maria l. silveira uf/ifas range cattle rec

CONSIDERATIONS FOR MATCHING SOILS AND FORAGES Maria L. Silveira

UF/IFAS Range Cattle REC

Factors Affecting Forage Performance

M. Silveira, Soil and Water Science, UF/IFAS Range Cattle REC

Management

Species Soils

Climate

Factors Affecting Forage Performance


Management

Species

Essential Plant Nutrients

1. Plants cannot complete their life cycle without the element

2. The function of the element cannot be substitute by another substance 3. The element is directly involved in metabolic function

17 Essential Elements Element Forms absorbed

Nitrogen NH4+, NO3

-

Potassium K+

Calcium Ca2+

Magnesium Mg2+

Phosphorus H2PO4-, HPO4

2-, PO43-

Sulfur SO42-

Chlorine Cl-

Boron H3BO3

Iron Fe2+

Manganese Mn2+

Zinc Zn2+, ZnOH+, ZnCl+

Copper Cu2+

Molybdenum MoO42-

Nickel Ni2+

Total Macronutrients taken up by forage crops


Forage Crop Yield (T/A)

Uptake (lb/A)

N P2O5 K2O

Jiggs bermudagrass1 11 398 146 390

Coastal bermudagrass2

8 368 96 400

Ona stargrass1 7 316 154 306

Floralta limpograss1

6 237 137 200

Bahiagrass3 5 192 53 223

Perennial peanut3 5 288* 55 229

Red clover2 4 300* 50 265

Source: 1Silveira et al., 2013; 2Griffith and Murphy, 1996; 3Mackoviak et al., 2013. *Legumes obtain nitrogen from the air via symbiotic fixation.

Importance of Soil Test



Fertility status Range of responses

Average

% of pastureland that is soil tested 5-50 21

% of pastureland that is below pH 6 30-80 52

% of pastureland that is low in P 25-70 46

% of pastureland that is low in K 10-60 33

% of pastureland receiving annual fertilizer

10-50 28

% of hay land receiving annual fertilizer

20-95 66

Summary of soil test results and fertilization practices in the South USA1

1Adapted from Griffith and Murphy, 1996. Source: Ball et al., 1991

SOIL ACIDITY IS THE MAJOR GROWTH-LIMITING FACTOR FOR FORAGE CROPS GROWN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN USA


Test results Number of samples

Total samples submitted to the lab (03/2009 – 09/2010)

1346

Samples with pH ≤ 5.3 727 (54%)

Samples tested low in P (< 16 ppm Mehlich-1 P) 473 (35%)

Samples tested low in K (< 36 ppm Mehlich-1 K) 737 (55%)

Summary of soil test results for bahiagrass samples submitted to the UF/IFAS Extension Soil Test lab (2009-2010)

UF/IFAS Fertilizer Recommendations (SL 129)


UF/IFAS Fertilizer Recommendations For Maintenance of Established Pastures1

1Mylavarapu, R., D. Wright, and G. Kidder. 2013. UF/IFAS standardized fertilization recommendations for agronomic crops.

Crop N P2O5 K2O

___________________ lb/A per year ___________________

Bermudagrass and stargrass

160 (split into 2 applications)

0 or 40 0, 40, or 80

Limpograss 120 (split into 2 applications)

0 or 20 0, 20, or 40

Bahiagrass 50 to 160 0, 25, or 40 0, 50, or 80

Warm-season legumes or legume-grass mix

----- 0 or 30 0, 30, or 60

Soil A

Soil B

Fertilizer application rate

Fora

ge Y

ield

Managing Soil pH


Target pH for different forage crops grown in Florida1

Crop Target pH

Bahiagrass, bermudagrass, stragrass and limpograss

5.5

Small grains and ryegrass 6.0

Perennial peanut 6.0

Clover 6.5

Alfalfa 7.0

1C. G. Chambliss, G. Kidder, and R. Mylavarapu. 2003. Liming for Production of Forage Crops in Florida. EDIS SS-AGR-46.

Effect of dolomitic lime application on bahiagrass yields1

1Rechcigl et al., 1995. Initial soil pH = 4.6.

Lime was applied in 1989. Nitrogen (50 lb N/A) and K (66 lb K/A) were applied annually

Lime rate (tons/A)

1989 1990 1991 1992

__________ Bahiagrass yields (tons/A) __________

0 3.1 3.4 3.7 3.4

1 3.0 3.7 4.5 4.1

2 3.3 3.9 4.9 4.1

3 3.2 3.5 4.9 4.3

Significance ** **

**

**

Effect of lime and fertilizer applications on bahiagrass yields (5-yr mean)1

1Adjei and Rechcigl, 2004. 4 locations; only one responded to lime application. Initial soil pH = 4.4.

Treatments - N: 67 lb N/A, NPK: 67-12-56 lb/A,NPKM: 67-12-56 lb/A + 22 kg ha-1 F503 G micronutrient mix.

