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Seasonal changes in herbage production and soil phosphorus contents in Japanese lawngrass ( Zoysia japonica Steud.) and tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pastures
Author(s) -
Kaneko Makoto,
Kurokawa Yuzo,
Tanaka Haruo,
Suzuki Sohzoh,
Itabashi Hisao
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
grassland science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.388
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1744-697X
pISSN - 1744-6961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-697x.2008.00100.x
Subject(s) - pasture , festuca arundinacea , agronomy , phosphorus , plough , grazing , festuca , soil water , environmental science , chemistry , poaceae , biology , soil science , organic chemistry
Seasonal changes in the above‐ground phosphorus (P), soil total P (TP), soil Olsen P (OP) and soil microbial biomass P (MBP) were investigated for 2 years in Japanese lawngrass (Zy) and tall fescue (Tf) pastures on Japanese Andosol, with the goal of clarifying P characteristics in the Zy pasture in comparison with the Tf pasture. The soil P attributes were measured in two soil layers (root mat layer, 0–2.5 cm depth; under layer, 5–10 cm depth). The P concentration of the above‐ground herbage in the Zy pasture, which was higher than the standard value and similar to those in the Tf pasture, might have contributed to the large amounts of the above‐ground P mass. The lack of plowing management and the coverage with Japanese lawngrass might have changed soil TP. The TP, the OP and the OP/TP in the Zy pasture were higher than those in the Tf pasture, and the TP, the OP and the OP/TP at the root mat layer were higher than those at the under layer. A large amount of the TP and high P availability in the soil caused the large amounts of OP. Soil pH, soil microorganisms and MBP might have affected soil P availability in the Zy pasture. Plant litter in the root mat layer of the Zy pasture may have increased soil P accumulation and its availability, which might be reasons for the high P uptake in the present study. Japanese lawngrass pasture may be a system with improved soil P utilization efficiency based on P cycling.