Brome grass, otherwise called awnless brome, is a useful perennial plant that is actively used in agriculture. The perennial grows in forests, parks, and meadows. Farmers use fire to feed farm animals.
Another useful property bonfire refers to land areas— grass saturates the soil with nitrogen by absorbing carbon dioxide. At the same time, the plant does not require special care, has excellent resistance to drought, and therefore is very popular. Below we will talk in more detail about this crop, talk about the characteristics of rump, growing conditions, and preparation for animals.
The awnless brome has a powerful root system, so in natural conditions it grows in large colonies. You can find this grass from May to September-October in almost any field or meadow. The plant got its name because of the fluffy inflorescences that wave in the wind, like the flames of a fire.
The boneless bonfire has the following description:
- the stems are long with many leaves, their height reaches 1 meter;
- leaves are flat, rich green, slightly rough around the edges;
- in early spring and closer to mid-autumn, the leaves have a pale, yellowish color;
- the inflorescence is in the shape of a large panicle, grows up to 30 centimeters in length, and becomes spreading during the flowering period;
- Each spikelet produces about 7-8 flowers.
Due to obvious similarities in the vegetative propagation system, bromegrass is often mistaken for wheatgrass. Like wheatgrass, brome grass spreads quickly through the area thanks to its long roots that grow deep into the soil over time. But during the period of ripening of grass seeds, grass seeds differ significantly - wheatgrass has denser “panicles” that remain green (while the shoots of rump turn slightly red).
The brome also reproduces by the root method - new shoots begin to grow from the separated roots, then stems with petals appear. The peculiarity of this herb is that it has high tolerance to negative environmental changes:
- Frost resistance. The root system can be under a layer of snow without any fear, and even severe frosts in the region will not be able to destroy the plant.
- Active growth of awnless brome is observed with the first thaw - as soon as the snow melts, the soil warms up, and the first shoots begin to appear.
- The roots of the plant do not suffer even in the presence of floods - they go into a “waiting state”, in which they remain for two months. After the floods are eliminated, the grass quickly sprouts new shoots.
- The rump can be mowed many times; this does not affect further growth. It is thanks to this feature that the plant fell in love with farmers.
Every new season, a fire grows in the same place, regardless of weather and climate change. For example, during drought, grass does not suffer in the absence of watering precisely because the roots go deeper into the layers of soil.
Growing a awnless bonfire
Under natural conditions, bromegrass grows in loam and sandy loam, so you should not sow the crop in peaty soil with a high level of acidity. Saline soil is absolutely not suitable for growing crops - wheatgrass loves such soils, which will instantly displace the rump.
The plant has excellent drought resistance, but to obtain good harvest It is recommended to plant it near large rivers, various bodies of water, and marshy areas. Beginning farmers who are planning to grow forage grasses should familiarize themselves with some recommendations:
- prepare a level area with soil;
- the area should be fairly well ventilated from different sides;
- It is advisable to choose pastures plowed with a tractor for growing plants;
- The landing site should be illuminated by the sun.
The plant reproduces by seeds and vegetatively. You can choose any one, but the first option is considered less reliable - despite the fact that during the flowering season the rump forms great amount seeds, not all of them germinate. Some of the shoots die in the first weeks.
The plant reproduces vegetatively only in the fourth year, when root system gradually grows into the soil, forming many new plants. Despite the fact that a single type of plant is called rump, there are several varieties of it, slightly different in appearance - in the height and shape of the panicles.
The most famous varieties of rump, which are often sown:
- Dneprovsky.
- Poltavsky 30.
- Kozarovitsky.
- Vyshgorodsky.
Features of sowing rump:
- for 7-8 minutes before sowing, the seeds should be warmed with warm air;
- then the planting material is sprayed with agents to protect against fungi;
- sow grass in spring or autumn;
- when growing rump to obtain seeds, leave a distance of about 55 centimeters between the rows;
Usually, sowing of this grass begins after planting potatoes and corn. The first shoots begin to appear at the end of spring, and active flowering is observed closer to the beginning of summer. For 1 hectare it is supposed to use about 20 kilograms of seeds, but when sown in fertile soil this amount is significantly reduced - you can count on ten to twelve kilograms.
On average, the cost of one kilogram of rump seeds ranges from 100-120 rubles. Farmers usually make wholesale purchases of planting material, and it comes out 20-25% cheaper. Despite the possibility of savings, the purchase large quantity seeds involves significant expenses. Therefore, you should not sow more than one tithe of the entire pasture for the first season - on next year It will be possible to collect your own planting material in huge quantities.
The seeds are deepened into the soil by 5-6 cm. After which the wet soil will need to be rolled a little.
Important point! In order to get a large amount of grass, it is important not only to choose the right planting material. It is necessary to provide the plant with special nutrition. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to use nitrogen fertilizers; they significantly accelerate the growth of shoots. They should be added to the soil every 12 months, 45-48 kilograms per hectare.
It will be necessary to periodically remove small weeds from the area. The next season, the soil is processed with heavy harrows.
Collecting brome seeds
Often there are a large number of inflorescences on one stem of the fire - there is no need to remove them, and they do not interfere with the grass. When the spikelets of the brome turn brown, they begin collecting seeds, which is done with the help of people - they mow down the dry panicles with sickles. Large territories processed by combining.
The manual harvesting method is also used in large fields, but in the case of gradual maturation of the grass stands or when high humidity seeds (more than 40%). Rump is collected by hand in regions with a dry, persistently hot climate.
