GRASSLAND RESEARCH ON BLANKET PEAT IN IRELAND

The results from 10 years of grassland research at the Peatland Experimental Station, Glenamoy, are summarized.
Grass and legume species were introduced by surface seeding, without cultivation or by direct seeding after rotavation, depending on the specific situation. The rate of establishment was dependent on pretreatment and the management of grazing animals before and after sowing.
The most suitable species were Trifolium repens, Lolium perenne, Festuca arumlinacea, Festuca rubra and Holcus lanatus .
A level of fertility suited to the introduced species must be reached initially and subsequently maintained. The requirements (per/ac) for Ca, P, K, N, Cu and Co were: 2240 lb (1016 kg) ground limestone, 36 lb (16 kg) P, 112 lb (51 kg) K, 20 lb (9 kg) N, 20 lb (9 kg) CuSO₄ and 2 lb (0–91 kg) CoSO₄ at sowing, with 27 lb (12–25 kg) P and 56 lb (254 kg) K annually.
Dry–matter yields of 6000 lb/ac (6720 kg/ha) were obtained from grass–clover swards without fertilizer N, and approximately twice this quantity where 400 lb N/ac (448 kg/ha) had been applied annually. A liveweight gain of 526 lb/ac (589–12 kg/ha) and a starch equivalent output of 2946 lb (3299–5 kg) were obtained with sheep. The relationship between these results and those on peat soils abroad are discussed.     

Improved seed development and germination of stenospermic grapes by plant growth regulators

Plant growth regulators were applied to the foliage and immature fruit clusters of the stenospermic grape selection ‘C35-33’ at various periods before bloom to stimulate viable seed development. In the 1987 season five different plant growth regulators were used, but in 1988 the growth retardants Cycocel and XE-1019 were used exclusively. Chemical treatments applied 35 days after bud break increased significantly germination percentage. Experimental results indicate that the use of certain plant growth regulators may aid in increasing the efficiency of seedless grape breeding by providing an alternative to in-ovulo embryo culture.