Pumice Soils Research Articles

Effect of cobalt application on the cobalt status of pastures 1. Pastures with history of regular cobalt application

Abstract Pasture and soil cobalt (Co) concentrations were monitored for 8–9 years on six properties that had been developed in pasture for periods ranging from 15 to 24 years on yellow-brown pumice soils in the Rotorua-Taupo area, New Zealand. All sites had been topdressed annually with Co before the survey began in 1979, but from then the amount and frequency of Co applied was reduced considerably. Despite this reduction, pasture Co concentration remained adequate for grazing livestock and soil Co extracted with EDTA was maintained at satisfactory values throughout the survey period. Serum vitamin B12 in lambs grazed on the sampled pastures confirmed that they all had adequate Co intake. In a field trial near Taupo, small plots of white clover, perennial ryegrass, and lucerne were established on a site previously in permanent pasture which had received 16 applications of Co. Ryegrass had the highest Co concentration, lucerne the lowest, and white clover intermediate but the outstanding result was that Co concentration remained high in ryegrass and white clover and there was no decrease for 12 years even where no further Co was applied. Conclusions are that pastures on yellow-brown pumice soils, where soil Co reserves have been increased by repeated annual Co application, can be maintained as Co-sufficient for livestock by much lower rates than the traditional 350 g/ha per year of cobalt sulphate. This work indicates that 175 g/ha applied every third year or 100 g/ha annually are satisfactory and that the accumulated soil Co reserves can last for 10 years or more.

Accumulation of phosphorus fractions in yellow-brown pumice soils with development

Abstract Accumulation of soil phosphorus (P) as a result of fertiliser topdressing of pasture on yellowbrown pumice soils in the Taupo region was investigated using samples from a range of sites covering undeveloped land through to highproducing dairy farms. Organic and inorganic soil P were fractionated using a sequential extraction procedure and the amounts in each fraction compared with amounts of total soil P, soil microbial P, and Olsen P. Total soil P was used as a basis for comparing accumulation patterns as this partially integrates the duration and intensity of fertiliser application. The more labile organic P fractions (extracted by 0.5M NaHC03 and O.1M NaOH) increased curvilinearly with total P. These fractions account for the majority of the organic soil P and so there is a similar pattern for total organic P. All the other P fractions increased linearly with total P. Most of the inorganic P in these soils originates from fertiliser application, the inorganic P levels in samples from virgin sites being very low. Some residual fertiliser P accumulated in the residual inorganic fraction not extracted by alkaline or acid reagents. This form is unlikely to contribute to plant P requirements in the short term. Microbial P is significantly correlated with NaHC03-P0 (P < 0.001) and the other organic P fractions (P < 0.01), but none of these regressions can account for more than onethird of the variation in the microbial P data. There are no significant correlations with any of the inorganic fractions. Despite difficulties in the useof the Olsen P test with yellow-brown pumice soils, the Olsen P values reflect soil P status as they are significantly correlated (P < 0.001) with all the P fractions except residual Pi. Anomalies in interpretation of Olsen P values for yellow-brown pumice soils are discussed in the light of these results.

Residual effect of copper applied to lucerne on a yellow-brown pumice soil

Abstract The effect of copper sulphate applied to an established stand oflucerne (Medicago sativa L.) on a yellow-brown pumice soil was measured over a 4-year period. Dry matter yields were unaffected but plant and soil copper (Cu) were increased by Cu application. Plant Cu concentrations were maintained for 4 years at 7–8 mg/kg, which is adequate for sheep and beef cattle, by application of 3-4 kg Cu/ha. Extractable soil Cu values indicated that the residual effect of Cu application may last for a considerable time. It is concluded that a single application of Cu to lucerne when it is established is sufficient to provide herbage that contains adequate Cu for livestock for at least 4 years.

EFFECT OF CONTROLLED-RELEASE SELENIUM GRANULES APPLIED WITH FERTILISER ON BLOOD LEVELS OF GRAZING SHEEP

Two sheep grazing trials, at Awarua, Southland. and at Wairakei, central North Island, on selenium (&amp;)-deficient and Se-retentive soils under a rainfall of about 1000 mm were used to test the duration of effectiveness of a mixture of standard and controlled-release Selcote Se granules applied at 0.5 kg/ha each. Selenium concentrations in blood of ewes and lambs were maintained above deficiency levels for 2 years in both trials. Peak values were observed or inferred from both rapid-release and slow-release granules. The pattern of pasture Se was consistent with blood Se values where sampling was sufficiently intensive to allow for the low rate of granule application. Keywords: Pasture, ewes, lambs, yellow-brown pumice soils, lowland yellow-brown earths, Selcote.

