Research into properties of blue melilot and fenugreek cultivated using different sowing times
¹National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 15, Heroyiv Oborony Str., UA03041 Kyiv, Ukraine
²Institute of Potato Growing of NAAS of Ukraine, 22 Chkalov Str., Nemishaeve Vlg, Borodyanka Dist., UA07853 Kyiv Region, Ukraine
³National Scientific Centre, Institute of Agriculture of NAAS of Ukraine, 2b, Mashinobudivnikiv Str., Chabany vil., Kyiv-Svyatoshin Dist., UA08162, Kyiv Region, Ukraine
⁴Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Forestry and Engineering, 56 Kreutzwaldi Str., EE51006 Tartu, Estonia
*Correspondence: jyri.olt@emu.ee
Abstract:
The
paper presents the results of the research into the properties of blue melilot
(Melilotus caeruleus (L.) Desr.) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) with regard to the set of their economy-and-biology and biochemical
indices in relation to the dates of their sowing. It has been established that the two species under consideration
feature wide ranges of index variability depending on the sowing term and the
weather conditions. The earliest ripening terms have been recorded for species
in case of summer sowing dates (decade I of June), when short growing season
lengths of 36–37 days were observed. At the same time, in terms of heavy plant
herbage yield obtained from species in the green conveyor system, the early
spring (decades II–III of April) and late spring (decade I of May) sowing terms
are more suitable providing
a herbage yield of 5.7–6.9 t ha–1 in case of blue melilot
and 7.3–9.3 t ha–1 for fenugreek, with a solids content of
12.4–28.4%, total sugars of 2.5–5.0%
and vitamin C – 38.0–51.8 mg (100 g)-1. For the
purpose of obtaining the spice named ‘Greek hay’ (foenum Graecum), a better
choice is to cultivate fenugreek with early spring (decades II–III of
April) and late spring (decade I of May) sowing times, as in this case a
greater vegetation mass develops, resulting in a plant dry weight yield of 1.3–1.4 t ha–1.
An increase in the total precipitation by 1 mm has contributed to the
variation of the herbage yield within the range of 15.0 to 77.3 kg ha–1,
dry matter yield – 0.693 to 25.9 kg ha–1. High seed yield
has been noted in case of sowing the species in early spring (decades II–III of
April), where the seed yield of blue melilot was equal to 0.4 t ha-1,
fenugreek – 2.0 t ha‑1, their 1,000 seeds having a weight
of 0.71 and 9.7 g, respectively.
Key words:
blue melilot, fenugreek, herbage and dry weight, pod, sowing time, yield