

Herbage of galega can be used to prepare early and late high protein silage, grass flour, protein–vitamin paste and can be harvested as hay. When mowing and drying, galega does not lose leaves, which is a valuable feature. Its herbage is not suitable for pasture use; it is a good honey plant. High protein content in eastern galega is maintained up to the phase of mass flowering and seeds ripening. 100 kg of galega contain 20-28 feed units of green mass, 20-22 units of silage and 50-60 feed units of hay. In 1 feed unit of galega, green mass accounts for 115-158 g of digestible protein, in silage – 160-190 g. This is a very high rate [20-22].

In Kazakhstan crops of galega are becoming more common, especially in dry steppe and steppe zones, where it competes and displaces alfalfa with its high yield and productive longevity. Only one variety of galega – Gornoaltaisk 87 – is cultivated everywhere in the country.

Yellow melilot is a biennial plant and an excellent fodder crop. It is cultivated for hay, hay flour, silage and green fodder. Melilot hay is not inferior to alfalfa hay, but significantly exceeds it by the content of digestible protein. Melilot is well ensiled with corn and gives silage with full protein content. It is also known as a pasture plant for cattle, horses and sheep [23].

Melilot refers to entomophilous crops with high-nectar productivity (from 400 to 490 kg/ha). Like all legumes, melilot enriches soil with nitrogen. With its tillage for green manure, soil receives about 100-200 kg/ha of nitrogen, which is approximately equal to 30-40 t/ha of manure.

Melilot is characterized by high yield, resistance to adverse environmental factors and is cultivated on alkaline lands with low fertility. It does not tolerate excessive moisture, cannot grow successfully on floodplain, flooded soils [24].

The disadvantages of melilot plants are the following: it contains coumarin in aboveground mass, which gives a bitter taste to fodder, its stems are coarse and leaves fall off when dried for hay.

In agriculture, there is a disctinction between artificial inoculation or natural introduction, spontaneous inoculation of living organisms into the substrate – nutrient medium, into soil during sowing with seeds. Treatment of soil or plant seeds with biological agents, particularly bacterial fertilizers, strains of nodule bacteria, can serve as an example of artificial inoculation [25, 26].

Every culture has a certain strain dedicated only to this culture. Therefore, the nodule bacteria strains of alfalfa are Shinorhizolium meliloti. They actively assimilate arabinose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, less actively – xylose, fructose, mannitol, sorbitol, raffinose, using potassium nitrate, ammonium salts, urea, asparagine [27].

The nodule bacteria strain of sainfoin – Rhizoblum sp. (Onobrychis), which form Bacteroides when aging; Bacteroides are large flask–shaped cells. They grow well in media with galactose, rhamnose, sorbitol, mannitol, sucrose. They do not use fiber and starch. The relationship with a source of nitrogen is good; it grows on media with sodium nitrate and ammonium salts. It can be grown on pea agar – environment of rice and mannitol – yeast agar [28].

The nodule bacteria strain of Eastern galega – Rhizobium galegae – grows well on media with carbohydrates, acidifying the environment. It grows well in media containing glucose, rhamnose, sorbitol, mannitol, sucrose. The relationship with a source of nitrogen: it grows on media with sodium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. It does not use fiber and starch.

The nodule bacteria strain of melilot – Rhizobium meliloti (melilotus). It grows well on media with sodium nitrate, ammonium salts, tyrosine, develops in media with galactose, rhamnose, sorbitol, mannitol, sucrose, it does not use fiber [30].

Methodology

In the context of the south–east of Kazakhstan, field experiments were carried out twice in 2012 and 2013 at an experimental production farm of the Agriculturalist university of the Almaty region. Perennial legume fodder crops were sown: blue alfalfa, the Kapchagai 80 variety; Hungarian sainfoin, the Almaty 2 variety; Eastern galega, the Gornoaltaisk 87 variety and yellow melilot, the Alsheevsky variety.

Under laboratory conditions, seeds of all fodder crops were put on certain germination, depending on scarification. After determining the purity of seeds and their germination, we determined the economic life and taking into account the latter, set a seeding rate for crops in field conditions. The experiment was performed twice – 2012 and 2013.

Planting of fodder crops in the experimental planting was done manually with scarified seeds with a given seeding rate, that is, a certain mass of seeds was sown in each row, taking into account its weight of 1000 seeds and economic life. The seeding rate for all crops was 2 million germinating seeds per hectare.

Area of plots – 50 sq.m, row spacing – 30 cm, repeatability – 3-fold.