Fertilizer treatment

No-lime Lime Mean

_______ Bahiagrass yields (tons/A) _______

Control 5.6 6.3 (12%) 6.0 b

N 6.8 8.5 (25%) 7.7 a

NPK 7.2 9.1 8.2 a

NPKM 6.7 9.3 7.5 a

Mean 6.6 B 8.1 A (23%)

Annual ryegrass response to lime application1

1Haby, 2002. Initial soil pH = 4.5. Nitrogen and potassium (K2O) fertilization rates ranged from 0 to 200 lb/A.

Lime application (lb/A)

1984 1986 1987

_______ Ryegrass yields (tons/A) _______

0 3.1 3.9 0.7

600 5.1 5.1 1.1

3,400 6.0 8.3 6.1

Annual ryegrass response to lime application1

1Haby, 2002. Initial soil pH = 4.5. Nitrogen and potassium (K2O) fertilization rates ranged from 0 to 200 lb/A.

Lime application (lb/A)

1984 1986 1987

_______ Ryegrass yields (tons/A) _______

0 3.1 (4.7) 3.9 (4.5) 0.7(4.5)

600 5.1 5.1 1.1

3,400 6.0 (5.7) 8.3 (6.2) 6.1 (5.1)

Photo Courtesy: Ed Jennings (UF/IFAS, multi-county livestock Agent

Managing Nitrogen Fertilizer


Nitrogen fertilizer source and bahiagrass yield (2009-2011)


Source Bahiagrass yield (lb/A)

Control 6684b

Ammonium nitrate 9748a

Ammonium sulfate 10863a

Urea 11145a

Urea +Agrotain* 10564a

Urea +SuperU* 10918a

Ammonium nitrate + ammonium

sulfate

10847a

NH3 volatilization pH > 7.0

Nitrogen fertilizer source and bahiagrass yield (2012-2013)


Source Bahiagrass yield (lb/A)

Control 4116c

Ammonium nitrate 7163a

Ammonium sulfate 7291a

Urea 7015a

Liquid urea 6098b

Liquid urea + Agrotain 6104b

Average bahiagrass yield and crude protein concentration as affected by N rate (5-yr data)


N rate Bahiagrass yield Crude Protein

_________ lb/Ac _________ %

Control (no N) 6977c 8.5a

50 8730 b (25%) 8.7a

100 10483 a (50%) 9.6b

Bahiagrass production efficiency as affected by year and rate of N application


N level

(lb/Ac)

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

_______________ Production efficiency*______________

50 23 61 36 43 41

100 28 54 31 32 32

* Production efficiency (lb DM/lb applied N) = (yield fertilized plot – yield control plot) / (N application level)

Managing Potassium

Objectives

1. To evaluate Jiggs bermudagrass and limpograss responses to “minimum” potassium and phosphorus fertilization

2. Application levels: - Potassium: 0, 40, and 80 lb K2O/A (0, 50, and 100% recommended rates for established pastures) - Phosphorus: 0, 20, and 40 lb P2O5/A (0, 50, and 100% recommended rates) 3. Limpograss: 2 harvest frequencies (6- and 12-week interval) 4. Jiggs: 2 N level (80 and 160 lb N/A) (50 and 100% recommended rate for established pastures)

Effect of K fertilization on ‘Jiggs’ bermudagrass production

Annual K2O level

2012

lb A-1 _____ lb A-1_____ 0 4536

40 5719 (26%)

80 6517(44%)

Orthogonal contrast

L**


Effect of K fertilization on ‘Jiggs’ bermudagrass production

Annual K2O level

2012 2013

lb A-1 _____ lb A-1_____ 0 4536 1062

40 5719 (26%) 3201(200%)

80 6517(44%) 4319 (306%)

Orthogonal contrast

L** L**


Effect of K fertilization on ‘Jiggs’ bermudagrass stand loss


K2O application

level

Frequency† Ground Cover†

lb/A ___________ %___________

0 37 31

40 76 73

80 86 86

SE 2.7 2.7

Orthogonal

Contrast

L***,Q*** L***,Q***

Jiggs – May 5, 2014

Jiggs – January, 2014

CONTROL Jiggs – January, 2014

80 lb K2O/A Jiggs – January, 2014

Effect of K fertilization on limpograss production

Annual K2O level

2012 2013

lb A-1 _____ lb A-1_____ 0 6204 4189

40 5508 4921 80 6068 5798

Orthogonal contrast

NS L***


Effect of K fertilization on limpograss stand loss


K2O application

level

Frequency† Ground Cover†

lb/A ___________ %___________

0 91 82

40 92 87

80 94 89

SE 1.2 1.4

Orthogonal

Contrast

L** L***

Limpograss – May 5, 2014

THANKS

Maria L. Silveira Email: [email protected]

Phone: (863) 735-1314

mailto:[email protected]

maria l. silveira uf/ifas range cattle rec

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