The use of direct combining is relevant for areas with sudden weather changes. Harvesting begins when the seed moisture content is about 30%. After harvesting, thoroughly dry the seeds (the time interval between harvesting and drying is usually about three hours). The seeds are stored in dark, dry rooms, then cleaned using specialized machines. After which they are stored for 7-8 months, and only then planted again.
The green mass that remains after harvesting is used immediately as animal feed or left for the winter - for hay. The remaining grass from the fields is removed at the end of the last month of summer.
Bonfire without bones: growing on pastures and harvesting
Burn grass is used as livestock feed both by making hay and by grazing pastures. Cows begin to be released into the fields from the moment of active growth of the stems until the first flowering, and a month before the end of the growing season of the plant, grazing of animals is completely stopped.
In most cases, bonfire grass is used to make hay for winter period, so it is recommended to mow it when the first inflorescences appear. During this period, the maximum protein content in green food is observed and there is practically no coarse fiber.
You can harvest the plant during the period of active flowering, but it is important not to miss the time when the grass contains a high percentage of useful components. Closer to autumn, fiber accumulates in the shoots, the cell membranes become rough, and such feed is considered less suitable for feeding livestock.
Animals are reluctant to consume it; in addition, feeding livestock with this hay can cause digestive upset.
Bonfire is an unpretentious grass, but it is recommended to mow it only at certain times of the year (otherwise the root system will be severely depleted).
The shoots of the crop appear quite quickly after sowing - within a month, but the territory can be used as pasture only after three years. It is during this time that the most dense turf is formed, and if cows or sheep trample it down ahead of time, the plant will quickly degenerate and die.
You should also follow important rules:
- You are allowed to mow the grass no more than 3-4 times during the entire season of active growth. The height of aboveground shoots should be about 6.5 centimeters, otherwise the plant will not be able to recover.
- Grasses are not mowed recent months autumn. This contributes to the deterioration of the photosynthesis process; the roots do not receive all the nutritional components and quickly dry out. Such negligence will lead to the fact that the next season the minimum number of shoots will grow and it will take several years to fully restore the entire colony.
- The crop grows comfortably in dry places, so you should not sow brome near swamps or groundwater– this contributes to the accumulation of excess moisture and rotting of the root system.
- Rump is often used for making hay, but farm animals prefer this grass in its fresh green form.
Herbs like rump were used for fattening livestock several centuries ago, as evidenced by scientific sources. Rump was widely used for feeding cattle and sheep, and many farmers still believe that it is difficult to find a more nutritious and healthier fodder grass than this one.
Therefore, breeders are working to develop new, more productive varieties of this valuable plant in order to achieve maximum yield, green mass and grass resistance to negative weather conditions.
Varieties of fodder fire
There are a large number of varieties of fodder brome grasses. There are more than 140 species of such plants in nature; farmers prefer to grow some of them.
Table 1. Common types of forage grasses
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Is perennial plant like other varieties. However, some of its subspecies grow only for 2 years. The shoots are medium-sized, growing about 90 cm in length. During active plant growth, a thick layer of turf is formed. This allows the root system not to die even if animals are grazing on pasture. The leaves are rough and flat. The flowering of this grass is observed in the last months of summer. |
| A plant with a powerful horse system. The roots grow 1.5-2 meters deep. The height of the shoots can be more than 1 meter. The leaves are small and smooth. The inflorescence consists of a large number of purple spikelets. |
| This grass also belongs to the category of perennials. The stems are quite tall, more than 140 cm. Compared to other varieties, a similar plant thin roots. The leaves are hairy, wide. The branches are quite long, growing more than 18 cm. Paniculate inflorescences consist of 7-8 flowers. |
Fodder fire grasses are of high value for Agriculture, since they contain an important component - protein, which is easily absorbed by the animal body. Sometimes different types of rump are planted for decorative purposes, for example, in forest belts or along highways or the banks of water bodies.
The maximum yield of brome grass is observed 24 months after planting. In general, the perennial grows in its natural environment for more than 15 years, but regular grazing of animals reduces this period by half. The average duration of grass growth on a pasture is 6-7 years.
Video - Methods for sowing perennial grasses
Family: cereals (Roaceae).
Motherland
Bromegrass is widespread in temperate climatic zone Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Form: perennial or annual herbaceous plant.
Description
Bromus (bromus) is a perennial or annual herbaceous plant. Height 30-120 cm. Perennial species form loose clumps, annual plants are densely bushy. Stems are erect, inflorescences are loose panicles various shapes. Bromegrass usually blooms in June-July. The fruit is a grain.
More than 150 species of this plant are known, about 30 are used in ornamental gardening.
Bonfire without bones (B. inermis). Perennial. A plant with a very elastic, long (up to 2 m), highly branched rhizome. Height 30-120 cm. Leaves are bare, flat, up to 1 cm wide. The length of the panicles is up to 15 cm. The spikelets are up to 3 cm long, each spikelet has 3-12 flowers, the color is purple.
Beneken's Bonfire (B. benekenii). Perennial. Height 60-120 cm. Leaves are green, rough, thin, flat, 0.5-1 cm wide. Panicles with drooping tops and long thin branches with 1-5 spikelets at the ends. The length of the panicle is 16-25 cm. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 3.5 cm long, each spikelet has 7-9 flowers.
Bieberstein's Bonfire (B. biebersteinii). Perennial. Height 40-100 cm. Creeping rhizome. The leaves are glaucous, bare, flat, 0.3-0.7 cm wide. The panicles are long with short branches. The shape of the spikelets is narrow-lanceolate, up to 3.5 cm long, each spikelet has 5-8 flowers.
Felt fire (B. tomentosus). Perennial. Height up to 80 cm. Stems are pubescent. The leaves are pubescent, grayish-green in color. The panicles are narrow, compressed, up to 18 cm long. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 3.5 cm long, each spikelet has 5-10 flowers.
