NYMPH

Timothy grass (Phleum pratense), known under the name «NYMPH», – a tall-growing perennial grass of the grass family, widely used as a feed crop for grazing livestock. The plant is characterized by high nutritional value and resistance to cold climatic conditions: it acclimatizes well in various regions, including mountainous areas, but does not withstand arctic climate or desert conditions. Timothy grass is easily recognized by upright hollow stems ranging in height from 25 cm to 1.5 m, thin (1–3 mm in thickness) and with a characteristic slightly sweet taste. Leaves have an elongated oval shape, 3–8 mm wide and up to 40 cm long, colored in green-light-blue or gray-green shade.

The culture is characterized by a developed root system: creeping roots with short rhizomes penetrate deeply (up to 1.2 m), but the main mass is located in the plow layer. Vegetation begins at an average daily temperature above +5 °C and ends after flowering, which lasts 4–7 days starting from summer (June). Inflorescences are complex spikelets about 10 cm long, in which small seeds (fruits) about 2 mm in size are formed. Seeds mature in 90 days after regrowth and are spread by wind or animals.

Timothy grass «NYMPH» is distinguished by high dry matter yield – in tests in the Northwestern region, the average yield was about 30.8 c/ha. The culture is resistant to frost and hardy, but poorly tolerates prolonged dry periods or continuous rainfall. Full lighting is required for optimal growth: development of the grass slows down with a day length of less than 12 hours. As a feed crop, it is valued for its high nutritional value and ability to quickly recover after grazing, making it an indispensable element in agro-pastoral farming.