Growth, Water use and nutrient uptake from the subsoil by grass swards

Garwood, E. A.; Williams, Thelma

doi:10.1017/s002185960001652x

Cited by 96 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…However, this relationship was shown to be unstable, dependent as it is on a variety of environmental and management factors (Farruggia et al 2004). Among the essential variables involved, water fluxes in soil clearly exert a major impact on nitrogen availability, as suggested by previous experiments (Garwood and Williams 1967;D'Aoust and Tayler 1968). It therefore seems appropriate to consider the mineral nitrogen flux to the roots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

How much do water deficits alter the nitrogen nutrition status of forage crops?

Durand

González-Dugo

Gastal

2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Water deficits alter the nitrogen nutrition of crops. In grasslands, this has a major impact on both forage yield and nitrogen fluxes in the soil. It is important to assess the N balance in order to adjust fertilization to the expected needs of the crop and thus minimize any environmentally negative impacts of crops. Grassland species, including grasses, display a diverse ability to utilise soil resources. Nitrogen fluxes and the nitrogen absorption by grass swards of two species with contrasting rooting depths were computed using the appropriate module from the STICS simulation platform. In the case of the deep-rooted species, tall fescue, soil mineral N fluxes to the roots were very close to N uptake values, consistent with its nitrogen nutrition index being lower than one. In the case of the shallow-rooted species Italian ryegrass, there was a large excess in terms of N supply, which was also consistent with its non-limiting nitrogen nutrition index. In both species, and even when nitrogen demands for growth were fully satisfied, the nitrogen nutrition index was closely and linearly related to the soil mineral N flux to roots.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

How much do water deficits alter the nitrogen nutrition status of forage crops?

Durand

González-Dugo

Gastal

2009

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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“…Most nutrients are in the surface soil layers and when this layer dries out, plants cannot extract sufficient nutrients. Water may still be available at depth and plants can then sustain a high green leaf area over summer, but the result is water use without growth which can be considered inefficient (Garwood & Williams 1967). Maintenance of high leaf areas on dry soils may not be a very useful strategy.…”

Section: Adjustment To Short-term Droughtmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the grazing and drought tolerance of temperate perennial grasses

Kemp

Culvenor

1994

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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The improvement of grazing and drought tolerance of temperate (C3) perennial pasture grasses is an important component of plant improvement programmes. The improvement of these characteristics in grasses is best based on an understanding of the physiology of grass growth and development. This paper discusses the components of growth, i.e. buds, leaves, tillers, stems, and plants, how they interact, and how compensation between components occurs. These components are considered in relation to what is known about the grazing and drought tolerance of grasses in Australia where selection for plant survival is as important as for production. It is concluded that tiller and bud densities could be increased in new cultivars. Some existing cultivars have, arguably, too low a tiller density. Plants with more and, or larger tillers have more chances of survival in many circumstances. Reproductive development interacts strongly with grass growth and development. Once apices initiate, growth is stimulated, but the numbers of tillers can then decline and plants become more vulnerable to damage from grazing, especially during stem elongation. Early-flowering cultivars are more winter-active, but they are also likely to be more A94023

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“…The roots of perennialryegrass swards tend to absorb nutrients from soil depths below 18 cm during periods when the top 5 cm of soil dries out (Garwood & Williams 1967;Newbouldetal. 1971).…”

Section: Depth Of Uptakementioning

confidence: 99%

“…1971). During these periods the roots in the top soil can become inactive (Garwood & Williams 1967). In the fIeld experiment reported in this paper, the surface layers of soil dried out only in January when climatic conditions were very dry (i.e., only 5.2 mm of rain was recorded over 34 days).…”

Section: Depth Of Uptakementioning

confidence: 99%

Uptake of potassium and nitrogen by pasture from urine-affected soil

Williams

Hedley

Gregg

1989

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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A fieid experiment was carried out to determine the depth of soil from which pasture plants growing in urine-affected soil recover urine potassium (K) and nitrogen (N). A comparison of the amounts ofK andN taken up by the herbage with the decline in soil K and N levels showed that K and N were absorbed mainly from the 0-12 cm depth of soil. This coincides with the distribution of plant roots within the soil profIle, as 86% of the roots in the 0-30 cm depth of soil were found in the top 15 cm. The experiment also showed that immediately after a dairy cow urination event in mid winter (July), up to 59% of the urine K moved preferentially through a network of soil macropores to below a soil depth of 14.5 cm. A simulation of the field trial in the glasshouse confirmed that preferential flow of the urine could result in large losses of urine K. Fortyeight percent of the urine-N was also unaccounted for by soil analysis immediately after the urination event, and is considered to have been lost preferentially with the K. The urine K and N that remained in the 0-14.5 cm soil profIle as exchangeable K and potassium chloride-extractable N were absorbed by the pasture plants over the following spring and summer.

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Growth, Water use and nutrient uptake from the subsoil by grass swards

Cited by 96 publications

References 8 publications

How much do water deficits alter the nitrogen nutrition status of forage crops?

How much do water deficits alter the nitrogen nutrition status of forage crops?

Improving the grazing and drought tolerance of temperate perennial grasses

Uptake of potassium and nitrogen by pasture from urine-affected soil

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