Performance and environmental effects of forage production on sandy soils. II. Impact of defoliation system and nitrogen input on nitrate leaching losses

A field experiment was conducted over a 4‐year period to determine NO₃ leaching losses from grassland on a freely draining sandy soil. The experiment consisted of all combinations of five defoliation systems; cutting‐only (CO), rotational grazing (GO), mixed systems with one (MSI) or two silage cuts (MSII) plus subsequent rotational grazing, and simulated grazing (SG), four mineral nitrogen (N) application rates (0, 100, 200, and 300 kg N ha^?1 year^?1), and two slurry levels (0 and 20 m³ slurry ha^?1 year^?1). Due to the high N return by grazing animals, leaching losses in the rotational grazing systems generally were associated with NO₃‐N concentrations which exceeded the EU limit for drinking water. NO₃ leaching losses in a rotational grazing system could be reduced by lowering the N fertilizer intensity and the inclusion of one or two silage cuts in spring. However, even in the unfertilized mixed systems, N fixation by white clover exceeded the amounts of N removed via animal products, which resulted in NO₃‐N concentrations well above the EU limit for drinking water. In terms of leaching losses, the cutting‐only system was the most advantageous treatment. NO₃ leaching losses on grassland could be predicted by the amount of soil mineral N at the end of the growing season and by the N surplus calculated from N balances at the field scale. From the results obtained a revised nitrogen fertilization policy and a reduced grazing intensity by integrating silage cuts are suggested.     

The implications of controlling grazed sward height for the operation and productivity of upland sheep systems in the UK. 5. The effect of stocking rate and reduced levels of nitrogen fertilizer

The implications for UK upland sheep systems of reducing nitrogen fertilizer application to perennial ryegrass/white clover swards were studied over 3 years. Sward height (3·5–5·5 cm) was controlled for ewes with lambs until weaning using surplus pasture areas for silage; thereafter, ewes and weaned lambs were grazed on separate areas, and sward height was controlled by adjusting the size of the areas grazed and using surplus pasture areas for silage if necessary. Combinations from three stocking rates [10, 6 and 4 ewes ha⁻¹ on the total area (grazed and ensiled)] and four nitrogen fertilizer levels (150, 100, 50 and 0 kg ha⁻¹) provided six treatments that were replicated three times. Average white clover content was negatively correlated with level of nitrogen fertilizer. The proportion of white clover in the swards increased over the duration of the experiment. Control of sward height and the contribution from white clover resulted in similar levels of lamb liveweight gain on all treatments. All treatments provided adequate winter fodder as silage. It is concluded that the application of nitrogen fertilizer can be reduced or removed from upland sheep pastures without compromising individual animal performance provided that white clover content and sward height are maintained. Resting pastures from grazing by changing ensiled and grazed areas from year to year sustained white clover content over a 3-year period.     

秧草茎秆力学特性实验研究

秧草茎秆的力学特性是设计秧草收获机械收割装置的重要依据之一。为此,利用TA-XT2i物性测定仪对秧草茎秆的质量、抗剪切力和拉伸力进行了实验,通过实验得到秧草的平均质量为0.897g,秧草的平均高度为8.69cm,平均直径为0.946mm,平均抗拉应力为3.737MPa,平均抗剪应力为5.1MPa,并对直径大小与拉伸强度、剪切强度的变化规律之间的关系进行定性分析,可以指导秧草收获机械切割装置的设计。     

不同光照与水分条件下2种白三叶生长特性比较

为探究不同光照和水分条件对不同品种白三叶（Trifolium repens L.）生长特性的影响,本研究以TKPR和TNSP 2个白三叶品种为试验对象,通过温室控制设定了3个光照梯度和3个水分梯度共9个组合处理,分析了不同处理下白三叶形态、生物量积累、生物量分配比及其可塑性指标的响应特征。结果表明：品种TKPR各指标受光照强度影响较大,品种TNSP受水分强度、光照与水分交互作用的影响较大;品种TNSP的相对生长速率大于TKPR;在适宜的环境下品种TNSP的生物量积累高于品种TKPR;光照与水分的交互作用对品种TKPR的开花繁殖策略影响较大;在不利的环境下品种TKPR适应可塑性较强,TNSP较弱。本研究结果为培育白三叶的新品种和高效生产栽培管理等方面提供了一定的参考依据。     

白三叶草和多年生黑麦草根系间钾和钙的转移

设计并运用两段培养基方法研究了白三叶草和多年生黑麦草根系间钾和钙的转移.结果证实这2种牧草混生时,根系生长在一起,可以通过“根-根接触”和“外流-再吸收”等方式进行养分转移.介质中钾浓度为0.1mmol/L 时,2种牧草钾转移量差别不大;钾浓度为1.0mmol/L 时,白三叶草接受转移的钾高于多年生黑麦草.介质中钙浓度1.0～5.0mmol/L 时,白叶三草接受转移的钙量都高于多年生黑麦草.     

