Sodium fertilizer application to pasture. 6. Effects of combined applications with sulphur on herbage production and chemical composition in the season of application

The effect of sulphur and sodium fertilizers on the response of a perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) sward was examined over 2 years. Sulphur fertilizer was applied as ammonium sulphate at 0 or 97·5 kg S ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and sodium fertilizer as sodium nitrate at 0 (nil), 31 (low), 62 (medium) or 94 (high) kg Na ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, with nitrogen input balanced across all treatments. Both sulphur and sodium increased herbage yield. Sodium fertilizer increased herbage sulphur concentration and sulphur fertilizer slightly increased herbage sodium concentration, but there were no major interactions between the two fertilizers on herbage yield or composition in the season of application. Sodium fertilizer increased dry-matter digestibility, water-soluble carbohydrate concentration and the live proportion of the herbage. Herbage sodium and magnesium concentrations were increased and potassium concentration decreased by sodium fertilizer. Sulphur fertilizer increased herbage dry-matter digestibility and water-soluble carbohydrate concentration. Sulphur and potassium concentrations were also increased and non-protein nitrogen, magnesium and phosphorus concentrations decreased in response to sulphur fertilizer. It is concluded that, although there was evidence of facilitation of sodium uptake by sulphur fertilizer and vice versa, this was not sufficient to produce synergistic effects on herbage growth in the season of application.     

Sodium fertilizer application to pasture. 5. Effects on herbage digestibility and mineral availability in sheep

The effects of feeding herbages fertilized with 0 (nil), 32 (low), 66 (medium) or 96 (high) kg of sodium per hectare per year to sheep on herbage digestibility and mineral availability were examined. Modified acid detergent fibre (MADF), ash, magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P) contents were increased by the application of sodium (Na) treatments, while potassium (K), sulphur (S) and true protein (TP) contents were reduced. Dry matter (DM) and MADF intakes were increased in the low and medium treatments and DM and MADF digestibility increased in all Na-treated herbages. The medium- and high-sodium treatments increased salivary Na content and Na/K ratio and decreased K content. Blood K content was not affected by treatment. Intake, faecal output, apparent availability, urinary output and balance of Na were increased by the application of Na treatments. Potassium intake, balance, apparent retention and urinary output were increased by the low, unaffected by the medium and reduced by the high sodium treatment. The low and medium Na treatments increased the intake and apparent availability of Mg; Mg balance and apparent retention were increased by all Na treatments. Feeding the Na-treated herbages increased intakes, apparent availability, balance and apparent retention of Ca, P and total cations.
The low and medium Na treatments increased S intake, faecal output and apparent retention. It is suggested that through increasing the balance and apparent retention of minerals, the application of sodium fertilizer to pasture will improve the mineral status of sheep, particularly at the low and medium application rates employed in this experiment.     

Sodium fertilizer application to pasture. 4. Effects on mineral uptake and the sodium and potassium status of steers

Mineral availability and status in body tissues was examined with four rumen-fistulated steers arranged in a Latin-square change-over design. The steers were fed perennial ryegrass herbage from a pasture fertilized with four Na treatments: 0 (Nil), 32 (Low), 66 (Medium) or 96 (High) kg Na ha^-1 yr^-1. Na fertilizer increased herbage contents and intakes of Na, Mg and Ca but did not affect intakes of K, P and S. Herbage K:Na and K:(Ca+Mg) decreased in direct proportion to the amount of Na fertilizer applied. With increasing dietary Na intake, the Na content of saliva increased and the K content decreased. There was an increase in Na and a reciprocal decrease in K contents of rumen fluid with increasing dietary Na. Blood plasma Na contents were greater when the Na-treated herbages were fed than in the Nil treatment. There was no effect of treatment on blood plasma K content. Increasing dietary Na increased urinary Na but did not affect urinary K. Faecal mineral concentrations of Na, Ca, P and S were increased by increasing dietary Na, whereas K content was reduced and the Mg content was unaffected. There was no difference between treatments in the proportion of mineral rapidly solubilized, except Na which increased with increasing dietary Na content. The fractional rate of degradation was greater for Na, K, and Mg than for Ca and P. Based on effective solubilization, minerals were ranked in the order K > (Mg = Na) > Ca > P, and treatments were in the order Medium > (High = Low) > Nil. Increasing Na intake increased Ca but not P or Mg availability and increased the uptake of all three minerals.     