Danton's Bonfire (B. danthoniae). Low-growing species, stem height up to 18 cm. Leaves are narrow, linear, flat. The panicles are compressed, short, with very short rough branches. Spikelets are lanceolate, up to 0.3 cm long, often violet shade.
Large bonfire (B. macrostachys). Homeland - Southern Europe. Height 40-60 cm. Panicles are loose. The spikelets are grayish-green, softly pubescent, narrow, large, up to 1.5 cm long. Blooms in July-August.
False rye bonfire (B. pseudosecalinus). Annual. Height 30-60 cm. Leaves up to 0.4 cm wide, pubescent. Panicles compressed, 5-10 cm long. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, each spikelet has 4-8 flowers.
Bonfire of Madrid (B. madritensis). Annual. Height 10-30 cm. Leaves up to 0.7 cm wide. The panicles are straight, with short, rough branches. Spikelets are 5-6 cm long, each spikelet has 5-12 flowers. Blooms in April-June.
Paniculata bonfire (B. scoparius). Height 20-60 cm. Leaves are softly pubescent, lanceolate in shape. The panicles are erect, with very short branches, oblong in shape. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 1.5 cm long, each spikelet has 6-12 flowers.
The fire is soft (V. mollis). It grows naturally in Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Annual or biennial. Height 15-60 cm. Panicles dense, 3-10 cm long. The spikelets are densely pubescent, with long hairs, up to 2 cm long.
Roof fire (B. tectorum). Homeland - Southern Europe. Annual. Height up to 60 cm. Stems are reddish in color. The leaves are finely pubescent. The panicles are drooping, dense, with thin branches. The shape of the spikelets is wedge-shaped, length 2-3 cm.
Cleansing bonfire (B. catharticus). Perennial, sometimes biennial. Height 40-80 cm. Forms dense turf. The leaves are rough or hairy, flat, 0.3-0.6 cm wide. The panicles are long (up to 20 cm) with thick, rough branches. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 3 cm long, each spikelet has 3-8 flowers. Blooms in July-August.
Motley fire (B. variegatus). Perennial. Height 25-70 cm. Leaves up to 0.5 cm wide, flat, green, glabrous. Panicles 5-11 cm long, compressed. The length of the spikelets is 2 cm, the color is violet-striped.
Field fire (B. arvensis). Homeland - Southern Europe. Annual. Height 30-80 cm. Leaves up to 0.6 cm wide, flat, pubescent. The panicles are widely spreading, with long, rough branches. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, each spikelet has 5-10 flowers, the color is purple.
The fire is straight (B. erectus). Perennial. Height 80-100 cm. Forms a dense, upright subshrub. The leaves are bright green, linear. The panicles are loose, 10-15 cm long. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, 2-4 cm long, each spikelet has 5-12 flowers, the color is purple.
Open fire (B. squarrosus). Annual or biennial. Height 10-70 cm. Forms loose turf. The leaves are narrow, linear, hairy, 0.2-0.4 cm wide, the panicle is spreading, one-sided, up to 10 cm long with long, drooping, rough branches. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 5 cm long, each spikelet has 8-12 flowers. Blooms in May-June.
Rye fire (B. secalinus). Homeland - Northern Europe. Annual. Spring plant. Height up to 1 m. Leaves up to 0.8 cm wide, glabrous. Panicles up to 16 cm long, loose, with long rough branches. The shape of the spikelets is ovoid, each spikelet has 3-10 flowers.
Siberian bonfire (B. sibiricus). Perennial. The leaves are bare, rough, green in color. Panicles drooping, up to 20 cm long, narrow. The length of the spikelets is 2.8 cm, each spikelet has 5-7 flowers, the color is purple. Blooms in July-August.
The fire is sterile (B. sterilis). Homeland - Europe. Annual or biennial. Height 50-70 cm. Leaves up to 0.4 cm wide, color from light green to purple. Panicles are loose, drooping. The spikelets are large, up to 2 cm long, each spikelet has 5-9 flowers.
Shaker-shaped bonfire (B. briziformis). Homeland - Transcaucasia, Iran. Annual. Winter plant. Height 15-80 cm. Stems branched from the base. Leaves are 0.2-0.5 cm wide. The panicles are large, loose, racemose, up to 10 cm long with long drooping branches. The spikelets are flat, large, up to 3 cm long, each spikelet has 10-20 flowers. Blooms in July-August.
Bonfire decorated (B. ornans). Perennial. Height up to 50 cm. Stems are covered with hairs. The leaves are up to 0.9 cm wide, flat, green, covered with hairs on both sides. Panicles up to 20 cm long, spikelets up to 3 cm long, each spikelet has 5-9 flowers. The color of the spikelets is purple-violet.
Cleaning fire (B. purgans, or kalmii). Perennial. Height up to 1.5 m. Thin rhizome. Leaves up to 1.8 cm wide. Panicles drooping. The length of the spikelets is about 4 cm, each spikelet has 3-8 flowers. Blooms in June-September.
Japanese bonfire (B. japonicus). Leaves are up to 0.4 cm wide, flat. The panicles are spreading, with long branches. The shape of the spikelets is lanceolate, up to 2 cm long, the spikelets are soft pubescent or glabrous.
Barley brome (B. hordeaceus). Homeland - Mediterranean. Annual. Height 50-60 cm. Stems are reddish in color. Panicles with long thin branches. The shape of the spikelets is narrow-lanceolate, up to 1.5 cm long, silver-green in color. Blooms in July-August.
