KARPATCI

KARPATCI is a variety of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), a perennial grass widely used in agriculture as a forage and grain crop.

The plant grows up to 80–90 cm. Leaves are narrow, dense, typically white-golden in color, while medium-sized seeds ensure high productivity: average seed yield within 200–250 kg/ha under optimal regional climatic conditions.

Key characteristics include disease resistance (low susceptibility to leaf blight and powdery mildew), thermotolerance from +5 °C to +25 °C, protein content of about 12–14 %, and good adaptation to soils with moderate fertility, preferring slightly acidic-spodzolic soils but capable of growing on clay soils as well.

In the Central region, average yield is 82.7 t/ha (average increase of 8.5% over the standard), maximum – 215.9 t/ha, and in the Volga-Vyatsky region – 71.4 t/ha (increase of 15.4%) and up to 328.6 t/ha respectively. Average dry matter yield is about 30%.

KARPATCI represents a reliable source of grain and forage, suitable for long-term agroforestry systems, and can also be used as ornamental grass with proper care.