The effects of rate and timing of application of fertilizer nitrogen in late summer on herbage mass and chemical composition of perennial ryegrass swards over the winter period in Northern Ireland

A small‐plot experiment was carried out in Northern Ireland on a predominantly perennial ryegrass sward over the period July 1993 to March 1994 to investigate the effect of timing and rate of fertilizer nitrogen (N) application on herbage mass and its chemical composition over the winter period. Eighty treatment combinations, involving four N fertilizer application dates (28 July, 9 and 30 August and 20 September 1993), four rates of N fertilizer (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N ha^?1) and five harvest dates (1 October, 1 November, 1 December 1993, 1 February and 1 March 1994), were replicated three times in a randomized block design experiment. N application increased herbage mass at each of the harvest dates, but in general there was a decrease in response to N with increasing rate of N and delay in time of application. Mean responses to N applications were 13·0, 11·5 and 9·5 kg DM kg^?1 N at 30, 60 and 90 kg N ha^?1 respectively. Delaying N application, which also reduced the length of the period of growth, reduced the mean response to N fertilizer from 14·3 to 7·4 kg DM kg^?1 N for N applied on 28 July and 20 September respectively. Increasing rate of N application increased the N concentration and reduced the dry‐matter (DM) content and water‐soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentration of the herbage but had little effect on the acid‐detergent fibre (ADF) concentration. Delaying N application increased N concentration and reduced DM content of the herbage. The effect of date of N application on WSC concentration varied between harvests. A decrease in herbage mass occurred from November onwards which was associated with a decrease in the proportion of live leaf and stem material and an increase in the proportion of dead material in the sward. It is concluded that there is considerable potential to increase the herbage mass available for autumn/early winter grazing by applying up to 60 kg N ha^?1 in early September.     

The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application on herbage yield of natural pastures

This study was carried out in a natural pasture in Van province of Turkey between the years of 2004 and 2005 to determine the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on herbage yield. The study was performed in randomized block with three replications. 0, 4, 8, 16 kg da(-1) nitrogen and 0, 6, 12 kg da(-1) phosphorus applications were examined. The effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer applications on plant height, green herbage and crude protein yield were significant for both years. Depending on the increasing nitrogen and phosphorus applications, significant increases were in green herbage, hay and crude protein yields. According to results, differences between 8 and 16 kg da(-1) doses of nitrogen and 6 and 12 kg da(-1) doses of phosphorus applications were insignificant. In the first year, in terms of nitrogen applications, the highest green herbage, hay and crude protein yield (1423.1, 263.3 and 29.2 kg da(-1)) were obtained from 8 kg N da(-1), in the second year, the highest values (1426.1, 602.7 and 67.8 kg da(-1)) were obtained from 16 kg N da(-1) application. As for the phosphorus applications, in the first year, the highest green herbage yield was 1142.2 kg da(-1) at the 6 kg P2O5/da application, hay and crude protein yields (218.2, 23.1 kg da(-1)) were recorded from 12 kg P2O5/da application. In the second year, the highest green herbage, hay and crude protein yields were (1335.8, 549.6 and 66.1 kg da(-1)) determined at the 12 kg P2O5/da application.     

Influence of cutting regime and fertilizer application on the botanical composition,yield and nutritive value of herbage of wet grasslands in Central Europe

The changes in dry matter (DM) yield, botanical composition and nutritive value of herbage to ruminants of two wet grasslands, Arrhenatherum elatius grassland (Experiment 1) and a Molinia caerulea fen meadow (Experiment 2), in which a range of cutting and fertilizer treatments were imposed in 1999, were assessed after 4–7 years of treatment imposition. Both experiments had a split‐plot design with four replicates. In Experiment 1 the three main‐plot cutting treatments were two cuts with a delayed first cut, three cuts and four cuts during the growing season of each year. In Experiment 2 the cutting treatments were two cuts with a traditional harvest time, two cuts with a delayed first cut and three cuts. The four sub‐plot fertilizer treatments were an unfertilized control, application of a phosphorus and potassium (PK) fertilizer, application of a nitrogen (N) and PK fertilizer to the first cut only (N₁PK) and application of PK plus N applied to each of two, three or four cuts (N_c PK). Application of fertilizer influenced yield and botanical composition of herbage more than the cutting treatments while the opposite occurred for nutritive value of the herbage. Application of fertilizer increased the proportion of tall grasses in Experiment 1 and forbs in Experiment 2. The proportion of Equisetum palustre, present only in Experiment 1, was reduced from 0·33 to less than 0·01 by increased cutting frequency together with the NPK fertilizer treatments. In Experiment 1 diversity of vascular plants was negatively affected only by the four‐cuts treatment while on both wet grasslands other cutting and fertilizer application treatments had no effect. Changes in DM yield of herbage caused by the cutting and fertilizer application treatments were similar for both vegetation types with DM yield increased significantly by fertilizer application but only slightly or not reduced by increasing the cutting frequency. Nutritive value of herbage was positively correlated with cutting frequency and was most influenced at the first cut.     

