INTRODUCTION OF RUSSIAN ALFALFA VARIETIES IN MONGOLIAN FOREST STEPPE ZONE

Abstract

There are two of commercial varieties of alfalfa (Medicago varia Mart.) ‘Vega 87’ and ‘Nakhodka’ originated from Russia, it are cultivated for introducing in Mongolian climate and ecological condition. Growth development of those varieties required from 136 to 143 days between regrowth in spring and the seed mature in the autumn. Wintering rate was 92.6% in ‘Nakhodka’ and 88.5% in ‘Vega 87’ in the first year and increased by 5.8 and 7.3% in the second year, respectively. Green biomass and hay yield of ‘Nakhodka’ were higher than ‘Vega 87’ and average green biomass of two years in ‘Nakhodka’ was 13.5 t/ha and 10.9 t/ha in ‘Vega 87’, the hay yield was 5.4 t/ha in ‘Nakhodka’ and 3.6 t/ha in ‘Vega 87’ at flowering stage. Moreover, humus content, phosphorus, potassium content and texture were determined in the depth of 0–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm in control and alfalfa cultivated areas. Humus content ranged between 3.1–3.6% in the depth of alfalfa cultivated areas while 2.8% in control area in the depth of 0–20 cm and humus content was increased by 9.36–14.5% (in relative terms) in alfalfa cultivated areas compared to the control. Then phosphorus content was 4.93 mg/100 g in ‘Nakhodka’ cultivated area, 4.11 mg/100 g in ‘Vega 87’ cultivated area and 3.70 mg/100 g in control area in the depth of 0–10 cm. Potassium content was ranged between 23.4–23.9 mg/100 g in alfalfa cultivated areas while it was 20.6 mg/100 g in 0–10 cm of depth. According to the soil survey result, there is no difference in soil texture between treatments (alfalfa cultivated areas and control area), but humus content and content of phosphorus, potassium had increased in alfalfa cultivated areas.