Account for harvest, green mass and hay was carried out as herbage regrew by 15-20 cm. After each account, the plot was watered. On each experimented plot, herbage was mown from five initial meters, and this was repeated three times.

To determine the yield of dry mass – hay, mown grass was placed in gauze bags and dried in the shade. Dried samples were subsequently used to determine the chemical composition of grass.

To determine the mass of roots, the pits of 30×50 cm were digged. The roots were removed after every 10 cm. The roots were washed, dried, weighed and subsequently used to determine the chemical composition. A number of formed nodules on roots was determined as well.

Soils of the area – grey soils, carbonate, often underlain with rubbly-pebbly deposits, they boil from hydrochloric acid from the surface, the humus content ranges from 0.8-1.0 %.

According to the Bakanas agro–meteorological station, average long–term precipitation level (for 44 g) was 237 mm, and its distribution over the seasons was the following: autumn – 56, winter – 46, spring – 83 and summer – 52 mm. During the research years 2012-2014 the precipitation levels were 280.8; 233.2 and 286.5 mm respectively. According to the research programme, irrigation was envisaged and it was performed after each hay cutting.

Results

Under laboratory conditions, we identified the purity of seeds and germination of scarified and not scarified seeds. Field experiments were carried out with scarified seeds considering their economic life.

Determination of scarified seed germination showed the advantage of this process over non–scarified seeds (Table 1)

It is known that it is the legumes that require scarification prior planting in order to improve field germination. Determination of scarified seed germination under laboratory conditions showed the advantage of this process (Table 1).

Table 1: Economic life of leguminous crops seeds, depending on seed scarification

Table 1 shows that scarified seeds of legumes had better germination, hence their high economic life: alfalfa – 86.0-80.0, in sainfoin – 70.7-71.4, galega – 65.9-67.5 and melilot – 85.5-78.5 %.

For the same leguminous crops, field experiments were carried out to study the effect of seed inoculation and phosphate fertilizer on the yield of hay and fodder value.

All fodder crops were sown with scarified seeds with a seeding rate of 2 million of germinating seeds per hectare, which given the weight of 1000 seeds amounts to: blue alfalfa – 4, Humgarian sainfoin – 30, Eastern galega – 12 and yellow melilot – 4 kg/ha. In fact, considering the economic life of seeds, the seeding rate increased for crops as well and amounted to: alfalfa – 4.6-4.8, in sainfoin – 42.7-38.6, galega – 18.2-15.9 and melilot – 4.7-4.9 kg/ha.

As medication for the inoculation of legumes seeds, we used the following strains of nodule bacteria: for alfalfa – Shinorhizobium meliloti, for sainfoin – Rhlzoblum sp. (Onobrychis), galega – Rhizobium galegae and for melilot – Rhizobium meliloti (melilotus).

Also during the experiments, we studied the effect of phosphorus fertilizers – 120 and 180 kg of active ingredient per hectare. Fertilizers (superphosphate) were introduced during the sowing period; we studied their effect in the year of introduction and in consequent years.

Below the harvest data of green mass, hay and fodder value – feed units for the crop of 2012 is shown. In the sowing year, we accounted for harvest of all crops twice, on the second and third years – four times, and Table 2 shows their combined value (see Table 2).

Table 2: Productivity and fodder value of legumes, depending on inoculation and phosphate fertilizers, dt/ha, crop 2012

Already in the year of sowing all fodder crops provided good yields: alfalfa – 116-164, sainfoin – 110-134, galega – 83-107 and melilot – 122-144 dt/ha of green mass and hay, respectively – 29.1-40.8; 28.1-33.4; 21.1-26.1 and 31.1-34.9 dt/ha. Harvest data shows that inoculation of seeds before planting, as well as the introduction of phosphorus fertilizers increase productivity for all test cultures; determination of the least significant difference (LSD) for each account indicates the accuracy of the increase.

Alfalfa gave the highest yield in the sowing year, in the version with inoculation + P180 – 40.8 dt/ha of hay, followed by melilot – 34.9, sainfoin – 33.4, and the last one is galega – 26.1 dt/ha.

The same is observed with the output of feed units: alfalfa – 28.1, melilot – 25.4, sainfoin – 24.1 and the lowest output is the one of galega – 18.3 dt/ha.

In the second year of life, as it was noted, we accounted for the yield four times, which in total for the crops amounted to: alfalfa – 698-757, sainfoin – 708-764, galega – 689-736, for three cuttings the yield of melilot green mass amounted to 469-512 dt/ha. In the second year, it is noted that sainfoin had the high yield of green mass, hay. The figures of alfalfa and galega are insignificantly inferior, but the figures of yellow melilot are much lower than of the crops mentioned before.