不同种类有机肥与钼肥配施对连作花生生长发育及产量、品质的影响

采用大田试验,研究增施有机肥和钼肥对连作花生生长发育及产量和品质的影响。结果表明,在合理施用氮磷钾肥基础上,增施有机肥和钼肥可以明显促进花生的生长发育和根瘤的形成,提高产量,改善品质性状。增施钼肥花生单株根瘤数增加4.8～9.5个,侧枝长和单株有效分枝数分别增加1.4～10.3cm、1.2～2.5条,产量提高6.3%～22.3%,植株钼积累量提高1.72～2.69倍。增施有机肥花生产量提高8.2%～15.0%,蛋白质和粗脂肪分别增加13.2%～27.9%和10.3%～20.4%,但不同有机肥间效果差异不显著。本试验最佳组合为：每公顷施饼肥1200 kg+钼肥播种。      

Sodium fertilizer application to pasture. 9. The effects of combined or separate applications of sodium and sulphur fertilizers on herbage composition and dairy cow production

An experiment was conducted to examine the response of herbage grazed by dairy cows to sodium fertilizer applied with or without sulphur fertilizer. The residual effects of applying sodium fertilizer in the previous year were also evaluated. The application of sodium or sulphur fertilizer did not affect herbage growth or height, but the application of sulphur fertilizer increased crude protein content of herbage. The increase in sodium content with application of sodium fertilizer was small, but was greater when sodium fertilizer had also been applied in the previous year. Herbage potassium was increased when sodium fertilizer was applied in the year of the experiment, but only if sodium had not been applied in the previous year. Application of sulphur fertilizer increased herbage sulphur content and reduced the contents of boron, chromium, molybdenum and nickel. Cows grazing pasture that had received sodium fertilizer had increased milk yields and the content of lactose in milk, whereas those grazing pasture that had received sulphur fertilizer application had reduced milk yields and the content of milk fat.     

Effects of continuous or rotational grazing of two perennial ryegrass varieties on the chemical composition of the herbage and the performance of finishing lambs

Plant breeding has developed perennial ryegrass varieties with increased concentrations of water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) compared with conventional varieties. Water‐soluble carbohydrates are major metabolic and storage components in ryegrass. Therefore, if perennial ryegrass herbage is allowed to grow to greater heights it should contain higher water‐soluble carbohydrates concentrations, for example as under rotational grazing rather than continuous grazing by livestock. This study investigated this hypothesis and measured the performance of lambs grazed rotationally and continuously. Replicated plots of the variety AberDart (bred to express high WSC concentrations) or the variety Fennema were grazed by a core group of ten male Cheviot lambs for 10 weeks. Lambs were weighed and replicate forage samples were taken every 7 d. Concentrations of WSC in AberDart herbage were significantly (P < 0·05), but not substantially, higher than those in Fennema herbage. Rotational grazing did not increase the differential in WSC concentration between the AberDart and Fennema varieties. However, there was a tendency (P = 0·07) for lambs rotationally grazing the AberDart swards to have a higher final live weight than lambs grazing the Fennema swards. Overall, lamb performance was increased when either perennial ryegrass variety was rotationally rather than continuously grazed (P < 0·001).     

Effects of fertilizer application to grasslands in Greece

Grasslands in Greece are composed of a large variety of plant species, but they have relatively low productivity due to their misuse by domestic animals for thousands of years, and also to soil and climatic factors. Fertilizer application can improve productivity by affecting herbage yield, botanical composition, earliness of spring growth and quality. The application of N and P generally alters species composition and increases dry matter and crude protein yields, while the addition of K is often not effective. Also, NP fertilizer increases the in vitro digestibility while N often decreases P, Ca, Mg and Zn contents of herbage. It appears that Greek grasslands cannot utilize as much N as their temperate counterparts and that their soils are usually deficient in P. This indicates that NP fertilizer is necessary to secure increased yields with P being important in achieving a balanced grass-legume composition in the plant cover.     

The size of the root system of tetraploid red clover and its relation to the chemical composition of the herbage produced

The size of the root system was measured by means of electrical capacitance in relation to the soil in field experiments with three varieties of tetraploid red clover over a period of 3 years. The root system was greatest in the first year, smaller in the second year and least in the third year. The plants that gave an above-average yield in any cut always had above average-sized root systems in the preceding period, but usually after cutting, the size of their root systems decreased, an effect which was accentuated by plants drying out. The plants that dried out during the experimental period always had below average-sized root systems in preceding periods. It was found in four cuts that the herbage dry matter of the plants with larger roots contained a smaller proportion of nitrogenous materials and ash, and more fibre, but the yield of all measured nutrients and elements increased. The ash of the herbage DM of these plants contained more potassium, calcium and magnesium. The quantity of mineral materials absorbed per unit of size of root systems was higher in the plants with larger root systems.     

