Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Effect of fertilization on forage yield and quality, nutrients uptake and soil properties in the more intensive cropping system

Author(s):

WenXi Li ¹, JianWei Lu ^1*, Saman P. Seneweera ², Fang Chen ³, JunMing Lu ⁴, XiaoKun Li ¹

Recieved Date: 2010-02-02, Accepted Date: 2010-04-12

Abstract:

The sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) rotation is a new and more intensive cropping system which has developed rapidly in recent years along Yangtze River in China. However, the optimum nutrient management measures for this new system are lacking. Here, we present a detailed study of the effects of NPK fertilizers on yield and quality of forage, nutrient uptake and soil properties in this rotation system through a three-year field experiment conducted in Jianghan Plain from April 2005 to May 2008. The results showed that the NPK combination obviously improved the yield of sudangrass and ryegrass. Total yields in NPK treatments were 162.7, 114.8 and 145.6 Mg ha^-1 in the three years, respectively, and were obviously higher than PK, NK, NP and CK treatments (P < 0.05). In addition, NPK fertilization also improved quality and the nutrient uptake of forage grasses, and N, P and K uptake for NPK treatments was higher than for other treatments. Nutrient output for forage grasses meant the depletion of soil nutrient, and NPK combination fertilization maintained nutrient balance and soil fertility in this intensive cropping system, also decreased excess nutrient in soil. So the proper combination of NPK fertilizers assured higher yield and soil fertility in the more intensive cropping system and provided reference for alleviating availably the contradiction between food security and resource shortage.

Keywords:

NPK combination, yield, nutrient uptake, soil fertility, sudangrass and ryegrass rotation system

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2010
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 427-434

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