The influence of soil factors on the growth of a grass/clover sward on a restored opencast site in Northumberland, UK

The growth of grass and clover components in mixed swards on a site restored after opencast coal mining and an undisturbed control site were compared. Soil nitrogen supply was reduced at the restored site. This inhibited grass growth but was beneficial for the clover component.
Growth at the restored site was also inhibited by a compacted subsoil, which reduced available soil water content and impeded access to available soil water. This inhibited crop production from the middle of the second silage crop onwards. In 1989 this was associated with the soil at the restored site reaching permanent wilting point at 40cm. In 1990 this effect was associated with the restored site soil reaching permanent wilting point at 70cm. These drought effects reduced clover growing point population and stolon mass. Grass tiller populations were unaffected.     

Potential pasture production in the uplands of Wales

Only a very limited number of species, including red fescue (Festuca rubra) , perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne) , timothy (Phleum protense) and white clover (Trifolium repens) are considered as suitable for wet hill land. Detailed comparison of red fescue, perennial ryegrass and timothy on contrasting acid brown earth and stagnogley soils from 1966 to 1969 at Pant-y-dŵr Hill Centre (305 m OD) highlighted the advantages of red fescue in annual DM production and its more even distribution over a longer growing season but also indicated drawbacks of slow initial establishment and lower feed quality. In vitro DOMD of red fescue averaged 645 g kg⁻¹ over the year compared with 690 g kg⁻¹ for perennial ryegrass and timothy. Assessment of a narrow range of species under surface seeding conditions on a stagnogley soil from 1971 to 1975 confirmed the value of red fescue in DM production and persistence. The results are discussed in relation to the characteristics required in herbage species for hill land improvement.