Factors influencing dissolution of phosphate rock and oxidation of elemental sulphur in some New Zealand soils

Abstract Forty-eight Waikato soils representing six major New Zealand soil groups (yellow-brown earths, yellow-brown loams, yellow-brown pumice soils, brown-granular loams, gley, and organic soils) were incubated with Jordan phosphate rock (PR) with and without elemental sulphur (S) at 25°C for 10 weeks. S was determined by a recently developed high performance liquid chromatography procedure. Inorganic phosphorus (P) in bicarbonate extracts (Olsen Pi) increased significantly in PR and PR + S treatments, indicating that some Jordan PR was dissolved. The amount of organic P in bicarbonate extracts (Olsen P0) from the PR + S treatment was significantly larger than control and PR treatments. There was no significant increase in numbers of PR-dissolving bacteria in PR and PR + S treatments after 10 weeks' incubation. Soil pH and Olsen Pi were useful predictors of the relative dissolution of PR among the soil groups. S was oxidised in all soils. Among the soil groups from the S treatment, the gley soils were t...

A new approach to the interpretation of soil tests for phosphate response by grazed pasture

Abstract Five soil test methods (Truog, Olsen, Bray 1 and 2, and Egner et al.) using two depths of soil, and volumes of soil as well as weights for Truog and Olsen, were compared as methods of predicting response to phosphate by grazed clover - grass pastures. Sixty-two field experiments were run for four years on seven soil types representing three major soil groups of New Zealand (yellow-brown loams, yellow-brown pumice soils, and yellow-grey earths). Response to phosphate was measured in spring and autumnwinter by mowing, but for most of the year the experimental areas were included in the surrounding paddock and managed and grazed accordingly. Soil samples (0 – 38,0 –75 mm) were collected each season. Correlation coefficients between relative yield (RY) and soil tests within soil types were extremely inconsistent between times of measurement of response. For example, within a soil type, the R value for one method ranged from 0.85 to -0.32 over the 8 measurements of response. At anyone time of measurin...

Relative growth and persistence of planted legumes in a mid-rotation radiata pine plantation

A site with 250 stems/ha of Pinus radiata D. Don growing on a pumice soil in the central North Island of New Zealand was cleared, disced and harrowed between the trees and fenced to exclude rabbits. Survival and growth of 35 transplanted legumes were followed for 2 years. Shrub weeds were removed during the trial but no further management was imposed and no fertiliser was applied. Six species failed after transplanting. Of the remainder, perennials were more persistent than annuals, most of which failed to re-establish in the second growing season. Competition from resident weeds was one of the most important factors determining relative success or failure. Several species succumbed to browsing by deer or possums. Lupinus arboreus, Lotus uliginosus ‘Grasslands Maku’, Lotus hybrid G4712, Lotus uliginosus G4703, and Chamaecytisus palmensis were considered to be the most successful species on the basis of continued vigour in the second growing season, dry matter production, and relative acetylene reduction (nitrogen fixation) activity.

