DRY MATTER YIELD OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF DACTYLIS GLOMERATA AND FESTUCA PRATENSIS

The aim of this paper is to analyze yield variation of Dactylis glomerata and Festuca pratensis varieties grown on organic and mineral soil. This paper has drawn on two field experiments set up and carried out between 2010 and 2013. The experiment was conducted in two experimental stations: one in the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Krzyżewo and the other in the Experimental Stations for Variety Testing in Uhinin. The experiment in Krzyżewo was set up on ploughed soil, with spring barley as a forecrop. In Uhnin the experimental plots were located on peat meadow. The experimental plots were sown with varieties of Dactylis glomerata: Niva, Tukan, Amila, Crown Royale and with varieties of Festuca pratensis: Limosa, Pasja, Anturka, Amelka. The full exploitation of Dactylis glomerata varieties was due between 2012 and 2013, whereas for Festuca pratensis it was due between 2011 and 2012. In the experimental plots with the varieties of Dactylis glomerata the grass was harvested six times a year and chemical analysis of the biomass was done taking dry matter only from five cuts. The varieties of Festuca pratensis were harvested four times. Each year in the course of the experiment fresh and dry matter of each cut were weighed. The grass species and their varieties as well as the particular mowing and kind of soil where the grass was grown have an impact on the yield. On mineral soil the yield of Dactylis glomerata was higher than Festuca pratensis. On organic soil the yield of both species was similar. During the two years of experiment the highest yield among Festuca pratensis varieties was noted for Amelka whereas among varieties of Dactylis glomerata the yield was similar and differences were not statistically significant.


INTRODUCTION
Dactylis glomerata and Festuca pratensis are considered to be of major economic importance because of their variable uses as well as durability, vitality, their modest soil requirements and their tolerance to moderate drought stress [Kasperczyk to Rutkowska et al. [1994], by their ability to develop vegetative and reproductive shoots. According to Domański [1997], because of economic and agricultural needs a new variety of a fodder grass should give profitable seed production, high dry matter yield and should provide a farm with good quality fodder. Fodder grass like Dactylis glomerata, grown as temporary grass, can give a yield of over 15 t of dry matter per hectare provided that plants will have a sufficient amount of water and nutrients.
The aim of this paper is to analyze yield variation of Dactylis glomerata and Festuca pratensis varieties grown on organic and mineral soil.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
This paper has drawn on two field experiments set up and carried out between 2010 and 2013 by the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Słupia Wielka. The experiment was conducted in two experimental stations: one in the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Krzyżewo and the other in the Experimental Stations for Variety Testing in Uhinin, being a branch of the Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Cicibor Duży. The stations are located in the Podlaskie Woivodeship, the Wysokie Mazowiekie county, in the commune of Sokoły. Uhnin is located in the Lubelskie Voivodeship, the Parczew county and the Dębowa Kłoda commune.
The experiment was arranged and conducted according to Research Centre for Cultivar Testing guidelines [Domański 1998]. The experimental plots were sown with varieties of Dactylis glomerata: Niva, Tukan, Amila, Crown Royale and with varieties of Festuca pratensis: Limosa, Pasja, Anturka, Amelka (e. AND 1009).
The plots were randomly selected, 1.5 meters wide and 6.67 m long, with an area of 10 m 2 , grouped in blocks with four replications. They were separated by 1 meter pathways between blocks and with 0.5 meter pathways between subblocks. The pathways lay fallow. The experiment in Krzyżewo was set up on ploughed soil, with spring barley as the forecrop. In Uhnin the experimental plots were located on peat meadow. Table  1 and 2 present soil characteristics and mineral fertilizers used.
In the research the amount of seeds of the grass sown varied depending on the variety and the location of the experiment. It was as follows (in kg·ha -1 ): Dactylis glomerata -Tukan: 16 In the year when the experiment was set up the grass was not harvested and only weeds were mowed. According to the guidelines of Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Słupia Wielka, the full exploitation of Dactylis glomerata varieties was due between 2012 and 2013, whereas for Festuca pratensis it was due between 2011 and 2012. In the experimental plots with the varieties of Dactylis glomerata the grass was harvested six times a year and chemical analysis of the biomass was done taking dry matter only from five cuts. The varieties of Festuca pratensis were harvested four times. Each year in the course of the experiment fresh and dry matter of each cut were weighed. Research Centre for Cultivar Testing in Słupia Wielka made those measurements available to be used in this paper.
Statistical analysis of the data was done using Statistica 6.0 -2001, with multifactorial analysis of variance. Tukey's test was used to find means that were significantly different from each other with level of significance p≤ 0,05.
Climatic conditions of the area where the experiment was carried out are typical for the 9th agricultural and climatic eastern part of Poland. The average annual air temperature varies from 6.7 to 6.9 °C and in the summer season the average 24 hour temperature is 15 °C. The growing season usually starts on 28 March, lasts till 30 October and is 200 to 220 days long [Radzka 2014]. The average climatic water balance during the time of the experiment varied considerably according to the period and location. Annual Symbols: 1p -good and very good permanent meadow, 5 -good quality rye soil; P -podsolic soil, PS -peaty soil, ls -loamy sand. rainfall ranges from 550 to 650 mm, with not frequent but recurrent rain. Water stress was mainly observed in spring while water deficit occurred in July [Radzka 2014].
During the time of the experiment weather data were provided by the Meteorological and Hydrological Stations in Krzyżew and Uhnin.
To determine temporal variation of meteorological parameters and their impact on plant growth Sielianinov's hydrothermal index was used [Bac et al. 1993] with the month's classification according to Skowera and Puła [2004]. As it can be seen from table 3 space-time distribution of annual rainfall varied. April was a month of water stress only in 2011 in Krzyżewo (K = 0.86), whereas in May water deficit was noted in Uhnin in 2012 (K = 0,84). Every year in June there was enough rain both in Krzyżewo and Uhnin (K between 1.06 and 2.12). July was either extremely wet (Krzyżewo 2011 K = 3,9, Uhnin K = 3,03) or dry (Krzyżewo and Uhnin 2013). However, on the whole both July and August were rather dry whereas September and October happened to be extremely dry one year each with Sielianinov's hydrothermal index more that 4 (Krzyżewo 2013 and Uhnin 2012).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
For all varieties and both locations during those three years when the experiment was done ( Table 4 and 5) the average annual yield of six cuts of Dactylis glomerata was 14.7 t·ha -1 of dry matter. In the case of Festuca pratensis the annual average yield in Krzyżewo (mineral soil) was 23.5% higher than in Uhnin (organic soil). Moreover, the statistical analysis proved that means of the main effect and interaction were significantly different.
The variety of Festuca pratensis with the highest yield of biomass was Amelka (16.3 t·ha -1 of dry matter) whereas Limosa gave the lowest yield of 14,8 t·ha -1 of dry matter. It is worth noting that the yields of Dactylis glomerata were not significantly different. Rutkowska and Lewicka [1991] as well as Kozłowski and Swędrzyński [1997] did not find significant differences in yield between varieties of Dactylis glomerata. The same publications say the average yield of Dactylis glomerata is much lower (between 8.51 and 9.60 t·ha -1 of dry matter). Observation of yields of Dactylis glomerata and Festuca pratensis in particular cuts (     3. During the two years of experiment the highest yield among Festuca pratensis varieties was noted for Amelka, whereas among varieties of Dactylis glomerata the yield was similar and differences were not statistically significant.