It also should be noted that in the versions where inoculation was carried out prior sowing, as well as phosphorus fertilizer was introduced, the yield of all four (melilot – three) cuttings was higher than in the control version, and the conducted mathematical processing of data for each cutting indicates the increase reliability in the yield of green mass and hay.

In the third year, the yield of green mass and hay for all crops remains at a high level, except for melilot, which produces only two years.

In the third year in the control version and in the versions, where, along with seed inoculation phosphate fertilizers were introduced, high yield observed in sainfoin, followed by alfalfa and then galega. However, the existing yield increase in the versions with fertilizer in individual cuttings for all crops is not reliable, which indicates that the aftereffect of phosphorus fertilizer is levelled.

In the crop of 2013, we accounted for crop yields in the first and second years of herbage life (see Table 3). In the sowing year we conducted two hay cuttings for all crops, its total for all crops amounted to the following: alfalfa – 111-147, sainfoin – 104-141, galega – 83-108, and melilot – 125-147 dt/ha. If we consider the yield of green mass, depending on inoculation and two doses of phosphorus fertilizers for all crops, then the best indicators are observed in the versions with fertilizers. The version with seed inoculation prior sowing for all crops is higher than in the control version. In addition, their increases are mathematically reliable.

The yield of green mass and hay of legumes in the second year for our cuttings in the Р₁₈₀ variant was: alfalfa – 739 and 193, sainfoin – 183-200, galega – 173-192, and melilot for three hay cuttings – 118-131 dt/ha. It should be noted that these figures are not noted from the same indicators of the crop.

 Table 3: Productivity and fodder value of legumes, depending on inoculation and phosphate fertilizers, dt/ha, crop 2013

In the crop of 2012 we determined the mass of accumulated roots, counted the number of formed nodules per plant and determined accumulation of nutrients by calculation compared to manure application in dt/ha by the years of herbage life (Table 4).

Table 4: Mass of roots, number of nodules and accumulation of nutrients (in comparison with manure application) by legumes in the soil by years of use, depending on the use of inoculation and manure, crop 2012

All fodder crops accumulate the mass of roots of 75 dt/ha and more already in the first year of life. The biggest mass of roots was observed in melilot plots 98.7-106.5, followed by alfalfa – 87.4-93.8, sainfoin – 85.3-91.4 and galega had the lowest mass – 75.4-81.4 dt/ha. In all crops the biggest mass of roots was observed in the version where seeds inoculation was carried out and phosphate fertilizers were introduced at a dose of 180 kg/ha.

Already in the first year, nitrogen containing nodules were formed on the roots of legumes. The highest number of nodules was observed in the version with of inoculation +180.

In the second year of life, mass and number of root nodules in all crops increased and the greatest mass of roots was observed in sainfoin (the last version) – 81.3, followed by melilot – 76.6, galega – 67.8, alfalfa had the lowest mass of roots – 59.4 dt/ha.

The number of roots nodules of fodder crops in the second year increased. The highest number of nodules is noted in sainfoin – 71.0-81.3, in melilot – 68.6-76.6, galega – 57.3-67.8, alfalfa is on the last place – 52.3-59.4 pieces per plant.

In the third year of life, the root mass of all crops increased, and the greatest weight was observed in sainfoin – 182.4, followed by galega – 159.7 and alfalfa – 141.6 dt/ha.

On average on the roots of one sainfoin plant there were 92.3 nodules, while on alfalfa and galega plants there were 79.4 nodules per plant.

In view of the chemical composition of fodder crops roots, we determined the supply of nutrients to the soil identically to manure.

So, if legumes are ploughed in the third year (melilot after the second year), the soil is enriched with nutrients identical to introduced decomposed manure: alfalfa – 37.5-43.6; sainfoin – 47.1-51.3; galega – 40.4-45.2 and melilot – 47.8-51.2 dt/ha. The highest indicators were observed in sainfoin and melilot.

Conclusions

The results of the research on legume fodder crops show that under the conditions of the south–east of Kazakhstan for feeding purposes the following crops can be sown: blue alfalfa, the Kapchagai 80 variety, Hungarian sainfoin, the Almaty 2 vriety, galega,the Gornoaltaisk 87 variety and yellow melilot, the Alsheevsky variety.

All these fodder crops provide a high yield of green mass and hay with high fodder qualities. In addition, all fodder crops enriche soil with nitrogen–containing elements, due to the accumulation of nodule bacteria on the roots.

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