Herbage potassium levels in a permanent pasture under grazing |
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Authors: | J. R. B. TALLOWIN S. K. E. BROOKMAN |
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Affiliation: | Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, North Wyke, UK |
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Abstract: | Herbage potassium levels were measured in 1986 in a permanent pasture under continuous grazing with cattle and receiving 200 kg N ha−1. In April, before grazing started, K concentration in the herbage was relatively uniform across the pasture, with a value of 1·9 ± 0·038% K in the herbage dry matter. In July, a significantly lower concentration of herbage K was found in the grazed areas of the pasture (1·8 ± 0·10%) compared with the level (2·4 ± 0·088%) found in the rejected areas of the sward. The difference between the grazed and rejected areas was similar in September, with 1·6 ± 0·087% and 2·2 ± 0·172% K, respectively, in the herbage dry matter. This result suggests that herbage growth in the grazed areas might have been limited by K supply and highlights the need for more information on the K requirements of grazed grassland. |
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