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Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Cation Contents of Bromegrass¹

ABSTRACT

Heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer produce large increases in growth of bromegrass on nitrogen deficient soils in eastern Nebraska. Such a marked effect of nitrogen fertilizer upon growth may also be reflected in the composition of the forage according to results obtained on Rokeby soils at Lincoln, Nebr. Rates of 0, 60, 120 and 240 lbs. N/acre were applied to a sodbound field of Lincoln bromegrass. Yields of forage and plant samples were obtained four times during the growing season during one year, and once at the regular time of harvesting hay during other years.

Plant samples were analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. There was a general decrease in percentage of all elements throughout the growth period sampled, although the trends varied with the element and with the treatment. Nitrogen percentage was higher for fertilized than nonfertilized bromegrass at all stages of growth. During early stages of growth, phosphorus percentage was greater in the fertilized than the nonfertilized forage, but at final harvest there was a tendency for the reverse to be true. There was a noticeable increase in potassium percentage with some decreases in percentages of calcium and magnesium due to fertilization. The increase in potassium percentage was, however, greater than the decreases in calcium and magnesium percentages so that there was an increase in milliequivalents of total cations.

¹ Contribution of the Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta. and the Soil and Water Conservation Research Branch, Agricultural Research Service of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Published with the approval of the Director as Paper No. 636, Journal Series, Nebr. Agr. Exp. Sta.

² Graduate assistant in Agronomy; former Instructor in Agronomy; and Professor of Agronomy and Agronomist, Western Section of Soil and Water Management, S&WCRB, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Assistance of a Grant from the Spencer Chemical Co. is gratefully acknowledged.