Growing conditions
Bonfire is an extremely unpretentious cereal. Bromegrass is a cold-resistant and drought-resistant grass. Bromus is light-loving, but tolerates dark conditions well.
Bromegrass prefers fertile soils with moderate moisture, but will grow in other types of soil. The soft brome prefers poor, depleted sandy soils. It is on them that the grass of this species produces early, even fire.
Application
Bonfire is a herb used in various lawn mixtures. Tall species bromus and bromus with multi-colored panicles are perfect for decoration. They will look good in.
In floristry, bonfire is an herb used in arranging dry bouquets.
Care
Despite the fact that bromegrass is a drought-resistant grass, it needs watering in dry, hot weather. A bonfire growing on a rocky hill can be pruned, and then it will bloom again in the fall.
Reproduction
Bonfire grass seeds are sown directly into the ground. This is done in May (for perennials) or at the end of April (for annuals). Perennial species can be propagated by dividing the sod.
Diseases and pests
Bonfire grass is susceptible to fungal diseases.
Characteristics and biological features growing a awnless fire. Bonfire awnless is a perennial riding grass, a plant with straight, smooth stems up to 2 m high, with a root system penetrating into the soil to a depth of 2 meters. The root system is rhizomatous, capable of taking root at nodes, which allows the formation of new bushes. Winter hardiness and drought resistance are good. Withstands prolonged flooding.
Bonfire on floodplain lands produces very high hay yields. Does not tolerate acidic and highly compacted soils. It grows well on permeable soils of flooded meadows, as well as on loamy soils rich in humus and succeeds in solonetzes. In one place, a fire can grow from 8 to 12 years, and with the use of fertilizers on floodplain lands - up to 15-20 years.
Cultivation techniques. The seeding rate for row sowing is 16-18 kg, for wide-row sowing 10-11 kg per 1 ha, the fruits are dark gray, weighing 1000 brome seeds 3.5 g. Awnless brome seeds are not very free-flowing, so they are passed through a vegetable grater with rubber rubbing surfaces. After such additional work, the seeds can be sown with any seeders. The seeds of the awnless brome can be harvested using combines in a vase of fully ripe seeds or using a separate method. In the latter case, the plants are mowed in the phase of waxy seed ripeness.
The seeds are cleaned of foreign impurities, dried and stored.
Bonfire without assailant. The range is very wide - found in various countries Europe, Asia, America. On the territory of the USSR, the awnless bonfire is widespread throughout the European part, as well as in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Siberia. On Far East occurs as an alien plant. In the Moscow region. found in all areas.
Morphological description. Bonfire without awn is a perennial, long-rhizome (rhizomatous-bush, according to T.I. Serebryakova, 1971), polycarpic herbaceous plant. Mature plant represents a separate system of vegetative and non-vegetative partial bushes and a primary bush (plants of seed origin) or a system of partial bushes (plants of vegetative origin), within which continuity and morphophysiological integrity are maintained (Serebryakova 1971; Egorova, 1976).
At the beginning of development, a young plant has a germinal root and 1-2 adventitious germinal roots. Embryonic roots penetrate 20-30 cm under cultural conditions, and 10-15 cm in natural cenoses (Ovesnov, 1961; Egorova, 1976). During the development phase of the second green leaf, an adventitious root system begins to form at the base of the main shoot.
Intensive branching of adventitious roots begins when 4-6 green leaves appear. In natural cenoses, embryonic roots die off relatively quickly.
The roots of adult brome plants penetrate up to 2-2.25 m. According to S.P. Smelov (1947), deepening of the roots in the spring begins in the tillering phase and continues throughout the growing season. The bulk of the roots (75-94% of the total) in adult plants are formed by the time of fruiting and are located in the top layer of soil (0-10 cm).
The stem of the fruiting shoot is straight, smooth or pubescent, well leafy. Pubescence is sometimes observed only near the nodes. The height ranges from 30 to 100-134 cm. The main shoot forms 20-25 leaves (Chibrik, 1968).
The leaves are flat, less often slightly curled. Width leaf blades varies from 0.1 to 1.4 cm depending on the age of the plants and habitat conditions. The leaves are bare or have hairs on the upper side, rough along the edges and veins; vaginas are bare. The tongue is 1-2 mm long, dissected. The length of leaf blades in natural cenoses ranges from 4-6 to 40 cm.
The inflorescence is a panicle 10-15 cm long, oblong, straight with branchlets facing obliquely upward, extending 3-7 together; The spikelets are oblong-linear, 1.5-3 cm long and 3-5 mm wide, 5-12 flowers with a rough or pubescent stem, pale green or grayish-lilac. The glumes are bare, rough along the veins.
The caryopsis is oblong, broadly lanceolate, 9-12 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide and 0.75-1 mm high. It is densely surrounded by flower scales. The embryo is oval, basal, slightly curved, reaches 0.5 mm in diameter and 1.93 mm in length. It lies obliquely in relation to the endosperm, adjacent to it on one side.
Ontogenesis. Bonfire seeds can germinate within 5 days after flowering ends. However, the highest percentage of germination is found in freshly harvested seeds, 17 days after the end of flowering, when they have the greatest weight. The germination rate of freshly harvested seeds collected in natural cenoses ranges from 5-6 to 80-95%. The duration of post-harvest ripening of seeds collected from fire crops ranges from 1 to 3 months.
Brome seeds have the lowest viability among other cereals; after 3-5 years their germination rate drops to 40%. In floodplain cenoses (Volga and Kama floodplains) they have lower germination and an extended germination period compared to seeds collected in plant communities of watersheds (Markova, 1955; Ovesnov, 1961). Seeds of southern and steppe forms of brome, on the contrary, have shallow dormancy and germinate amicably and quickly in a wide temperature range.
