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Forage and Nitrogen Production by Subclover‐Grass and Nitrogen‐fertilized California Grassland 1
Author(s) -
Jones Milton B.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1967.00021962005900030001x
Subject(s) - agronomy , forage , biology , growing season , grassland , trifolium subterraneum , pasture
A 3‐year study was made with resident annual grasses and broadleaf herbs in 3 management systems and 8 fertility treatments. In a moisture‐deficient year (rains commencing late in November and ending in March), stands of subclover‐grass produced forage yields equivalent to those from California annual‐type grasslands fertilized with 45 to 90 kg N/ha. Uptake of N by subclover was equivalent to 90 to 179 kg N/ha in this dry year. In a moisture‐adequate year (rains commencing in early October and ending in May), subclover‐grass stands produced more forage than did resident grasslands fertilized with 179 kg N/ha. In this same year, uptake of N by subclover‐grass was about double that by grass fertilized with 179 kg N/ha. Nitrogen fertilization made its most valuable contribution to forage production during the winter period. Second and third year stands of subclover also increased production early in the season but made the greatest gains in April and May.