Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T02:28:41.406Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An experiment begun in 1958 measuring effects of N, P and K fertilizers on yield and N, P and K contents of grass:1. Effects during 1964–7

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. Penny ,
F. V. Widdowson  and
R. J. B. Williams
A. Penny
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts.
F. V. Widdowson
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts.
R. J. B. Williams
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effects of N, P and K fertilizers on the yield and N, P and K contents of grass cut for conservation, measured during 1958–63, were again measured during 1964–7. Grass given 38 kg N/ha per cut needed 31 kg K/ha per cut for full yield, grass given 75 or 113 kg N/ha per cut needed twice as much K. With sufficient K, at least 75 kg N/ha per cut was justified. The grass responded little to P.

Percentage N in the grass, though greatly increased by N fertilizer, was little altered by K fertilizer. Percentage K, whilst greatly increased by K fertilizer, was decreased by N unless 62 kg K/ha per cut also was given. Percentage P in the grass was little increased by P fertilizer.

Exchangeable K in the surface soil (0–20 cm) was maintained with time where the grass was given either 38 kg N plus 31 kg K or 75 kg N plus 62 kg K/ha per cut, corresponding to an N:K ratio of 1:0·82. Percentage K in the grass decreased with time throughout. Whereas a N:K ratio of 1:1·66 best maintained % K in grass during 1958–63 it was no better than an N:K ratio of 1:0·82 during 1964–7.

Although exchangeable Mg in the surface soil decreased markedly between 1958 and 1967 (Mg fertilizer was not applied), % Mg in the grass did not. Mg in the grass was increased by N, but decreased by K fertilizer, and exceeded 0·2% (in dry matter) only in 1967 and then only where 75 or 113 kg N/ha per cut was applied.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 95 , Issue 3 , December 1980 , pp. 575 - 582
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anslow, R. C. & Green, J. O. (1967). The seasonal growth of pasture grasses. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 68, 109–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bremner, J. M. (1960). Determination of nitrogen in soil by the Kjeldahl method. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 55, 11–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fogg, D. N. & Wilkinson, N. T. (1958). The colorimetrio determination of phosphorus. Analyst, London 83, 406–414.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Metson, A. J. (1956). Methods of chemical analysis for soil survey samples. New Zealand Soil Bureau Bulletin, No. 12.Google Scholar
Murphy, J. & Riley, J. P. (1962). A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analytica Chimica Acta 27, 31–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olsen, S. R., Cole, C. V., Watanabe, F. S. & Dean, L. A. (1954). Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. United States Department of Agriculture, Circular No. 939, 19 pp.Google Scholar
Penny, A. & Widdowson, F. V. (1980). An experiment begun in 1958 measuring effects of N, P and K fertilizers on yield and N, P and K contents of grass. 2. Residual effects on arable crops, 1968–76. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 95, 583–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reith, J. W. S., Inkson, R. H. E., Stewart, A. B., Holmes, W., Maclusky, D. S., Reid, D., Heddle, R. G., Clouston, D. & Copeman, G. J. F. (1961). The effects of fertilizers on herbage production. I. The effects of nitrogen, phosphate and potash on yield. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 56, 17–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, R. O. & Ure, A. M. (1958). The determination of magnesium in solution by direct photometry. Analyst, London 83, 561–570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Truog, E. & Meyer, A. H. (1929). Improvements in the Denigès colorimetric method for phosphorus and arsenic. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (Analytical Edition) 1, 136–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Varley, J. A. (1966). Automatic methods for the determination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in plant materials. Analyst, London 91, 119–126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Widdowson, F. V., Penny, A. & Williams, R. J. B. (1965). An experiment measuring effects of N, P and K fertilizers on yield and N, P and K contents of grass. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 64, 93–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar