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Interpretive Summaries:
2006 - Soil Fertilization of Perennial Pasture Systems
2005 - Soil Fertilization of Perennial Pasture Systems
2004 - Soil Fertilization of Perennial Pasture Systems
Soil Fertilization of Perennial Pasture Systems, 2004
The increased demand for high quality hay for the Florida equine and dairy industries has resulted in an expanding regional forage industry. Poor forage quality and increased disease incidences due to low soil fertility provide an opportunity for improving forage fertility requirements without compromising on environmental quality. Field studies were initiated in spring 2004, at three Florida locations, using three prevalent forage species (bermudagrass, bahiagrass, and perennial peanut) to compare potassium (K) with and without supplemental potassium magnesium sulfate (K-Mag™) on forage yield, quality, and tissue mineral content. Additionally, soil cores up to 48 in. deep were sampled to investigate the effect fertilization treatments have on nutrient bioavailability and leaching losses. All plots, excluding the check plots and perennial peanut plots, received an initial 100 lb nitrogen (N)/A as ammonium nitrate and triple superphosphate per recommendation from soil testing. Fertilizer was reapplied following each clipping, based on the estimated dry tonnage removed. The five treatments consisted of a check (no fertilizer), low K (40 lb/A initial and 24 lb/ton/A harvested biomass following each clipping), high K (80 lb/A initial and 48 lb/ton/A harvested biomass following each clipping), low K with 25% provided as K-Mag, and high K with 25% provided as K-Mag. The N was reapplied at 60 lb/ton/A, except for the check plots and the perennial peanut plots.
Preliminary results from the first study year indicated that N fertilization had a significantly positive effect on grass hay yields, with increases of more than 300% for bermudagrass and 100% for bahiagrass. While K fertilization with or without K-Mag had no significant effect on grass yields, the K-Mag treatments tended to have the highest numerical yields for most clippings. Potassium fertilization had no effect on perennial peanut yields. Forage quality data, tissue mineral content, and soil core samples were not available for this reporting period, but are presently being analyzed. FL-22F
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