Ways of increasing the productivity of 1 ha of arable land under fodder crops in the central zone of Belarus are discussed including the use of sequential cropping. Investigations were conducted to determine productivity and quality of various fodder mixtures at different harvest dates of cover crops, as well as compare the effectiveness of use of land under monoculture of fodder barley, sowing dates, soil cultivation methods, and nitrogen fertilizer doses used in oilseed radish and rape sown after barley harvest. Field trials were conducted with Pukhovchanka winter rye, Belotserkovskaya spring vetch, Lutch annual ryegrass, Erbgraf oat, Nemiga spring triticale, Syabra barley, Prygazhunya oiseed radish and Smak spring rape. Data are tabulated on dry matter content and protein yield obtained from various fodder mixtures used for oversowing in winter rye during 1995-98. Data are included on productivity of crop mixtures used for oversowing during 1996-98. The importance of choosing the optimal sowing date for increase of fodder yield using oilseed rape as an additional fodder crop after harvesting the main crop, i.e. barley, and the optimal soil cultivation method for growing of rape after barley is outlined. Data are tabulated on the effect of sowing dates, soil cultivation method and nitrogen doses on yield of oilseed radish and rape grown after barley. Data are included on qualitative parameters of green fodders produced in the multiple cropping systems. Data are tabulated on efficiency of energy use in intensive cropping systems in fodder crop monocultures.
