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Validation of a critical nitrogen dilution curve for hybrid ryegrasses
Author(s) -
Sandaña Patricio,
Lobos Iris A.,
Pavez Paula B.,
Moscoso Cristian J.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/gfs.12405
Subject(s) - forage , human fertilization , dilution , agronomy , yield (engineering) , cultivar , biology , nitrogen , seeding , mathematics , zoology , chemistry , materials science , physics , organic chemistry , metallurgy , thermodynamics
One of the challenges of modern grassland systems is to minimize nitrogen (N) fertilization without negatively affecting the forage yield. Therefore, critical N dilution curves ( Nc = a c W − b ) have been developed in different species to improve N fertilization management. The aim of this study was to validate a critical N dilution curve for hybrid ryegrasses. Two field experiments were conducted in southern Chile. Treatments were the factorial combination of two hybrid ryegrasses (Shogun and Trojan cultivars) and seven N fertilization rates (0, 50, 100, 200, 350, 525 and 700 kg N/ha). Factors were arranged in a split‐plot design, where forage species were assigned to main plots and N rates to subplots that were randomized into four blocks. A wide range in forage yield and plant N concentration was observed (yield: 0.16 and 3.9 Mg DM/ha and N: 1.6% and 5.1%). The variations in these traits were principally explained by the N levels and harvest times. Relative yield responses of both cultivars were significantly ( p < 0.001 , R 2 = 0.81–0.87) related to the nitrogen nutrition index ( NNI ) calculated with different critical N dilution curves. However, the NNI calculated with N dilution curves from annual ryegrass best described the relative yield response of hybrid ryegrass. Therefore, this validated critical N dilution curve ( %N c = 4.1 W −0.38 ) will serve as a useful diagnosis tool for improving the N fertilization management of grazing systems for hybrid ryegrasses.