Bonfire seeds (especially freshly harvested and immature ones) germinate better at variable temperatures and from a depth of 1-2 cm. Light inhibits their germination to a slight extent. They tolerate long stays under water (up to 24 days). They have high biological resistance during germination; dried at a temperature of 14-16° in the coleorhiza and embryonic root phase to an air-dry state during secondary germination after 30 days, they had 100% viability (Ovesnov, 1961; Filimonov, 1961).
The optimal soil moisture for germination of brome seeds is 40-60% of the total moisture capacity. Germination begins at 3-5° ( optimal temperature 18-30°). The swelling of the grain occurs within 24 hours.
Seed germination begins with coleorhiza, which breaks through the integument of the seed and fruit. The coleorhiza elongates by 1-2 mm, forms numerous hairs that firmly attach it to the substrate.
The duration of the period from the beginning of germination of the grain to the emergence of the coleoptile on the soil surface is 4-5 days. In approximately the same time, the first green leaf unfolds. The formation of the first secondary roots at the base of the stem part of the main shoot is timed to coincide with the deployment of the second, green leaf.
In the initial period of development of the main shoot of the fire, A. M. Ovesnov (1961) distinguishes the phases of coleorhiza, the main embryonic root, and the first green leaf. P.V. Lebedev (1968) in the same period of development of the main shoot distinguishes 3 phases of morphogenesis: the formation of an embryonic bud, the seedling - from the beginning of germination of the grain to the complete development of the first green leaf, shoot - young plant with the first unfolded sheet.
In natural cenoses, seedlings appear throughout the growing season. Seedlings that emerged in spring and autumn and were collected in mid-summer under conditions middle zone in the floodplain
Juvenile plants also represent the main shoot, but with a dead embryonic root system and intensively forming adventitious roots in the stem part of the main shoot, which by this time penetrate up to 10-15 cm deep. Root branching increases up to 2-3 orders of magnitude, the length of the main shoot increases up to 15-17 cm.
Immature plants initially represent a developing primary bush. At the end of the immature age state, the brome individual forms a system; consisting of primary and partial bushes (up to three orders). The plagiotropic part of the first rhizomatous shoots is small (2-4 cm), and therefore immature brome plants are quite compact.
Adult vegetative plants combine individuals of vegetative and seed origin. Individuals of seed origin consist of a primary bush and partial bushes, individuals of vegetative origin - from a system of partial bushes that arose as a result of vegetative propagation.
In natural cenoses, this is observed in the third or fourth year of life of the seed plant. On average, a seeded adult vegetative individual consists of 6-7 bushes, of which 2-3 are non-vegetative. Among the vegetating partial bushes there are 3-5 orders. Adult vegetative plants of vegetative origin consist of 4-5 partial bushes, among which 1-3 are non-vegetative. In natural cenoses, the development of brome plants of the pregenerative period is carried out in 3-5 years, and in cultural conditions - in one growing season at spring term sowing
Young generative plants can also be of seed and vegetative origin. Seed individuals consist of 7-9 bushes, of which 2-3 are non-vegetative. Among the vegetative ones there are partial bushes of the 1st-2nd (less often the 3rd) year of life. In the general shoot system of the plant, 4-5 orders of partial bushes can be traced. In a young generative plant, newly emerging partial bushes quickly move away from the mother bush in different directions due to a rather sharp increase in the plagiotropic part of the shoots compared to previous age states of plants of the pregenerative period. Young generative individuals of vegetative origin consist of 4-5 partial bushes, among them vegetative ones predominate.
Middle-aged generative plants reach maximum development. They are, as a rule, of vegetative origin, consisting of 5-7 partial bushes of 1-3 years of life. This age-related state is characterized by a high intensity of shoot formation. In partial bushes of the 1st year of life, up to three orders of shoots can be traced.
Old generative individuals have 3-4 non-vegetative and 1-3 vegetative partial bushes. Partial bushes of old generative plants are characterized by a reduced shoot-forming ability; the duration of shoot formation in them is reduced to 2 years. During this time, no more than 3-4 orders of shoots are formed in partial bushes. Among old generative plants there are often individuals that do not have partial bushes of the 1st year of life. The nature of shoot formation in partial bushes changes.
Subsenile individuals most often have one vegetative partial bush.
Senile plants of two categories. The first includes plants with. underdeveloped but elongated vegetative shoot; to the second - with one shoot in a rosette state. 1 partial bush grows in the 2nd year of life. The number of non-vegetating partial bushes can vary from 3 to 7. The length of the plagiotropic part of the shoots decreases sharply, and therefore the partial bushes are located close to each other (Egorova, 1976).
Seasonal development. The development of brome plants from seed in natural cenoses is possible throughout the growing season. However, a larger number of seedlings in the cenosis appears in the spring (in May - in the middle zone) and a smaller number in the summer-autumn growing season. Autumn seedlings, after overwintering in natural cenoses, form 5-7 green leaves by the end of May or in the first half of July, of which 2-3 are dead. In the underground sphere, they are characterized by a mixed root system. In the second half of the growing season they reach the next age state. Spring seedlings in the middle zone also transform into a juvenile state during the current growing season. However, in natural cenoses, up to 94% of seedlings die.
Adult seed plants of brome are formed by the main shoot arising from the embryonic bud, in the process of sympodial branching. Adult plants of vegetative origin are represented by a system of partial bushes resulting from the formation of a clone.
