| Pak. J. Bot., 39(3): 807-816, 2007. | Back to Contents | ||||
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Updated: 09-07-09 | ||||
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Dose response effect of nıtrogen and phosphorus on forage qualIty, yield and economIc return of rangelands
TAHİR POLAT1, BEKİR BÜKÜN2* AND MUSTAFA
OKANT1
Abstract:
A
two-year experiment was conducted in Karacadağ rangeland, Şanlıurfa,
Turkey to evaluate Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) fertilization on
forage quality and plant species composition and to determine their
economic impact on animal production. Treatments were 0, 50, 100, 150
and 200 kg ha-1 of N and 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1 of
P fertilizer doses. Nitrogen and Phosphorus fertilization significantly
influenced the composition of plants. Botanical composition of
experimental fields was recorded as 25 legume, 22 grass and 27 species
from other families. The results showed large interaction between P and
N due largely to the fact that legume species are relatively abundant
fertilization reduced legume proportion; however, P fertilizer increased
the proportion of legume in vegetation. Adverse effect of N on growth of
legume resulted in significantly crude protein decrease in forage. In
both years, overall mean dry matter yield increased with increase in N
and P applications. The highest dry matter yield production was 3407 kg
ha-1 150 kg ha-1 P and 200 kg ha-1 of N
as compared to control treatment which had a 1152 kg ha-1.
Average mean crude protein concentration was 110 g kg-1 for
control plots, while it decreased to 106, 102, 104 and 103 g kg-1
for 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha-1 N applications,
respectively. Crude protein concentrations were significantly enhanced
with increasing P fertilizer amounts. Maximum crude protein
concentration was 140 g kg-1 and obtained from P150+N0
treatments. The average crude protein yield was 126.7 kg ha-1
in control plots and maximum crude protein yield was 464.1 kg ha-1from
P150+N200 treatment. Overall results indicated
that, the most profitable treatment was P150+N200
and average calculated benefit was 644 per hectare.
1Department
of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, 63040 Şanlıurfa,
Turkey
2Department
of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Harran University, 63040
Şanlıurfa, Turkey |
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