The influence of rainfall on the yield and botanical composition of permanent grass at Rothamsted

Abstract

The influence of rainfall during the growing season on the yield of the Park Grass plots at Rothamsted, which are cut for hay every year, has been investigated.The average yields in the period 1858–1902 on the thirteen plots examined were from 18 cwt./acre on an unmanured plot to 61 cwt./acre on a plot receiving a complete fertilizer including a heavy dressing of nitrogen. All the plots showed some deterioration in yield. The effect of the total amount of rainfall from 5 March to 8 July was very substantial on all plots, the average increase in yield for each additional inch of rain varying between 0·7 and 2·4 cwt./acre; the benefit was greatest on the plots dressed with sulphate of ammonia. The rainfall effects reached a maximum in the latter part of April and early May, but the distribution of the rain appeared to be of relatively small importance.