Response of native pasture to nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer at Katherine, N.T

1962 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Phosphorus Content ◽  
Phosphate Fertilizer ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Ecological Implications ◽  
Significant Yield ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Phosphate Response ◽  
Applied Nitrogen

A factorial combination of three levels of nitrogen and three levels of phosphate fertilizer was imposed on native pasture at Katherine over three years from 1956 to 1959. The pasture was composed largely of Sorghum plumosum and Themeda australis. A marked interaction between fertilizers in total dry matter yield was recorded; significant yield increases were obtained only in the presence of both nutrients. Sorghum showed independent responses to nitrogen and phosphate. Themeda was favoured only by a balanced nutrient supply, and with nitrogen in the absence of applied phosphate or vice versa its yield was reduced. The mean nitrogen content of the pasture increased substantially only when nitrogen was applied without phosphate. Response in total nitrogen yield to applied nitrogen and phosphate was independent ; where both nutrients were applied the response was mainly in dg matter yield with little change in nitrogen content, and when only one nutrient was applied the reverse held. Mean phosphorus content increased with increasing level of applied phosphate and decreasing level of applied nitrogen ; the changes were largely independent between fertilizers. Total phosphorus yield increased with increasing level of applied phosphate but was little affected by the level of applied nitrogen. Recovery of nitrogen fertilizer was extremely low, ranging from 5-6 per cent in the absence of applied phosphate to 8-9 per cent at the highest level of phosphate. The practical and ecological implications of the results are discussed.

Laboratory estimates of the nutritive value of some herbaceous native legumes

1981 ◽  
Vol 21 (113) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
RDH Cohen ◽  
GPM Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Phosphorus Content ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
P Values ◽  
Calcium Magnesium ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Exotic Legumes ◽  
Soil Level

Forty-four accessions of herbaceous native legumes from the genera Glycine and Galactia were grown in a glasshouse in a soil-sand-nutrient mixture that contained adequate phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur and molybdenum for plant growth. They were grown as individual plants with four replications of each. All plants were cut to soil level on August 18; regrowth was cut on October 7, November 22 and December 30 (harvests 1,2 and 3). The herbage was dried and analysed for nitrogen (g N/kg OM), phosphorus (g P/kg OM) and organic matter digestibility (% OMD). There were significant differences between the accessions for values of dry matter yield (P<0.001), nitrogen content (P<0.01), phosphorus content (P<0.001) and OMD (P<0.05). The mean nitrogen content declined at each harvest (40.6,33.7 and 31.7 g N/kg OM, respectively; P<0.05) and OMD of the herbage at harvest 3 was less than that at 1 and 2 (70.4, 71.1 and 67.6%, respectively; P<0.05). Herbage from harvest 1 had significantly greater P values than that from harvests 2 and 3 (4.7,4.2 and 4.4 g P/kg OM; P< 0.05). Plant yield was correlated with both nitrogen yield (r = 0.98; P<0.001) and phosphorus yield (r = 0.93; P<0.01) but not with OMD. Nitrogen content and digestibility were correlated (r = 0.48; P<0.01) but neither attribute was significantly correlated with phosphorus content. Samples of native herbaceous legumes belonging to the genera Desmodium and Kennedia and of some exotic legumes were collected from a nursery and analysed for N, P and OMD. The N and P values of all these legumes were in the range 31.9-39.2 g N/kg OM and 3.0-4.1 g P/kg OM, and compared favourably with those of the legumes grown in the glasshouse. The OMD of the exotic legumes (range 61.3-85.2%) compared favourably with those of the native legumes grown in the glasshouse but the natives Desmodium spp. and Kennedia spp. (range 26.7-35.4%) were very much lower than the Glycine spp. and Galactia spp.

