title: The functioning of grassland communities, their species diversity, productivity and effective management in various environmental conditions.
reg no: SF0172615s03
project type: targeted financing
subject: 1.10-1.16. Bio-Geo Sciences
4. Agricultural Sciences
status: accepted
institution: Estonian Agricultural University
head of project: Rein Viiralt
duration: 01.01.2003 - 31.12.2007
description: The impact of the main ecological-economical factors on the phytoproduction of sown grasslands has been studied in the preceding experiments carried out in the Estonian Agricultural University. The main factors, influencing the amount of the yield and its quality were meteorological conditions; the productivity of the soil and fertilization; the species and their cultivars sown on the grassland; the age of the stand and its utilization system (the number and timing of cuts and grazings).
The planned research will be focused on the issues, which arising from previous studies and meet needs of practical grassland management: 1) the physiological and agro-ecological factors, influencing the winter resistance of herbage (the model species will be alfalfa and perennial ryegrass). 2); the key issues for introduction Estonia kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum) - a new long-term grassland plant (i.e. finding an efficient strain of Rhizobium for N fixation, optimum seed mixtures and methods of establishing swards); 3) the relationships between the species diversity of grassland and its productivity; 4) nutrient cycling in grassland. The productivity of intensive and organic pasture and their influence on the soil will be compared in a field experiment.
In summary, the results of the research enable to understand better the functioning of grassland communities and optimize their composition of species and phytoproduction. The usage of the results in practice makes it possible to reduce the variation in the yields of grassland and their quality for cattle in different years.

project group
no name institution position  
1.Volli GehermanEstonian Agricultural Universityteadur 
2.Alice JuhkamEstonian Agricultural Universitymagistrant 
3.Niina KabanenEstonian Agricultural Universityteadur/doktorant 
4.Tarmo KannikEstonian Agricultural Universitymagistrant 
5.Indrek KeresEstonian Agricultural Universityteadur/doktorant 
6.Merike KissaEstonian Agricultural Universityagronoom 
7.Malle KärnerEstonian Agricultural Universitydots./ teadur 
8.Toomas LaidnaEstonian Agricultural Universitylektor/doktorant 
9.Rein LillakEstonian Agricultural Universitydots./ teadur 
10.Astrid LinkeEstonian Agricultural Universityteadur 
11.Argaadi ParolEstonian Agricultural Universitydots./ teadur 
12.Kristjan PunaEstonian Agricultural Universitymagistrant 
13.Neidi PuurEstonian Agricultural Universitymagistrant 
14.Liivi RaagEstonian Agricultural Universityagronoom 
15.Henn RaaveEstonian Agricultural Universityteadur 
16.Are SelgeEstonian Agricultural Universitydots. 
17.Krista ToomEstonian Agricultural Universitymagistrant 
18.Rein ViiraltEstonian Agricultural University