生物菌肥对人参生长发育的影响

文以一年生人参为材料,研究三种生物菌肥不同剂量配比改良农田土壤对其生长发育的影响。结果表明：各种生物菌肥配用可提高人参各项生长发育指标．其中,可提高根重5％－17％,提高总皂苷含量6％－12．1％。     

Effects of harvesting perennial ryegrass at different levels of herbage mass on voluntary intake and in vivo digestibility in sheep

The production performance of herbage‐fed animals is affected by herbage voluntary dry‐matter intake (VDMI) and organic matter digestibility. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of herbage mass (HM) on in vivo herbage voluntary intake and digestibility in sheep. The three HM treatments were as follows: 1,100 kg dry matter (DM)/ha (low, L), 2,300 kg DM/ha (medium, M) and 3,700 kg DM/ha (high, H). The study was a Latin square design, repeated on two occasions in 2012: 24 May to 20 July (summer) and 21 July to 5 October (autumn). Twelve Texel wether sheep (individually housed) were offered fresh cut perennial ryegrass herbage for ad libitum consumption. Using the total faecal collection method, the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre was determined. In summer, L had a similar VDMI to M and both had a higher VDMI than H. In autumn, L had a higher VDMI than both M and H. For dry‐matter digestibility and organic matter digestibility, there was no significant difference between L and M, which were both higher than H. For every 1% increase in neutral detergent fibre digestibility, VDMI increased by 0.03 kg. In the zero‐grazing scenario examined, offering low (1,100 kg DM/ha) HM swards enabled animals to achieve high intakes of highly digestible herbage, which should ensure high animal production performance.     

不同施肥水平对甘蓝型黄籽油菜含油量的效应研究

采用4因素正交旋转组合设计,研究了氮、磷、钾、硼施用量对供试品种渝黄1号和GH06种子含油量的影响.结果表明:1) 氮、磷、钾、硼养分因子对含油量均有较大影响;2)施用氮肥有降低含油量的作用,而钾、硼肥有提高含油量的作用,增施磷肥在一定范围内可以提高含油量,超出适宜范围则会降低含油量; 3)氮、磷肥水平之间有较显著的互作效应,并与土壤本身的理化性状有关.     

Effects of different rates and timing of application of nitrogen as slurry and mineral fertilizer on yield of herbage and nitrate-leaching potential of a maize/Italian ryegrass cropping system in north-west Portugal

Efficient use of cattle-slurry to avoid nitrogen (N) leaching and other losses is important in designing intensive dairy systems to minimize pollution of air and water. The response in dry-matter (DM) yield of herbage and nitrate-leaching potential to different rates and timing of application of N as cattle slurry and/or mineral fertilizer in a double-cropping system producing maize ( Zea mays L.) silage and Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was investigated in north-west Portugal. Nine treatments with different rates and combinations of cattle slurry, and with or without mineral-N fertilizer, applied at sowing and as a top-dressing to both crops, were tested and measurements were made of DM yield of herbage, N concentration of herbage, uptake of N by herbage and amounts of residual soil nitrate-N to a depth of 1 m, in a 3-year experiment. Regression analysis showed that the application of 150 and 100 kg of available N ha⁻¹ to maize and Italian ryegrass, respectively, resulted in 0·95 of maximum DM yields of herbage and 0·90 of maximum N uptake by herbage. Residual amounts of nitrate-N in soil after maize ranged from 48 to 278 kg N ha⁻¹ with an exponential increase in response to the amount of N applied; there were higher values of nitrate-leaching potential when mineral-N fertilizer was applied. The results suggest that it is possible in highly productive maize/Italian ryegrass systems to obtain high DM yields of herbage for maize silage and Italian ryegrass herbage with minimal leaching losses by using slurry exclusively at annual rates of up to 250 kg available N ha⁻¹ (equivalent to 480 kg total N ha⁻¹) in three applications.     