The annual renewal of the above-ground sphere of adult brome specimens occurs as a result of the formation of shoots from the axillary buds of renewal. Within the shoot system of brome plants, long-rhizome (hypogeogenic, diageotropic, plagiotropic), short-rhizome and orthotropic (intravaginal, apogeotropic) monocyclic shoots and winter-type shoots function.
Short-rhizome and orthotropic shoots are “intra-bush” and provide the vital activity of the partial and primary bush; long-rhizomatous shoots are “out-of-bush”. Moving a considerable distance from the maternal axis due to prolonged plagiotropic growth and emerging with their apex into the above-ground sphere, they give rise to new partial bushes.
The formation of the main shoot occurs from the bud of the embryo. The capacity of the embryonic bud is one cap leaf under the coleoptile (Knobloch, 1944; Serebryakova, 1959); the seedling bud capacity increases to three to five metamers (Lebedev, 1968). The growth point has the shape of a convex, it consists of a single-layer tunic and several rows of body cells. When the second assimilating leaf expands, the growth point of the main shoot increases by more than 2 times. Maximum size it reaches 2-4 unfurled green leaves. With the formation of elongated internodes on the main shoot, the size of the growing point gradually decreases (Lebedev et al., 1972),
During the formation of the main shoot, a change in the morphological structure of the apical meristem is observed, which is manifested in a change in its shape and size. From the emergence of seedlings to autumn tillering, the height of the growth cone increases by 11-22 times, the width (diameter) - by 9.5-23 times; the height of the growing point is 4-9 times, the width is 2-28 times.
The main shoot of the fire is orthotropic, elongated vegetative. Under cultural conditions, the tillering zone of the main shoot at spring sowing has 4-5 nodes and internodes with a length of 2-3 mm, in summer there are 6-8 nodes and a length of 5-6 mm.
The buds in the tillering zone of the main shoot differ in capacity and shape: 1-2 lower buds are round, obtuse, directed perpendicular to the axis of the shoot, i.e. horizontally to the soil surface. The formation of the tillering zone of the main shoot lasts 20-25 days. The elongated part of the main shoot is formed in 60-80 days. The first lateral bud of the main shoot begins to grow when the fifth green leaf unfolds (Chibrik, 1968).
The rate of leaf formation activity of the growth cone of the main shoot changes sharply during the growing season: at the beginning of development, the duration of the plastochron is 7-9 days, at the end of the growing season - 14. The average duration of the plastochron is 6 days (Lebedev, 1968).
Side shoots are formed from buds located in the axils of the leaves in the area of shortened internodes. The axillary bud has a greater number of leaf formations compared to the embryonic bud.
The capacity of a mature lateral closed bud is 7-10 ridges, and the open apical bud of a growing shoot is from 5-6 to 8-9 ridges (Lamp., 1952; Lebedev, 1968; Serebryakova, 1971). In the apical bud of the rhizomatous shoot, which remains underground for the winter, there are 8-10 ridges in the fall. The lateral buds located along the length of the plagiotropic part of the shoot have on average 3 primordia of lower leaves (Borisova, 1960).
Lateral buds are formed in the axil of the coleoptile and then in the axils of the overlying true green leaves in the zone of shortened internodes. They are also formed in the axils of green leaves in the zone of elongated internodes of the shoot, but here the lateral buds do not form completely and gradually degenerate. Lateral buds are also formed along the length of the plagiotropic part of the shoots. They are located on the upper and lower sides of the rhizome. The buds on the lower side are larger than those on the upper side.
The buds of the tillering zone develop into side shoots. Buds located in the zone of elongated internodes do not develop into shoots.
The first plagiotropic shoots in the tillering zone of the main shoot begin to form when 4-6 green leaves are deployed on it. The plagiotropic part of the first rhizomatous shoots is short (2-4 cm), and they soon become orthotropic. position. Starting from the 3rd-4th order of shoots, the length of the plagiotropic part of the shoots increases sharply.
In natural cenoses of brome plants of seed origin, the first generative shoots, as a rule, are shoots of the third and subsequent orders.
The stretching and segmentation of growth cones of future generative shoots begins in the autumn. The inflorescence is formed after overwintering. IN spring period in future generative shoots, after the development of 2-3 green leaves and the laying of 1-3 leaf primordia on the growth cone, an inflorescence begins to form (Serebryakov, 1952; Borisova, 1960).
The awnless brome is characterized by rather intense tillering, although the nature and intensity of tillering change significantly during ontogenesis. In natural cenoses, during the period of maximum development of individuals during the growing season, 2-3 orders of shoots are formed and in general there are up to 15 shoots in a partial bush .
As plants age, the growing season of a partial bush is reduced to 1-2 years. In a partial bush no more than 3 orders of shoots can be traced. New partial bushes (plagiotropic shoots) are not formed annually. The growth of plagiotropic shoots begins, as a rule, after the death of the mother shoot in the aerial part.
During ontogenesis, rhizomatous (rhizomatous-bush) and bush life forms can be formed.
The shoots of the fire are blooming in the Moscow region. at the end of June - beginning of July. Flowering can continue until September. Intense flowering is observed within two weeks from the moment of flowering. In rainy weather, flowering occurs later and extends over a longer period. In dry years, early flowering is observed, lasting no more than a week. The panicle blooms for 6-10 days. Flowering begins in the upper part and proceeds in the basipetal direction. Within the spikelet, the lower flowers bloom first and the flowering process spreads in the acropetal direction.
In spikelets, 1-2, sometimes 3-5 flowers open daily. Flowers open within 1.5-3 minutes. The growth rate of stamen filaments is -1--1.5 mm/min. Getting your own pollen onto the stigma of the same flower is impossible, since the opening of the anthers occurs after they are overturned and hang on the stamen filaments below the stigma. Blooms in the afternoon: between 15 and 20 hours. Mass opening of flowers from 16 to 17 hours.
