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THE RENOVATION OF DOWNLAND PERMANENT PASTURE
Author(s) -
Norman M. J. T.,
Green J. O.
Publication year - 1957
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/j.1365-2494.1957.tb00089.x
Subject(s) - sowing , pasture , perennial plant , agronomy , grazing , nitrogen , dry matter , biology , lolium perenne , chemistry , organic chemistry
An experiment involving surface cultivations and seeding of poor downland permanent pasture, followed by controlled sheep grazing at two levels of nitrogen manuring, was conducted at Hurley, between 1951 and 1955. Two series of sowings were made. In 1952, establishment of spring‐sown perennial ryegrass was more successful than that of summer‐sown ryegrass, while in 1955 the reverse was true. Differences in establishment were attributed to the degree of competition from the original herbage and to soil moisture conditions. In spite of a relatively low establishment, development of perennial ryegrass on plots which received 5 cwt. Nitro‐Chalk per acre annually following the 1952 spring and summer sowings was satisfactory. Development of white clover was satisfactory only after spring sowing without nitrogen. Cocksfoot, timothy and meadow fescue failed to establish. On the area treated in 1952, first‐class pasture species (perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot and white clover) contributed, by 1955, nearly 60 per cent to sown plots receiving nitrogen, and approximately 40 per cent to sown plots without nitrogen. Without cultivations and sowing, the proportion of first‐class species was approximately 30 per cent at both levels of nitrogen. The mean increase in dry matter yield due to cultivations and sowing two and three years after treatment was 11 per cent, while the mean increase due to nitrogen was 30 per cent. Both nitrogen manuring and sowing increased the nitrogen content of the herbage and the proportion of total annual yield recorded in spring and autumn.