常规施肥与钙肥不同加量对讷河市大豆产量的影响

通过3年7项次的大豆常规施肥与钙肥的不同加量的效果试验,研究了大豆施用钙肥的增产效果和效益。结果表明,适量增加钙肥的施用对大豆有明显的增产效果,其增产与效益表现为8kgCaO〉10kgCaO〉5ksCaO〉2kgCaO〉CK〉15kgCaO〉20kgCaO。     

Effects of field drainage on the growth of herbage and the liveweight gain of grazing beef cattle

A long-term field grazing experiment was begun in 1982 to examine the impact of efficient field drainage on herbage and animal production from swards on an impermeable clay loam in the south-west of England. Drained and undrained lysimeter plots (each of 1 ha) were established on the existing permanent sward and received annual applications of fertilizer N of 200 or 400 kg ha⁻¹. Similar plots were initially ploughed and reseeded with Lolium perenne (cv. Melle), and received fertilizer N at an annual rate of 400 kg ha⁻¹. All plots were continuously stocked by beef cattle and stock numbers were adjusted to maintain a constant sward height and to avoid poaching damage. Results for the first 5 years show that the benefits from drainage were modest and, for beef production, unlikely to pay for its costs over the shorter term. The main benefit was in spring when herbage dry matter yield was 11% greater on the drained plots, but with no significant interaction with fertilizer N level or sward type. This benefit was reduced to 3% on an annual basis, due to the effect of the larger soil water deficits sustained by the drained swards in mid-season. Drainage increased the annual liveweight gain per ha by the grazing cattle by 11%. Possible mechanisms accounting for these effects are discussed in relation to the influences of seasonal patterns of weather.     

The effect of timing and rate of potash application on the yield and herbage composition of grass grown for silage

Replicated field trials were carried out at 23 sites in England and Wales between 1986 and 1988 examining the response of first-cut grass silage to different levels of early winter- or spring applied potash on dry matter (DM) yield and herbage composition. Residual effects at the second cut were measured. In 1986/87 and 1987/88, the effect of additional potash at second cut was examined. Yield responses at first cut were measured at 13 sites (P<0·05). Optimum potash rates (K-opt) ranged from 0 to over 160 kg ha^?1, the highest rate tested. The mean rate of response up to K-opt at responsive sites was 10·4 kg DM (kg K₂O)^?1. Herbage K% increased with potash rate regardless of the requirement for maximum economic yield. Increasing potash rate reduced herbage Mg% by less than 0·020% which was less than the effect of soil Mg level. An increase of 50 mg 1^?1 in soil Mg (0-7·5 cm depth) increased herbage Mg by 0·034%. Early winter application of potash was generally as effective as spring application though it gave slightly lower herbage K and higher herbage Mg concentrations. Offtake of potash (K₂O) at first cut was on average 12 kg ha^?1 more from spring than from early winter application. Herbage analysis for N:K ratio was the best indicator of potash requirement. Regression analysis of the N:K ratio of herbage in control (nil potash) treatments against K-opt at first cut gave an r² value of 51·4% (***). For herbage total K%, r² was 39·7% (**) and for soil K (0-7·5 cm depth) it was 21·3% (*). Taking account of soil K below 7·5 cm depth was important at some sites, particularly those with a history of arable cropping and associated soil cultivation. Residual effects of a single early winter or spring application were measured, but additional potash applied for second cut was generally more effective. Optimum rates of potash for second cut were not determined.     

有机叶面肥的施用对铁观音茶品质的影响

以＂红芽铁观音＂品种为材料,研究叶面肥（天达2116细胞膜稳态剂、基因活化剂、6%核苷酸水剂、植物动力2003、6%甲壳素水剂）的喷施对铁观音茶品质的影响。结果表明：天达2116细胞膜稳态剂、基因活化剂对促进茶树腋芽分化和叶片增厚具有较好的效果,茶青品质显著提高,值得推广使用。     

Effects of straw retention and phosphorous fertilizer application on available phosphorus content in the soil solution during rice growth

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for proper rice growth, and available P in the soil solution is a direct source of P for rice uptake. In this study, a field experiment (experiment A: straw retention (SRT) treatment versus straw removal (SRM) treatment) exposed to 3 years of continuous SRT and a pot experiment (experiment B: five P levels; SRT and SRM treatments) with different concentrations of applied P fertilizer were conducted to study the effects of SRT and P fertilizer application on the available P concentration in the soil solution during rice growth and on rice yield. SRT decreased the available P concentration in the soil solution, although it did not alter the trend of available P concentration in the soil solution during plant growth. In addition, in the 10–20-day period after transplantation, the available P concentration in the soil solution was high, although it decreased thereafter. The available P concentration in the soil solution increased with the amount of applied P fertilizer, and the rice yield also increased with increasing applications of P fertilizer. The results of experiments A and B showed that SRT had no significant impact on the rice yield; however, continuous observations over a number of years are required to verify the results.