Effects of repeated clover undersowing,green manure ley and weed harrowing on weeds and yields in organic cereals

Abstract

Cover crops can be used to reduce leaching and erosion, introduce variability into crop rotation and fix nitrogen (N) for use by the main crops, less is however known about effects on weeds. The effects on weed seed bank, weed growth and grain yield of 4 years of annual undersown clover and ryegrass alone and in combination, and one of the 4 years with clover or clover + grass as green manure, were studied in oat and spring wheat at two experimental sites in south-eastern Norway. These treatments were compared with no undersown crop (control) and with weed harrowing. In contrast to many results in the literature, the undersown clover in this study did not suppress annual weeds, but fertilized the weeds as well as the cereals. Undersown clover resulted in a statistically significant increase of grain yield at the two sites to 116% and 121% of control. During the 4-year period relative seed bank and density of emerged weed (dominated by Spergula arvensis) increased significantly about 4.5 and 10 times respectively in the undersown clover plots at Apelsvoll. At Kise both ryegrass alone and ryegrass mixed with clover significantly suppressed the weed biomass to 70% and 74% of control respectively. It is concluded that fertilization effects of undersown clover may have dominated and overriden the competitive effects. One whole-season clover green manure did not increase the mean yield, but resulted in a significant drop in seed bank size the following year, because of limited weed establishment in an established ley. Only a slight increase in average weed biomass was observed at one of the two experimental sites. The weed seed bank and the weed biomass were essentially kept at steady state during the experimental period in harrowed plots, but harrowing decreased grain yield significantly at both sites.     

Residual nitrogen effects on a succeeding oat (Avena sativa L.) Crop of clover species and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) undersown in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of white clover (var. Milka and Donna), red clover (var. Fanny) and ryegrass (var. Tove) undersown in winter wheat on a succeeding oat crop. Under the climatic conditions prevailing in Sweden, growing a catch crop after winter cereals is of particular interest because the latter are usually followed by a spring sown crop, leaving the ground bare during autumn and winter. Field trials were carried out during three growing seasons in an integrated farming system and for one year in an organic farming system. Competition from the dense wheat crop in the integrated farming system had a negative effect on the undersown species, and at harvest of the wheat they showed quite poor growth in all three years, with nitrogen contents under 5 kg ha^?1. No significant yield increase was measured without added nitrogen when the averages for all three years were calculated. On average, the grain yields were improved by 750 kg ha^?1 (14% moisture content) for the treatments with undersown clover for all three years when 90 kg N ha^?1 were added. The experiment within the organic system showed a different pattern with a better development of the undersown clover species, with nitrogen contents approximately 25 kg ha^?1 and an improvement in oat grain yield, from around 2?000 kg ha^?1 for the control to almost 3?500 kg ha^?1 with clover undersown the previous year.     

Radiation-use efficiency in leys: influences of growth period and clover proportion

Abstract

Acquisition of carbohydrates and their partitioning to storage organs are decisive attributes for the persistence of perennial leys. It was therefore of interest to analyse radiation-use efficiency (RUE) and root allocation (b_r) in one-, two-, and three-year-old red clover–grass leys as functions of growth period (first and second growth, ley age), proportion of clover, and site properties (location, soil type, humus content). By calibrating RUE and b_r, the ley yields simulated with a growth model were adjusted to the values observed during two consecutive years at 33 organic farms located in the southern and the northwestern coastal regions of Finland. Driving variables of the simulations were daily measurements of weather. RUE declined from the first to the second growth and further with ley age, while its variability increased. The value of b_r decreased from the first to the second growth, and was positively correlated with RUE. The high variability of RUE between different sites, and the absence of correlations between site properties and RUE, were mainly attributable to differences in overwintering and regrowth conditions. Early measurements of above-ground biomass subsequent to overwintering and cutting, and the inclusion of site-specific measurements of soil properties would have increased the general validity of the calibrated parameter values. RUE correlated positively with proportion of clover. However, the increase of the proportion of clover from the first to the second growth was not strong enough to balance the concurrent decline of RUE. With increasing ley age there were two concurrent and reinforcing patterns, namely a decrease in proportion of clover and in RUE. Thus, both symbiotic N fixation and vigour of perennial red clover–grass leys declined with ley age. With regards to RUE, however, three-year-old leys were still productive.     

Pulp Fiber Residue and Supplemental Irrigation on Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Potato

ABSTRACT

Organic matter levels combined with drought periods during the growing season have adverse impacts on rain-fed potato production in coarse textured soils of eastern Canada. Using pulp fiber residues (PFR) may build up soil organic matter, improve crops yield and nutrient uptake, and reduce the need for supplemental irrigation in this region. A box experiment with 3 rates of PFR [0, 45, and 90 Mg ha^{? 1} dry mater carbon (C) basis] with or without supplementary drip irrigation was established in a sandy loam soil in New Brunswick, Canada. Red clover, barley, and potato were cultivated as three crops of the rotation in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively. The PFR only applied before red clover in fall 1998. Selected soil chemical and physical properties were measured before planting and after harvest. Crops yield and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) accumulation were determined at harvest. Soil organic-C content, bulk density and water holding capacity were improved by PFR application. Red clover and barley biomass production were significantly increased by PFR application. This effect was promoted by supplemental irrigation. Potato tuber yield was not affected by PFR and it was higher in rain-fed compared to supplementary irrigated system. Although, there was some initial evidence of N immobilization but generally PFR application increased N, P, and K bioavailability. This research has demonstrated that PFR can successfully be used as soil amendment in coarse textured soils without any adverse effect.