Abstract
The rationale of the study was to check whether the association of hybrid ryegrass with white clover owing a moderate competition capacity, and optimal foliar fertilization will provide high and stable yields by reducing conventional fertilization rates. The experiment was carried out during two years of cropping with six growth cycles in a randomized block design with three replicates in Targoviste Piedmont Plain, South of Romania. In the first year, the plots received no nitrogen fertilisers in order to allow the biological potential development. In the second year, foliar fertilisation was applied six times in the fertilised variants during the vegetation season. The comparison between the six growth cycles showed that the biological potential of white clover in pure stand without foliar fertilisation was higher in the first cropping year than in the second one. Application of foliar fertilisation treatments enhanced the competition capacity of the hybrid ryegrass in the first production cycle of the second year. In white clover pure stand, the fertilisation increased the assimilatory areas from 3.6 to 4.8 (p<0.05). The contribution of hybrid ryegrass to the cumulative Leaf Area Index of species in the binary mixture was significant (4.7 no fertilisation; 4.9 foliar fertilisation), which revealed a low competition capacity of white clover in mixture (0.69 no fertilisation; 1.03 foliar fertilisation). In white clover-hybrid ryegrass mixtures, foliar fertilisation showed benefits in the first two growth cycles according to the phenophase particularities and weather conditions.
Highlights
In pure stand, the high yielding species of grasses such as hybrid ryegrass, orchard grass or tall fescue consume important quantities of nitrogen along with other nutrients
The experimental results provided detailed information regarding the dynamics of changes in the evolution of dry matter accumulation for each growth cycle, and hybrid ryegrass and white clover leaf area index (LAI), required in the description of the interspecific competition for light in the mixed canopy
The descriptive characterization regarding the dry matter accumulation of each growth cycle (C4, C5 and C6) of the second vegetation season allowed the estimation of the intrinsic interrelations between foliar fertilisation treatments and eco-physiological responses of the species in pure stand and in mixture
Summary
The high yielding species of grasses such as hybrid ryegrass, orchard grass or tall fescue consume important quantities of nitrogen along with other nutrients. The application of foliar fertilizers on plants’ foliage reduces the risk of water pollution with nitrates due to the small quantities used in optimal fertilization schemes, as well as through the consumption stimulation of excess nutrients existing in the soil (Crews and Peoples, 2004) These fertilizers should be used only as a complement to obtain forage yield gains and should not be used exclusively to avoid soil depletion or degradation in short time (Dunea and Dincă, 2014). Nitrogen fertilisation in high supplies determines a negative effect on clover species, because this element positively influences the crop performances of perennial grasses enhancing their light interception and absorption (Gatti et al, 2013). Nitrogen availability has a substantial effect on the light use efficiency of perennial grasses in phytosociological associations (Dunea and Motcă, 2007; Den Hollander et al, 2007; Lantinga et al, 1999)
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