Effects of Moisture and Temperature on Germination of Idaho Fescue

Germination response to varying temperatures and water stress levels during a 30-day incubation period was observed in 4 eastern Oregon collections of Festuca iduhoensis Elmer. Seeds were selected from the following habitat types: Artemisia tridenta associate professor. Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center. Star Rt. I-4.5 I Hwy. 205, Burns. Oregon 97720; and regional forest ecologist, Regional Office. U.S. Forest Service, Fed. Office Building, 324-25th Street, Ogden. Utah 84401. This research was a cooperative effort and jointly supported by the USDA, Agricultural Research Service and Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Squaw Butte Station, Agricultural Experiment Station. Tech. Paper NO. 7332. Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Manuscript accepted December 19, 1984. JOURNAL OF RANGE MANAGEMENT 38(4), July 1985 This research was designtd to evaluate germination response of 4 eastern Oregon seed collections of Idaho fescue to varying conditions of temperature and substrate water stress. Idaho fescue is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass indigenous to communities dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) and ponderosa pine (Pinusponderosa Dougl.). Optimum germination temperatures for Idaho fescue have been reported to be between I5 to ’ C (Young et al. 1981, Stocker 1975). Materials and Methods Seed Collection and Processing Idaho fescue seeds were collected from the following habitat types: Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensisl Festuca idahoensis (ARTRW/ FEID) (Doescher 1983), Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana/Festuca idahoensis (ARTRV/ FEID) (Winward 1970) and Pinus ponderosal Festuca idahoensis (PIPO/ FEID) (Franklin and Dyrness 1973). One stand of each habitat type was sampled, except for the ARTRV/ FEID habitat type where seed was collected from both a high and low elevation plant community. The low elevation stand occurred on coarse pumice soils. For purposes of this discussion, this site will be referred to as the ARTRV“L’/ FEID habitat type. All habitat types were chosen in the same general geographic region (Table 1). It was assumed that ARTRW/ FEID habitat type was the most xeric, the PIP0 habitat type the most mesic and the ARTRV“L”/ FElDand ARTRV/ FEID habitat type intermediate in moisture relations. All sites had a dominant understory of Idaho fescue. Seeds of Idaho fescue were collected by hand stripping at various times during the 1980 growing season and cleaned by hand threshing and screening to remove caryopses from chaff. Seeds were stored at room temperatures. In order to standardize seed weight during experimentation, only heavy seeds were used in germination trials. Unfilled and light seeds were removed with a seed blower, with blower settings held constant for each seed lot. Abnormally developed embryos observed on a light table were not included in the germination experiments. Seeds used in experimentation were collected during seed shatter as test of seed viability with tetrazolim chloride indicated better stress germination from seeds collected during this phenological period. Seeds approximately 8 months of age were used in the germination trials. Experimental Procedure Seeds were concurrently germinated in environmental chambers under seven constant temperatures (5,10,15,20,25,30, and 35” C) and six combinations of temperature and water stress ( lS°C/O.O MPA, 15”C/-0.6MPa, 15°C/-0.9MPa,200C/0.0MPa,200C/-0.6

Pasture responses to magnesium fertilisers on a yellow-brown pumice soil

Abstract Marked and consistent yield responses to magnesium (Mg) fertilisers were recorded over a 2-year-period from clover-dominant pasture growing on a yellow-brown pumice soil in the Central Plateau region of the North Island. Annual applications of serpentine superphosphate (24 kg Mg/ha), dolomite (25 kg Mg/ha), and magnesium sulphate (24 kg Mg/ha) respectively raised dry matter yield to 92, 94, and 96% of the maximum, produced by 48 kg Mg/ha, applied as magnesium sulphate. Mean Mg concentrations in white clover were increased from 0.11% in plots receiving no applied Mg to 0.18, 0.18, 0.22, and 0.29% respectively where Mg was applied in the 4 forms described. The mean critical Mg concentration of 0.22% associated with near-maximum yield was higher than those obtained in similar trials conducted earlier on Mg-deficient forest nursery sites in the region. Possible reasons for this are discussed. It is concluded that pasture on similar lighttextured soils with low Mg status may also benefit from Mg addit...

Liquefaction during historic earthquakes in New Zealand

The literature has been searched for accounts of liquefaction during historic earthquakes in New Zealand. About 30 fairly clear cases of liquefaction were found in 10 earthquakes since 1843. The 1848 Marlborough and the 1931 Napier earthquakes appear to have caused the most widespread occurrences. Both were large earthquakes in regions with extensive saturated fine-grained alluvial deposits. Since liquefaction has only recently been recognised as a distinct phenomenon, evidence of its occurrence was not expressly searched for in early investigations, and it is possible that many instances have gone unrecorded. Therefore it is likely that liquefaction has been more pervasive than the 30 clear cases suggest. With the exception of the M ≥ 6, 1895 Taupo earthquake which liquefied a pumice soil, all have occurred in earthquakes with magnitudes of at least 6.9. However, some larger earthquakes, most notably the 1929, M = 7.8 Murchison earthquake, have produced no records of liquefaction that we could find. Given the uncertainties of early epicentral locations, the New Zealand cases are consistent with the expression of Kuribayashi and Tatsuoka (1975) for distance to the farthest site of liquefaction, although the number of cases is too small to establish the correctness of the relationship under New Zealand conditions.

Sodium concentration in lucerne, phalaris, and a mixture of the 2 species

Abstract Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) were grown as pure species or in a mixture in a pot trial on a yellowbrown pumice soil. Sodium (Na) concentration in lucerne grown alone was low but was increased to an adequate level for grazing animals by adding a large amount of Na fertiliser. Herbage with a similar and adequate Na concentration was produced by growing phalaris as a companion grass with lucerne, without the need to apply Na fertiliser. A field trial confirmed that a lucerne-phalaris mixture contained adequate Na for sheep and beef cattle, and ways of further increasing the Na concentration are discussed. We concluded that lucernephalaris mixtures could be grown on the pumice soils to improve the Na intake by grazing animals.

