Field experiments were conducted at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture's Vezaiciai Branch during the period 2002-2006 and were designed to ascertain the effects of phytomass of different legume pre-crops used for green manure on the productivity of cereal agrocenoses. It was found that the greatest amounts of plant residues were left in the soil by variously-managed lucerne (20.8 and 18.6 t ha(-1)) and red clover (14.3 t ha(-1)). With lucerne, the soil received 303.6, 271.2 and 236.2 kg ha(-1) of nitrogen (N), 74.0, 62.5 and 59.3 kg ha(-1) of phosphorus (P2O5), and 199.9, 173.5 and 167.8 kg ha(-1) of potassium (K2O). With mineralization of legume residues, gradually released nitrogen exerted a positive effect on the yield forming elements of winter cereals. Red clover determined more favourable soil conditions for the development of winter rye, while white clover and lucerne - for winter triticale. Winter triticale and rye yielded best after lucerne, when its aftermath had been ploughed in as green manure. This practice of cereal cultivation (without mineral fertilisers and farmyard manure) resulted in the highest (on average 2.94 t ha(-1)) grain yield or 35% higher compared with that after red or white clover. The highest metabolizable energy content accumulated suggests that the potential of perennial grasses was best exploited by rye.
