Siberian wildrye
Siberian wildrye (Elymus sibiricus) is a forage agricultural crop belonging to perennial grasses.
Also called Siberian lyme grass, lyme grass, crooked spike, and sand grass.
Economic importance
Siberian wildrye has become widespread in the phytomelioration of solonetzic soils in arid steppe regions of Siberia, where it is considered a good and reliable forage crop during severe droughts, as well as in early spring and late autumn.
In arid steppe conditions it produces one cut; in the forest-steppe zone, with sufficient moisture, it also produces an aftermath. In aftermath regrowth it surpasses crested wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, and smooth brome. Hay harvested at optimal times, i.e., from late booting to early heading, is of high quality and nutritive value.
100 kg of Siberian wildrye hay contains 61.3 feed units and 9.2 kg of digestible protein. 100 kg of green matter contains 28.7 feed units and 5.5 kg of digestible protein (VNII of Feed).
It can be used as a pasture crop in the early phases of growth and development. However, at heading it quickly becomes coarse, and the awns of mature plants can harm animals.
On solonetzic soils it is usually grown in mixture with alfalfa or sweet clover.
It occurs in natural phytocenoses, forming dense stands.
In agronomic terms, the sod layer following Siberian wildrye is not inferior to that following slender wheatgrass.
Cultivation areas
Cultivated in crop rotations in Siberia, the Far East, and Buryatia.
Yield
In terms of yield, it belongs to the highly productive grasses. The highest yield is obtained in the 2nd–3rd years of life. Hay yield reaches 2.5–4 t/ha and more.
In mixture with alfalfa and clover, hay yield is 3–4 t/ha.
In seed yield, it is one of the highest among grasses. Thus, at the Siberian Research Institute of Agriculture (SibNIIISKhoz), seed yield was 800–1200 kg/ha.
Botanical description
Siberian wildrye (Elymus sibiricus L.) is a perennial grass of the loose-tufted, tall-growing type.
The root system is fibrous and powerful. In the first year of life, roots penetrate the soil to a depth of up to 80 cm; in the second, up to 1.5 m. It branches strongly in the plow layer.
Stems at the base are geniculate-curved, hollow, smooth, cylindrical, 70–120 cm high, well and evenly leafy. The tuft is erect, closed at the base; from the middle the stems diverge, and the spikes are drooping. Leafiness in the first cut is 41%, in the second 52.7%.
Leaves are thin, rigid, rough on both sides, light-, gray- or blue-green, 25–50 cm long.
The inflorescence is an awned, arched, narrow, loose spike, 12–24 cm long, drooping at maturity. The awn of the upper floral scale is up to 1.5–2.5 cm long. At maturity, the spike and awns become very coarse, reducing hay quality.
The fruit is a large caryopsis covered with stiff hairs. The 1000-seed weight is 2.5–3.0 g. During threshing, seeds are retained inside the floral scales.
Biological characteristics
It is a xerophyte.
Frost resistance, winter hardiness, drought tolerance, and salt tolerance are high.
Seeds of Siberian wildrye begin to germinate at 4–6 °C.
It grows well on loamy, sandy loam, and sandy soils, floodplain and slope lands, and dry uplands.
Growth
Siberian wildrye can maintain high productivity for 5–7 years; with good management, up to 10 years.
In spring it regrows early and quickly; after cutting, also well. In mixture with perennial legumes it produces a good sod layer.
The development type is spring-winter.
Sowing
Usually sown under the cover of spring grain crops or without a cover crop. The seeds are awned, so sowing them without preliminary mechanical treatment is impossible. For pre-sowing preparation, seeds are passed through a clover huller or, in extreme cases, a silage cutter.
The seeding rate in pure stand without cover by broadcasting is 25 kg/ha, by row sowing 20 kg/ha; in grass mixtures where it is the only loose-tufted grass, 8–12 kg/ha; in mixtures with other loose-tufted grasses, 5–7 kg/ha.
Sowing depth is 1–3 cm.
Harvesting
Hay harvesting begins at the heading phase.
Seed stands are harvested by swathing or direct combining. Swathing begins at the wax ripeness phase, direct combining at the full ripeness phase of the seeds.
Varieties
Buryatsky (1998). The variety was bred by the Buryat Research Institute of Agriculture.
Alasny (1999). Bred by the Institute of Northern Meadow Management (Yakutia).
Mashuk (2000). Bred by the Penza Research Institute of Agriculture.
Amginsky (2002). Bred by the Yakut Research Institute of Agriculture.
References
1. Vavilov P. P., Gritsenko V. V., Kuznetsov V. S. et al. (1986). Crop Production. Ed. by Vavilov P. P. 5th ed., revised and enlarged. Moscow: Agropromizdat.
2. Kolomeichenko V. V. (2007). Crop Production/Textbook. Moscow: Agrobusinesscenter.
3. Niklyaev V. S. (2000). Fundamentals of Agricultural Production Technology. Agriculture and Crop Production. Moscow: Bylina.