FERTILISER REQUIREMENTS OF GISBORNE-EAST COAST HILL COUNTRY

Soil fertility has a dominant influence on the productivity of many hill country pastures. In the Gisborne-East Coast hill country the dominant soil groups - the yellow-brown earths (YBEs) from mudstone/argillite and the yellow-brown pumice soils (YBPs) from Taupo pumice tephra - show variations in response to fertiliser inputs. Results from a series of eight field trials, commenced in 1980, indicate widespread phosphorus (P) deficiency across both groups with optimum Olsen P soil test values being calculated as 11.5 and 20.1 respectively. Sulphur deficiencies appear less important, in the short term, than previously thought. Lime (L) and molybdenum (MO) deficiencies appear widespread on YEEs with an indication on some sites that lime effects are over and above that due to increased MO availability. Potassium (KI is the dominant deficiency (after P) on YBPs. Element deficiencies in decreasing order of importance were - Y BEs, P &gt; L/MO &gt; S &gt; K; Y BPS, P &gt; K &gt; S &gt; L. Keywords: Fertilisers, hill country, pasture production.

Sodium and potassium effects on cation concentration and yield of lucerne and phalaris grown separately and together

Abstract Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) were grown separately and together in a pot trial on a yellow‐brown pumice soil with three rates of sodium (Na) and two rates of potassium (K) in factorial combination. Lucerne alone had a low Na concentration but growing phalaris as a companion grass produced herbage with a Na concentration adequate for stock. Na application increased the Na concentration in phalaris and the mixture of phalaris and lucerne much more than in lucerne alone; had little effect on K concentration; slightly reduced Mg concentration; and greatly reduced Ca concentration but not as much in lucerne as in phalaris or the mixture with lucerne. K application increased K concentration and reduced Na, Ca and Mg concentrations throughout. Yield of phalaris grown alone and in combination with lucerne was increased significantly by Na application when K concentration in the plants was low. Yield of lucerne was not affected by Na application and it is concluded that...

Assessment of plant-available boron in some New Zealand soils

Abstract The boron (B) status of yellow-brown pumice and other soils was determined by a sunflower test and by hot water (HWS B) and ammonium acetate (NH4Ac B) extractions. Plant-available B in pumice soils was higher in soil from lucerne paddocks than from pasture because B fertiliser had been applied to the lucerne. In soils under both lucerne and pasture, available B was highest in the surface layer and decreased with depth. The available B in soil samples under pasture was much lower on yellow-brown pumice soils than on other soils. Hot-water extraction gave the same indication of B status as sunflowers for all soils, but NH4Ac did not. Pumice soils are low in B and fertiliser B is necessary when crops with high B requirement are grown. Hot-water extraction is a reliable and satisfactory method for determining available B in these soils.

A COMPARISON OF PERENNIAL GRASSES UNDER SHEEP GRAZING ON THE CENTRAL PLATEAU

Details are given on the production and survival over four years of five perennial grasses under rotational sheep-grazing on a pumice soil. The comparison involved three perennial ryegrasses ('Grasslands Nui and Ruanui', and Yates Ellett), and mixtures of Ellett with 'Grasslands Roa' tall fescue and Ellett with 'Grasslands Maru' phalaris. All pastures were sown with white and red clovers. Annual dry matter yields from Nui and Ellett pastures were similar, at about 6,500 kg/ha. Ruanui pastures were on average 600 kg/ha lower. The pastures containing tall fescue and phalaris were similar to Ellett. The major seasonal yield effects were in autumn and winter, when Ruanui pastures were substantially poorer than those with Nui and Ellett. Ryegrass yield of Ellett pasture was greater than Nui, and Nui was greater than Ruanui at all seasons. Ellett ryagrass was a higher proportion of the total yield at all times, and had higher tiller populations than Nui and Ruanui. Neither tall fescue or phalaris were, able to compete with Ellett ryegrass. It is suggested that neither of these be sown with ryegrass. Clover yields were higher in Ruanui than Ellett pastures, with Nui intermediate. The use of Nui, Ellett and Ruanui ryegrasses is related to the problems of seasonal distribution and total annual yields of pastures on the Central Plateau. It is suggested using Nui or Ellett as the base for perennial pastures will give substantial increases in production. Ellett ryegrass had higher survival than Nui which was considered an advantage, though this was achieved at the expense of a small reduction in clover vields. Keywords: Perennial ryegrass, Ellett, Nui, Ruanui, Roa tall fescue, Maru phalaris, canary grass, sheep grazing, central North Island, Central Plateau, grass grub, Argentine stem weevil, Lolium endophyte.

Stability of cut slopes in a pumice soil deposit with particular reference to tensile failure : Yamanouchi, T; Gotoh, K; Murata, H Proc 3rd Australia-New Zealand conference on geomechanics, Wellington, 12–16 May 1980, V2, P115–120. Publ Wellington: New Zealand institution of engineers, 1980

Stability of cut slopes in a pumice soil deposit with particular reference to tensile failure : Yamanouchi, T; Gotoh, K; Murata, H Proc 3rd Australia-New Zealand conference on geomechanics, Wellington, 12–16 May 1980, V2, P115–120. Publ Wellington: New Zealand institution of engineers, 1980

Effect of copper application on copper concentration in white clover and perennial ryegrass on some Northland soils and a yellow-brown pumice soil

Abstract The effectiveness of copper sulphate (CuSO4) application in raising the copper (Cu) concentration of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) grown together in 5 soils from Northland and a yellow-brown pumice soil was investigated in a pot trial. Dry matter responses of clover were obtained on 3 soils which had less than 1 ppm of EDTA extractable Cu. Ryegrass yield was unaffected by Cu. Cu concentrations in clover and ryegrass increased on all soils except one where clover contained 10 ppm Cu before application. The effect of application on Cu concentration in clover persisted throughout the trial whereas the effect on ryegrass diminished as the trial proceeded so Cu concentration in clover was better than that in ryegrass for diagnostic purposes.

The effect of magnesium fertiliser applied to a pumice soil on magnesium concentration in grass herbage

Abstract Application of commercial calcined magnesite at 0, 20,40,60, and 80 kg/ha magnesium on a yellow-brown pumice soil of Mg status adequate for plant growth increased the concentration of Mg in soil and pasture proportional to the rate of Mg applied. Annual applications over 3 consecutive years resulted in a cumulative effect in comparison with the control. There was a measurable residual effect in pasture Mg and soil test values for 3 years after application had ceased. The increases obtained suggest that on hill-country pumice soils, where Mg supplementation by oral or other means to control hypomagnesaemia has severe practical limitations, a pasture Mg level conducive to stock health may be established with 1 or 2 initial applications of 60 – 80 kg/ha maintained by annual inputs of 20 kg/ha.

Relationships between phosphate retention,olsen and truog soil tests and the estimated short term phosphate fertiliser requirements of well established pasture

Abstract Available phosphorus (QT) determined by the Truog and Olsen methods and P retention (R) were calibrated with field trials against the mean quantity of P required annually in the three years following sampling to maintain 90&#x0025; of the yield obtainable with very high rates of P. The field sites fell mainly into two groups; 15 were on yellow–brown loams of the North Island with high R levels and 34 were on yellow–grey and yellow–brown earths and gley podzols in both the South and North Islands with low R levels. Most experiments with medium R values, i.e., on yellow–brown pumice soils and on mature soils derived from basalt, were excluded because of internally inconsistent results. A model in which R and QT were treated as a composite soil test accounted for 69% and 56% of the variation in P requirements for the Truog and Olsen tests respectively. Treating soils with high R as a separate group, 73% and 48% of the variation in P requirements were accounted for by the Truog and Olsen tests respectively but on soils with low R the corresponding values were only 40% and 32%. In the low R group the negative correlation between QT and P requirements was weak, partly because on many sites low QT values were associated with low P requirements. For this reason a few ‘elite’ trials rather than QT will continue to exert the major influence on P fertiliser recommendations in this group.

A lysimeter study of nutrient losses from urine and dung applications on pasture

Abstract The effects of superphosphate plus KCl alone, and with dung or urine, on pasture and soil were compared in a lysimeter experiment investigating the fate of applied potassium on a yellow-brown pumice soil. The percentages of K applied in KCl, dung, and urine recovered in herbage and lost in drainage were 73, 80, and 51 and 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Superphosphate plus KCl plus urine showed highly significant increases of exchangeable K down the soil profile compared with superphosphate plus KCl alone. The dung treatment resulted in only minor changes in exchangeable K in the soil. The concentration of magnesium in the herbage was depressed by urine but increased by dung which also increased exchangeable Mg in the soil to a depth of 30 cm. Drainage losses of sulphur from superphosphate, dung, and urine were 41, 0, and 67% respectively, of the amounts of S added. Calcium and Mg losses in drainage were approximately equivalent to nitrate and chloride losses, and it was apparent that the presence of mobile anions, especially chloride, play a major part in the leaching of Ca and Mg from yellow-brown pumice soils.