Effects of superphosphate application and cutting interval on native pastures in the Clarence Valley, New South Wales

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (94) ◽  
pp. 718 ◽  
Author(s):  
DL Garden ◽  
DR Brooks ◽  
J Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Phosphorus Content ◽  
New South ◽  
Dry Matter Yield ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Cutting Interval ◽  
Native Pastures

The effects of superphosphate rate (nil; 250 kg ha-l initial with 125 kg ha-1 maintenance; and 500 kg ha-1 initial with 250 kg ha-1 maintenance) and cutting interval (2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks) on dry matter yield, growth rate, botanical composition and chemical composition of native pastures on a sandstone soil in the Clarence Valley, New South Wales were studied over a period of three years. Mean annual dry matter yield of unfertilized native pasture was 990 kg ha-l and this was increased to 1322 kg ha-1 at the higher rate of superphosphate. Dry matter yield was depressed from 1587 to 647 kg ha-1 by decreasing cutting interval from 8 weeks to 2 weeks. Pasture growth was limited to the September to May period and 87 per cent of the total annual production occurred in summer and autumn. Maximum growth occurred in the February/March period, with 16.2 kg ha-1 day-1 being the maximum recorded for the unfertilized pasture and 19.9 kg ha-1 day-1 for pasture at the higher rate of superphosphate. Changes in botanical composition were neither large nor consistent. Phosphorus content of the native pasture averaged 0.12 per cent. Crude protein content averaged 7.4 per cent, with levels in standing herbage in winter-spring falling to 3 per cent. Phosphorus yield was 1.1 kg ha-1 year-1 and crude protein yield was 65.8 kg ha-1 year-1. Superphosphate increased phosphorus content and yield, and crude protein yield. Increasing cutting interval decreased phosphorus and crude protein contents but increased phosphorus and crude protein yields by its effect on dry matter yield. Maximum yields obtained were 3.3 kg ha-1 year-1 phosphorus and 100 kg ha-1 year-1 crude protein. It was concluded that the increases obtained would be insufficient to produce worthwhile improvements in animal production, and that an increase in the legume content of these pastures is required before this could occur.

Changes in characteristics of pastures in the coastal subtropics when grazed by cattle during years of low rainfall

1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (8) ◽  
pp. 813 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Hennessy ◽  
D. J. McLennan ◽  
P. J. Williamson ◽  
S. G. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Imperata Cylindrica ◽  
Major Species ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Organic Matter Digestibility ◽  
Improved Pasture

Summary. The effect of continuous grazing on pasture composition and quality was assessed on 2 pasture types in a subtropical environment. The pastures were native stocked at 1 cow/2.5 ha, and previously improved stocked at 1 cow/1.6 ha. In August 1990, carpet grass (Axonopus affinus) was the major species in both the native (49.8%) and improved (61.3%) pastures. However, the proportion of carpet grass decreased during the study to 33% in the native pasture and 30% in the improved pasture in February 1994. In the native pasture, blady grass (Imperata cylindrica) increased at the expense of carpet grass, whereas in the improved pasture higher quality grasses, and to a lesser extent Giant Parramatta grass (Sporobolus indicus), increased at the expense of carpet grass. Overall, dry matter on offer and green dry matter depended on rainfall and these peaked in late summer. Dry matter on offer differed between non-drought and drought periods in both pastures and was ≤3500 kg/ha in drought months in the native pasture and ≥3500 kg/ha in comparable months in the improved pasture. Green dry matter was higher in pastures towards the end of the summer growing season (83%, March 1992) and lower during many of the drought months (12%, May 1991). Grazing pressure (liveweight 0.75/t green dry matter) was highest in August, the crucial period for weed incursion. Organic matter digestibility was highest following rain in late spring (November 1990; 69%, improved pasture) but lowest in the absence of rain (November 1993; 38%, native pasture). The proportion of green dry matter in the native pasture was not related to organic matter digestibility nor to the nitrogen content of plucked pasture samples. However, in the improved pasture the proportion of green dry matter was related to organic matter digestibility on 3 occasions but not to nitrogen content.

Lotononis bainesii Baker — a legume for sub-tropical pastures

1961 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
WW Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Green Growth ◽  
Tropical Pastures ◽  
Heavy Grazing ◽  
Pasture Grasses ◽  
Virus Attack ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Perennial Legume

Lotononis bainesii is a prostrate, fine stemmed, small leaved, stoloniferous perennial legume, suitable for pasture mixtures in parts of the sub-tropics and tropics. It prefers moist, friable soils, on which it withstands heavy graying. It is highly palatable and non-toxic to stock and is frost tolerant but virus susceptible. Heavy grazing in late summer reduces virus attack and ensures green growth through the winter. Reproduction is by seed or by vegetative means. The species combines well with a number of pasture grasses. Yields of L. bainesii exceeding one ton of dry matter per acre have been obtained in mid-summer on grazed grass-legume mixtures, and yields of 1/4 ton per acre are common. The mean nitrogen content is approximately 2.9 per cent.

