STUDIES OF RESPONSE TO FERTILIZER NITROGEN

The effects of 59, 118 or 177 kg N/ha were measured on 7 occasions from 8 to 57 days after application to a perennial ryegrass sward in terms of changes in composition. The first increase Dt of N significantly raised percentages of CP, non-protein N, K, P, Ca, Na and Mg and significantly depressed percentages of DM, OM and OM digestihility. The second increment of N resulted in a further rise in the percentages of CP, true protein, non-protein N, K, P, Ca, Na and Mg; the percentages of DM and OM were further depressed but OM digestihility was not significantly depressed. Percentages of P and Na showed increased responses for the more mature herbage; while percentage non-protein N showed a more marked response in younger herbage. As herbage matured percentages of OM and Na rose, the latter only from days 16 to 45. All other attributes showed falling percentages to levels which could be inadequate for a 500 kg dairy cow yielding 15 kg milk. CP percentage reached this critical level (1.4% N) at days 37, 45 or 56 given 59, 118 or 177 kg N/ha; P percentage became critically low (< 0.36%) at days 27, 35 or 38, respectively; Mg percentage fell to the critical level (0.12%) at days 23, 35 and 46. Na percentage showed the reverse trend, being deficient (< 0.13%) in the earliest samples and becoming satisfactory from days 23 or 27 at 118 and 177 kg N/ha but it remained inadequate at 59 kg N/ba.