Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T18:32:33.595Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Long-term effects of fertilizers on herbage production: II. Chemical composition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. G. Heddle  and
P. Crooks
R. G. Heddle
Affiliation:
Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh
P. Crooks
Affiliation:
Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The effects of Nitro-chalk, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers on the chemical composition of grassland herbage and the removal of major plant nutrients have been traced over 14 years.

Without fertilizer N, but with adequate K, clover supplied a yearly average of up to 87 lb Nsol;acre. With an annual application of 348 lb N and adequate K, 237 lb of N was recovered annually.

Without applied P, herbage P concentration fell with time especially under heavy N treatment. When P was applied, herbage P concentration did not fall, irrespective of N treatment: K depressed P concentration irrespective of P application. Maximum removal of P occurred with annual applications of 348 lb N, 43 lb P and 280 lb K: at these rates gain and loss of P approximately balanced.

Herbage K concentration was greatly increased by K fertilizer. It was reduced by N when no K was applied but applying K counteracted this effect. Removal of K slightly exceeded the 280 lb of K applied when 348 lb N was also applied.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , December 1967 , pp. 433 - 441
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Castle, M. E. & Holmes, W. (1960). The intensive production of herbage for crop drying. VII. The effect of further continued massive applications of nitrogen with and without phosphate and potash on the yield of grassland herbage. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 55, 251–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heddle, R. G. (1967). Long-term effects of fertilizers on herbage production. Part 1. Yields and botanical composition. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 69, 425—31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reith, J. W. S., Inkson, R. H. C. et al. (1964). The effects of fertilizers on herbage production. Part 2. The effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on botanical and chemical composition. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 63, 209–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stewakt, A. B. & Holmes, W. (1953). Manuring of grassland. I. Some effects of heavy dressings of nitrogen on the mineral composition of grassland herbage. J. Sci. Fd Agric. 4, 401–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Widdowson, F. V., Penny, A. & Williams, R. J. B.(1966). An experiment measuring effects of N, P and K fertilizers on yield and N, P and K contents of grazed grass. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 67, 121–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar