Abstract
In Poland, half of the grassland is neglected and requires renovation, which was the reason for starting this research project. The aim of this research was to study the grassland habitat of lowland central Poland that has water-deficient, slightly acidic mineral soil, in the years 2013–2016. Specifically, the impact of three methods of grassland renovation on the dry matter yield and the weight of post-harvest residues, as well as on the content of particular nutrient components in the soil, were determined. Three legume–grass mixtures were used for the renovation. The study shows that the method of renovation (ploughing, harrowing, and herbicide + direct sowing) did not have a significant effect on the dry matter yield nor on the weight of the post-harvest residues or the content in the soil of some nutrients. The highest yield was obtained from the “Original” mixture with 50% of legumes in the seed mix. After the renovation, 5.03–7.17 t·ha−1 of post-harvest residues were obtained (mainly grasses and roots of plants, 68.7–71.1%). After three years from renovation, the soil pH significantly decreased and the content of Ca and Mg increased, while the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and Corg compounds remained at an unchanged level. The concentration of various forms of nitrogen, P2O5, K2O, Ca, and Corg decreased in the deeper soil layer (down to 60 cm).
Highlights
On a global scale, grasslands cover 3 billion hectares and account for 23% of the land area [1].Grasslands produce feed for animals that, in turn, generate meat, milk, and dairy products for about one billion people [2].The global grassland area is constantly changing, and over the years, its percentage in the agricultural area in individual countries of the temperate zone has ranged from 75% in Ireland to about 20% in Poland [3]
The methods of grassland renovation under comparison did not have a significant effect on the total dry matter yield of the mixtures from three years of use (Table 1)
A tendency was observed for the improvement of the yield of swards in the treatment renovated by ploughing and full tillage (Treatment 1) by 8.8% compared to the yield obtained after herbicide application and direct sowing of legume–grass mixtures with the “Moore type” direct drill
Summary
Grasslands cover 3 billion hectares and account for 23% of the land area [1]. Grasslands produce feed for animals that, in turn, generate meat, milk, and dairy products for about one billion people [2].The global grassland area is constantly changing, and over the years, its percentage in the agricultural area in individual countries of the temperate zone has ranged from 75% in Ireland to about 20% in Poland [3]. According to Lesschen et al [4], in Europe, grassland occupies about one third of the agricultural area and plays an important role in the production of animal feed and food for humans, as well as exerts a positive impact on the natural environment. In Poland, according to the latest Statistics Poland data [7], permanent grassland covers an area of 2.754 million hectares and is unevenly distributed across the whole Poland. The largest areas of permanent grassland in Poland are located in the following
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
