Voronezh 17 is a high-yielding brome without stem from the steppe ecotype, developed at the Voronezh Experimental Station for Perennial Grasses. It is distinguished by its winter hardiness and ability to maintain stability in swards for more than 5–8 years, making it an ideal choice for irrigated cultural pastures, ravine slopes, short-term inundated floodplains, and dry riverbeds with average and sufficient moisture. The variety withstands flooding for up to 20–25 days without loss of productivity.
Hay yield reaches 130–150 t/ha, and seeds – from 3 to 6 t/ha (in some years, yield up to 8 t/ha is possible). These figures confirm the high productivity and economic attractiveness of the variety. To achieve maximum efficiency, it is recommended to use a sowing rate of 12–16 kg/ha with a row spacing of 45 cm, which ensures optimal formation of the seed sward structure.
During studies, significant variability in green mass yield (from 14.3 to 30.3 t/ha) was noted, however, Voronezh 17 consistently demonstrates high productivity and protein content in plants. The variety combines all key economically valuable traits: growth height, foliage, green mass, and seed productivity, which makes it a valuable material for further breeding development of brome without stem under forest-steppe conditions.