YIELD AND NITROGEN UPTAKE OF FORAGE SEEDINGS AS AFFECTED BY NITROGEN FERTILIZATION

1961 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 176-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Grant ◽  
C. S. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fixation ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Nitrogen Uptake ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilization ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
Significant Yield ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Nitrogen Treatment

Over 2 tons of dry matter per acre were obtained from pure seedings of timothy and of brome in the seeding year with an application of 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Nitrogen at 200 and 400 pounds per acre produced no further significant yield increase. In the second year, yields were significantly increased by each increment of nitrogen applied in the seeding year up to and including 400 pounds per acre with brome and 200 pounds per acre with timothy. Nitrogen content of grasses increased with each increment of nitrogen in the seeding year but this effect was not consistent in the second year. Over the 2-year period grasses recovered approximately 65 per cent of the applied nitrogen at the 100- and 200-pound levels and about 40 per cent at the 400-pound level.Red clover and alfalfa seeded in mixture with timothy and with brome were about equal in yield to grass alone plus 100 pounds of nitrogen in the seeding year and were much superior in the second year. Application of 100 pounds of nitrogen to grass-legume mixtures increased both yield and nitrogen content in the first cutting. In subsequent cuttings, total yield and legume fraction of the yield were often depressed by nitrogen treatment; exceptions were noted where legume stands were weak.Apparent nitrogen fixation by the legumes was consistently reduced by nitrogen treatment. Vigorous legume stands had an apparent nitrogen fixation of 60 pounds per acre in the seeding year and up to 200 pounds in the second year.

The nutritional value of four tropical grasses when fed as chaff and pellets to sheep

1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (32) ◽  
pp. 270 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Minson ◽  
R Milford
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Tropical Grasses ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Digitaria Decumbens ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Voluntary Intake ◽  
Nitrogen Contents

Pangola (Digitaria decumbens), kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum), setaria (Setaria sphacelata), and buffel grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris) were cut at different stages of growth and artificially dried to provide ten feeds with a range of leaf percentages (13-56), nitrogen contents (0.42-3.70 per cent), and acid detergent fibre percentage (26.3-43.3). Half of each cut was chaffed and the remainder pelleted. Both pellets and chaff were fed to Merino wethers in metabolism cages. Pelleting decreased the mean digestibility of dry matter by 6.8 percentage units, nitrogen by 2.2 percentage units, and ADF by 11.5 percentage units. Pelleting increased the mean voluntary intake by sheep 47 per cent for dry matter and 27 per cent for digestible dry matter with only minor differences in response to pelleting mature and young grass. The smallest increase from pelleting was 4.1 per cent for buffel grass containing 0.42 per cent N. In grass of the same age in which the nitrogen content had been increased to 0.75 by fertilizer nitrogen, pelleting increased intake by 26.6 per cent. It was concluded that with mature tropical grasses the response to pelleting may be limited by a low nitrogen content. Pelleting may be a useful technique for eliminating the effect of physical structure when studying factors affecting the voluntary intake of pasture plants.

Seasonal performance of beef cattle on native pasture at Katherine, N.T

1965 ◽  
Vol 5 (18) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJT Norman
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Effective Rainfall ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Seasonal Performance ◽  
Native Pasture ◽  
Weight Gains ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Gain And Loss

Nine years' data on the liveweight of beef cattle steers from 1 to 4 years of age carried on native pasture at Katherine, N.T., are summarized. Cattle began to gain weight at the start of the main flush of wet season pasture growth, following effective rainfall of two inches or more in the previous fortnight, on a mean date of November 27. Weight gains continued until shortly after the end of the wet season, on a mean date of May 23. Maximum rates of gain were reached in January, maximum rates of loss in November. The mean net annual liveweight gain was only 107 lb. Variation in rates of gain and loss throughout the pear were largely related to changes in the nitrogen content of the pasture.

