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Some effects of the inclusion of leys in a six-course rotation on light land

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

F. Hanley
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge
W. J. Ridgman
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge
E. J. Allen
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Cambridge

Summary

An experiment comparing six-course rotations which included 1-, 2- and 3-year leys of pure grass, pure legume and grass/legume mixture is described, and the results from the fifth and sixth phases of the first cycle and first and second phases of the second cycle are discussed.

Compared with all-arable cropping, the inclusion of leys increased the yield of barley grown as the second and third crops after the leys were ploughed up, although the difference was less when 58 kg N/ha had been applied. Neither length nor type of ley affected yield in the second crop after ploughing the leys, but in the third crop 2- and 3-year leys led to greater yield than 1-year leys.

Only rotations containing 1-year leys were compared with all-arable cropping in the fourth and fifth crops after ley, but some effects of these were still apparent in that both Italian ryegrass and broad red clover leys led to an increased sugar percentage of sugar beet grown as the fourth crop when no nitrogen was applied, and broad red clover leys led to a greater response to nitrogen in barley grown as the fifth crop after ley.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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References

Hanley, F., Ridgman, W. J. & Jarvis, R. H. (1964 a). The effect of previous cropping and manuring on the yield of potatoes. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62, 39.Google Scholar
Hanley, F., Ridgman, W. J. & Jarvis, R. H. (1964 b). The effects of leys and their management on the yield of succeeding wheat crops on heavy land. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62, 47.Google Scholar