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Returned Clippings and N Fertilization on Bahiagrass Herbage Production and Nitrogen and Organic Matter Contents of Soil 1
Author(s) -
Beaty E. R.,
Tan K. H.,
McCreery R. A.,
Edwards J. H.,
Stanley R. L.
Publication year - 1976
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/agronj1976.00021962006800020046x
Subject(s) - paspalum notatum , forage , agronomy , pasture , loam , nutrient , environmental science , grazing , soil fertility , organic matter , human fertilization , soil water , biology , soil science , ecology
Plot clipping has been the time honored method of evaluating forage fertility investigations. Evidence is available suggesting that clipping data are not predictive of nutrient needs of grazed pasture. The following research was conducted with the objective to observe the effect of returning herbage to pasture at various rates of N fertilization on herbage production, N and organic matter contents of soils. A field experiment in a completely randomized split plot design, employing three replications, was conducted in 1966 and 1967 with Pensacola bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum , Flugge) grown on a Eustis loamy sand at 4 N rates. None to 100% of the harvested and dried forage was returned to the plots. Increases in forage yield due to forage return ranged from non‐significant when no N was applied to considerable increases as indicated by the steeper regressions as N application increased. Over the 2 years, application of 84 kg/N/ha together with returning the forage produced as much forage as 168 kg/N/ha in combination with removing it. Returning the forage had minor influence on soil N and organic matter contents. Evidence obtained suggested that mineralization and availability of recycled nutrients to a sward is probably a long‐term affair when available N is low. N applications appeared to appreciably shorten the length of time required for returned forage to offer advantage to the sward. The evidence presented indicated that both high forage yields and maximum improvement of soil fertility in the Eustis soil could be achieved when 40 to 60% of the bahiagrass herbage were returned to the pasture accompanied by large application of N fertilizers.