Effects of stage of maturity, nitrogen application and swath thickness on the field drying of herbage to the hay stage

1982 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Wilman ◽  
I. G. Owen
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Initial Rate ◽  
Nitrogen Application ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Applied Nitrogen

SUMMARYHerbage from a grass-white clover sward was dried in the field to the hay stage (< 0·3 g moisture/g dry matter) at four times of year in 2 years comparing, in each case, all combinations of three stages of maturity, three levels of applied nitrogen and three thicknesses of swath; 35, 55 and 75 days' regrowth, 0, 75 and 150 kg N/ha and, on average, 220, 474 and 728 g herbage dry matter/m2 were compared.The least mature herbage had the highest moisture content at the time of cutting and dried most quickly at a given swath thickness, being slightly drier than the more mature herbage at the hay stage. At the cuts in late May-early June and late Juneearly July, when the crop was predominantly grass, the application of nitrogen increased both the moisture content at the time of cutting and the initial rate of drying at a given swatli thickness, so that in the middle and later stages of drying there was no effect of applied N on moisture content. At the cuts in early and late August, herbage from the plots that had received no applied N, which contained a substantial amount of white clover, had the highest moisture content at the time of cutting, dried fastest at a given swath thickness and had the lowest moisture content in the later stages of drying. In the very early stages of drying, herbage in a thin swath lost water much faster than herbage in a thick swath, but subsequently the rate of drying was consistently faster in a thick than in a thin swath so that, by the hay stage, herbage in a tick swath was at least as dry as herbage in a thin swath. There was almost no interaction between the different types, of treatment.Rain during the drying period had little or no effect on the nitrogen content of the crop, but reduced digestibility by about 9 units. Stage of maturity and swath thickness did not affect the extent of this reduction in digestibility.

Rock phosphate and superphosphate as sources of phosphorus for subterranean clover on an acid sandy soil

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (68) ◽  
pp. 358 ◽  
Author(s):  
AM Alston ◽  
KW Chin
Keyword(s):  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Rock Phosphate ◽  
Phosphorus Content ◽  
Phosphorus Uptake ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Residual Effect ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The Mean

Subterranean clover was grown on an acid sandy soil in a field experiment at Mount Compass, South Australia, where the mean annual rainfall is 837 mm. Rock phosphate and superphosphate were applied at 0 to 66 kg ha-1 P. Dry matter yields and phosphorus uptake by the clover and the phosphorus content of the soil were determined. At given levels of addition of phosphorus, rock phosphate was as effective as superphosphate in increasing dry matter yield and phosphorus uptake by the clover in the year of application. Rock phosphate also increased yield and uptake in subsequent years, but superphosphate had little residual effect. Leaching losses of phosphorus from the top 10 cm of soil during three and a half years were equal to 100 per cent and 80 per cent of that applied in superphosphate at 22 and 66 kg ha-1 P respectively. The corresponding losses where rock phosphate was applied were 80 per cent and 60 per cent. Most of the phosphorus leached from superphosphate was lost within two months of the application.

Ploidy and virus reaction in Physalis floridana RYDB.

1954 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 349 ◽  
Author(s):  
EM Hutton
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Leaf Roll ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Flowering Stage ◽  
The Third ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
The Mean

Diploid Physalis floridana has 24, and the induced autotetraploid 48 somatic chromosomes. The increased ploidy resulted in the usual increases in size of stomates, pollen, and seed, but in a decreased nitrogen content of the leaves. Dry matter production of the leaves and stems was 28.3 per cent, greater in the tetraploid than in the diploid. The percentage moisture content was not increased by tetraploidy. The increased ploidy did not affect the reaction to several mesophyll viruses, but resulted in a marked increase in the sensitivity to the phloem virus, leaf roll. Inoculation with leaf roll at the third true-leaf stage reduced the mean fresh weight per plant by 26.5 per cent. in the diploid, and 57.3 per cent. in the tetraploid. The greater sensitivity of the tetraploid followed inoculations at other growth stages, but, with both diploid and tetraploid P. floridana, the closer the plants were to the flowering stage at inoculation the less obvious the reaction.

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