Nitrogen uptake of a perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture following strategic nitrogen fertiliser application during the cool seasons in the Western Cape province, South Africa
dc.contributor.author | Labuschagne J. | |
dc.contributor.author | Hardy M.B. | |
dc.contributor.author | Agenbag G.A. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2011-05-15T16:04:52Z | |
dc.date.available | 2011-05-15T16:04:52Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2009 | |
dc.description.abstract | The effect of four fertiliser nitrogen (N) levels (0, 50, 100 or 150 kg N ha-1) applied as a single dressing in either autumn (late April), early winter (early June), late winter (mid July), early spring (late August) or late spring (early October) on fertiliser N recovery by a perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture five weeks after fertiliser N application was investigated. Herbage N yield (kg N ha-1 uptake) was determined for the pasture from herbage N yield of the perennial ryegrass fraction and the clover fraction. Increased fertiliser N rate resulted in increased perennial ryegrass N yields. Perennial ryegrass N yields tend to be lowest during winter (early as well as late winter). Pasture N yield responses were similar to the perennial ryegrass N yields. Except in 2001, higher clover N yields (kg N ha-1) were recorded when no fertiliser N was applied compared to treatments that received fertiliser N. Clover N yields did not differ in the 50-150 kg N ha-1 range and would therefore not influence pasture N yield in that range. Although season of application influenced N yields the response pattern was not consistent among the years covered by the study. Calculating the apparent N recovery rate (difference between N removed in fertilised plots and control plots) can serve as an important tool to evaluate the efficiency achieved with fertiliser N application. More research is needed to develop N removal as a management tool to be used in strategic N fertilisation programmes. | |
dc.description.version | Article | |
dc.identifier.citation | African Journal of Range and Forage Science | |
dc.identifier.citation | 26 | |
dc.identifier.citation | 1 | |
dc.identifier.issn | 10220119 | |
dc.identifier.other | 10.2989/AJRFS.2009.26.1.5.700 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/12865 | |
dc.subject | Lolium perenne | |
dc.subject | Trifolium | |
dc.subject | Trifolium repens | |
dc.title | Nitrogen uptake of a perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture following strategic nitrogen fertiliser application during the cool seasons in the Western Cape province, South Africa | |
dc.type | Article |