Wednesday, 9 November 2005
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The Long-Term Effect of Liming and N-Fertilization on Bahiagrass Pasture.

Martin Adjei and John Rechcigl. University of Florida, 3401 Experiment Station, Ona, FL 33865-9706

This experiment consisted of four, annual, sub-plot, fertilizer treatments: 1) 67 kg N ha-1 (N); 2) 67-12-56 kg N-P-K ha-1 (NPK); 3) 67-12-56 kg N-P-K ha-1 plus 22 kg ha-1 of micro-nutrients mix (NPKM); and 4) control (no fertilizer), superimposed on two main plot treatments: lime vs. no-lime to maintain a soil pH > 5.0 vs. <4.5, respectively, on bahiagrass pasture from 1998 to 2004. The experiment was repeated under grazing conditions on two sites of a typical flatwoods soil i.e. Pomona fine sand. Although fertilized grass consistently yielded 20 to 30% more DM, annually, and had greater crude protein (CP) concentration than the control, there were no yield nor CP differences (P > 0.05) between the N-only and complete fertilizer treatments. Liming improved yield on one site but forage IVOMD was generally unaffected by fertilizer or lime treatments. Tissue Ca, P and K increased for amendments containing these elements. The percentage of bahiagrass stand that was yellow and/or dead and invaded by weeds every spring for 5 yr averaged 5% for the control, and 2 to 5% for the limed plots whether or not they were fertilized. The greatest (P < 0.01) damage to bahiagrass pasture (69% dead with weeds and only 31% green) occurred when grass was not limed but N-fertilized, annually. While the N-only fertilizer recommendation for bahiagrass pastures may have long-term useful application to large portions of flatwoods soils, the need for periodic liming to maintain a soil pH of 5.0 is indicated.

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