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Accumulation of NO 3 and NH 4 in Reed Canarygrass 1
Author(s) -
Gomm F. B.
Publication year - 1979
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/agronj1979.00021962007100040026x
Subject(s) - phalaris arundinacea , agronomy , palatability , fertilizer , nitrogen , livestock , chemistry , biology , food science , ecology , wetland , organic chemistry
Recent investigations have shown that reed canarygrass ( Phalaris arundinacea L.) contains chemical compounds implicated with low palatability, reduced gains, and deaths in cattle. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of environmental variables on the accumulation of NO 3 in reed canarygrass. An understanding of the response of this species to its environment will aid in the management and culture of reed canarygrass for production of livestock. Reed canarygrass clones were grown in sand‐filled pots in a growth room under the following controlled conditions: temperature, 15 and 30 C; irradiance, 4.2 and 42.0 W/m 2 ; soil moisture, low medium, and saturated; fertilizer‐N, 0, 110, 220, and 440 kg/ha. The clones were cut from meadow sod where the soil, tentatively classified as Silvies series, was Fluventic and Cumulic Haplaquoll‐fine‐silty, mixed, mesic family. Herbage yields and accumulations of NH 4 ‐N and NO 3 ‐N at the end of three growing periods were evaluated. Increasing temperature from 15 to 30 C increased the rate of growth for plants receiving 42.0 W/m 2 . Yields were highest when plants were grown in saturated soil at 30 C with 42.0 W/m 2 and 440 kg N/ha. Concentrations of NH 4 and NO 3 were highest in plants grown in unsaturated soil at 30 C with 4.2 W/m 2 and 440 kg N/ha. When reed canarygrass was grown under these conditions, the NO 3 ‐N concentration increased to 2.43%, 10 times the level (0.21%) considered potentially toxic to livestock.