Flowering is explosive and portioned.
Methods of reproduction and distribution. Bonfire propagation is carried out by seed and vegetative means. Individuals of the generative period, when they reach maximum branching and are characterized by the highest vitality, have the greatest potential for vegetative propagation. In natural cenoses, if brome individuals have a relatively high vitality, they can be renewed indefinitely for a long time and maintain a sufficiently high number mainly by vegetative means.
In culture, single-species populations of brome are significantly thinned out in the 2-5th year of life. The number falls, the shoot-forming ability is sharply reduced, and, consequently, the potential for vegetative propagation. The relatively rapid loss of fire in culture is associated primarily with the accumulation of upper layers soils of a large number of underground plant organs, which under these conditions slowly decompose.
In natural cenoses, seed propagation is of less importance for self-maintenance and renewal of brome cenopopulations, although there is a potential for this. According to our observations, in the Oka floodplain, the seed productivity of bonfire ranges from 23.8 to 144.5; the number of seeds per 1 m2 is from 114 to 18,000, depending on the abundance of fire in the cenosis and the vitality of individual plants. Of these, the number of viable seeds per 1 m2 is 105-16,700, but the number of seedlings in the cenosis is small: only a few specimens reach adulthood.
Ecology. The awnless brome is found in conditions ranging from meadow-steppe to damp-meadow moisture - 62-80 steps of the Ramensky scale. According to G. Ellenberg (Ellenberg, 1974), the bonfire is at level 4 of the moisture scale, i.e. it grows on dry and fresh soils. Particularly resistant to flooding (up to 40-53 days). The fire forms its maximum biomass at the optimal duration of flooding with hollow water (Khitrovo, 1967). It tolerates covering well with a sufficiently powerful fluff due to the ability to move renewal buds to the surface layers of the soil, for example, overlapping with sandy loam and sandy fluff with a thickness of 5-10 cm. It reacts negatively to the proximity of soil-groundwater, although the relationship to the groundwater level may vary depending on the mechanical composition of soils and fertilizer regime. It grows better on slightly acidic or neutral soils; it cannot grow in anaerobic conditions (Shlygina, 1926; Rabotnov, 1974).
The bonfire is demanding of lighting, and therefore grows better in open and lightly shaded places. G, Ellenberg (Ellenberg, 1974) places it between semi-light-loving and light-loving species (3rd level of the scale, at least 50% of full illumination).
It belongs to the group of highly frost-resistant plants; it does not freeze even in light and severe winters. Buds in the tillering zone are preserved at minus 46°, and during spring frosts - at minus 18°. Little resistant to ice crust (Kolosova, 1947; Rabotnov, 1974).
The brome is demanding on soil richness; it is found in greatest abundance on rich soils - 11-20 steps of the soil richness scale (Ramensky et al., 1956). Medium salt resistant.
Responsive to fertilization, especially nitrogen. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers also have a positive effect on the productivity of the fire. The influence is less clear potash fertilizers(Savitskaya, 1966; Rabotnov, 1974).
The awnless bonfire in the mountains is widespread up to the middle zone (2000-2800 m). In the subalpine zone it is found, as a rule, on open slopes (Larin et al., 1950; Bykov, 1960).
Phytocenology. Within its range, the bonfire often acts as a codominant and dominant in many natural cenoses of meadows and steppes. It constantly grows in fallow lands, in bushes, light forests, along ravines, especially where sediment deposits are well expressed. (Lyubarsky, 1968). In floodplain cenoses, the fire is often the dominant species and can form monodominant plant communities (Likhachev, 1959). This is most often observed in areas when increased doses of nitrogen fertilizers are applied and plant communities are used for haymaking.
The size of brome populations varies greatly depending on habitats and anthropogenic impact on plant communities. According to our data, in the studied cenoses the number of brome cenopopulations ranged from 4-5 to 105 individuals per 1 m2. According to the position of the species in the cenosis, the structure of age spectra, the vitality of individuals of individual age groups and cenopopulations as a whole change.
In plant communities where the brome occupies a dominant position, cenopopulations are characterized by a full age spectrum. The structure of the age spectrum is dominated by plants of the generative and post-generative periods; individuals of the pregenerative period are also represented quite fully with a maximum in the group of young vegetative plants, which is due to intensive vegetative propagation here. With a decrease in numbers, the age spectra continue to remain full, but subsenile and senile plants begin to predominate in their structure. The participation of plants in the generative and especially virginal periods decreases due to a decrease in the efficiency of vegetative propagation.
Meadow fescue, meadow foxtail, yellow alfalfa, mouse pea, and loosestrife have a fairly strong negative effect on fire.
Economic importance . Bonfire is a valuable forage plant, widely used in meadow farming and field grass sowing, as well as in the fight against soil erosion in ravine areas of the European part of the USSR and in mountainous regions.
Under cultural conditions, the bonfire produces the maximum yield in the second year of life; high biomass here is maintained for 2-5 years, depending on soil fertility.
Literature: Biological flora of the Moscow region. Vol. 5. Moscow University Publishing House, 1980
A very useful and perennial herb grows in the vast expanses of Russia. It is incredibly nutritious and very suitable for feeding livestock. But this type of grass is also capable of saturating the soil with nitrogen; it receives it from carbon dioxide, which is extinguished by the plant, and during the process of photosynthesis it turns into other substances.
Description of bonfire grass
Bromegrass is a well-known oat. You can meet her in wildlife anywhere. Most often, pay attention to such places of plant growth as:
- Roadsides.
