ARNOLDO

Ryegrass (bent) – a perennial grass of the grass family, widely distributed in all extratropical regions of the world. The plant is characterized by thin, smooth shoots and narrow leaves up to 4 mm wide, green-matte on top and sometimes reddish at the base. The ears are complex: each large ear contains about ten small ears up to 10 cm long, flowering begins in June and continues until September.

Thanks to rapid regrowth after mowing or trampling, ryegrass is actively used as a forage crop. Livestock grazes on pastures sown with bent, and dried material is prepared for winter hay reserves. The grass is also valued as lawn and sports covering grass: it recovers quickly after stress, does not lose its decorative appearance, and can withstand frequent mowing (up to 3-5 times per season). Due to the powerful root system concentrated mainly in the upper soil layer up to 50 cm, the plant quickly "conquers" space, forming a dense cover.

As a cover crop, ryegrass increases soil fertility and improves its structure. It is frost-resistant but does not tolerate snowless winters. At an optimal temperature of 18-25 °C, it grows most actively, and at lower temperatures, it begins to germinate only at +2 °C. Due to high nutritional value and good digestibility, the obtained feed is widely used in animal husbandry, especially on pastures and for preparing feed reserves.