- Sandy soils and sands.
- Fields and meadows.
This type of plant is called a weed. The root system of this perennial is very long and is capable of creating unique clumps of loose composition. Most often, this grass is used as feed for livestock. But there are varietal species that are often used by landscape designers.
The awnless bonfire belongs to the varieties herbaceous plants top root grass. It is worth noting that the stem can reach no more than 150 centimeters in height. The stem structure has a smooth texture and a dense leafy structure. A large number of fairly long shoots can be located on one stem. The leaves of the grass have a flat structure, their width is from 0.5 to 1 centimeter. The color of the foliage is a rich dark green hue. When it changes temperature regime The color of the foliage may change and fade a little.
The inflorescence of this herb has a paniculate structure. The length of the inflorescence itself reaches no more than 20 centimeters. The entire inflorescence consists of spikelets, and each of them does not exceed 3 centimeters in size. The color of the spikelets is purple on the lower part. They are also wrapped in a wide film. And the grains themselves, rich in nutritious vitamins and minerals, are covered with a large number of small hairs.
This forage grass It is considered to be blooming and this period does not last very long. The entire flowering time may directly depend on weather conditions. But nevertheless the most long flowering you will only be able to observe for 14 days. Take a closer look at these spikelets at those moments when the winds blow, you will see how beautifully the dense film that envelops the grains can shine. When illuminated, it produces a rich red color and is extremely reminiscent of a flame developing in the wind.
The root system is very developed and is capable of going deep into the soil by about 1.5–2 meters. It is thanks to the structure of its root system that the plant tolerates dry weather and hot sun. Even if the planted areas of this forage grass for a long time grow without precipitation, you can be sure that it will give excellent germination and a large harvest. If there is excessive precipitation, then standing in water for a long time will not harm your plantings.
In order to choose a place to sow a bromegrass plant, you need to decide what you plan to grow this grass for. But of course there are several general recommendations for growing. If you adhere to them, you can provide the plant with proper and proper care, and a good place for growth and development. So, for the excellent growth and development of such a plant as fodder grass, you will need:
- Flat area with soil.
- The area should be well ventilated on all sides.
- Without any other planted plants or weeds. It is best to take a plowed field with a tractor.
- The place should be well lit by the sun.
The chosen site for planting the grass should have nutritious and well-drained soil. Best suited for such purposes, of course, are soils with high content sand and clay. It is possible to plant this plant on dried peat soils. But what is important to note is that this grass will not grow and develop on salty soils. The soil should allow oxygen to pass through itself perfectly. And have a viscous structure. You should also not plant bonfire grass near a large amount of groundwater.
Grass should be planted in early spring. The last weeks of April are the best time to carry out this procedure. The main thing is to ensure that the soil where the plant will be sown is properly saturated with moisture. And sharpen it Special attention on the fact that this perennial is sown before May 10.
Planting occurs using two well-known methods:
- Bloodless method.
- Undercover method.
If you decide to plant Kostera using these methods, then it is best to place the planted plants next to crops that store moisture. The best ones for this are:
- Oats.
- Millet.
These plants are sown one after another. The norm is reduced by one third. This sowing method is not recommended if you want to collect seeds from that crop in the future. To collect seeds, it is best to choose a coverless planting method.
If you decide to grow grass for animal feed, then pay attention to these recommendations. Create row spacing of at least 20 centimeters from each other. To sow approximately a one-hectare field, you will need about 15–18 kilograms of seed. All plantings must have wide row spacing, otherwise germination and yield will be very low.
Despite the fact that the plant is very unpretentious, grazing must be done carefully and at a strictly designated time. This is necessary so that the root system of the plant does not die. The plant gains growth and develops well from the first year of sowing. But it is worth noting the fact that it is recommended to feed it to livestock only after the third year of life. This is due to the fact that it must form a good turf layer. If this is not done, then you risk being left without planting when releasing livestock to pasture. next year, they will be able to trample everything and destroy it. There are a number of rules for caring for the plant:
- This type of grass should be removed no more than three times during the entire season.. Please note that the shoots must be at least 60 millimeters in height. If this is not followed, your crops will not be able to recover.
- Do not bleed under any circumstances in the autumn.. Allowing such a process late autumn, you will disrupt the process of photosynthesis and, accordingly, the root system will not be able to deposit all the nutrients that should help the plant during the winter. And since the plant will not be able to overwinter, it will take a very long period of time to achieve good germination for the next season and, accordingly, your meadow will recover. Which is by no means acceptable if you sow it to feed livestock.
- Drought for this type of forage grass is not a negative factor for development. But, on the contrary, the occurrence of a large amount of groundwater can adversely affect it. Choose an area for this plant to grow where underwater water runs very deep in the soil. The extensively growing root system of the plant will provide it with good food and there will be no rotting.
- This variety of forage grass is very often used and prepared for feeding livestock in winter.. But please note that when harvesting in this way, the seeds that contain spikelets of grass begin to fall out when cut. Animals love the plant very much. fresh during growth. It is very nutritious and fortified for them. When eaten, it grows back very quickly and you can start enjoying it again.
Bonfires have long been used to feed livestock. According to the ancient records of our predecessors, it is clear that this grass has been highly valued as a fodder crop for many centuries. It was used to feed cows and sheep. Breeders are in the process of developing new varieties and species of this plant. They manage to develop even greater resistance to bad weather conditions and external factors.
Varieties of forage grass
Forage grass such as bromegrass has a huge number of varieties. Breeders count about 150 species of this plant. We will talk about the most common of them, which are also used for decorative purposes.
