Phosphorus in the soil and in the herbage of the Karst pasture

Authors

  • Matej VIDRIH University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1111 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Anton VIDRIH University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1111 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Milan POGAČNIK University of Ljubljana, Veterinary Faculty, Gerbičeva 60, 1115 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Drago KOMPAN University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1111 Ljubljana, Slovenia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14720/aas.2009.93.2.15004

Keywords:

phosphorus, karst pasture, fertilizing, soils, herbage

Abstract

The results of P fertilization on karst pasture in a 7-year study are discussed. The changes of P availability for plants, the content of P in herbage and the yield increase at different rates of applied fertilizer (0, 90, 270 and 540 kg P2O5 ha-1 - total in 3 years) were measured. In treatment with low rate of P (30 kg P2O5 ha-1 year-1), the concentration of available P in soil was increased for 40 %. At three times higher rate of applied P, the content in soil was increased for 4,4 fold. The most of available P was found in top layer of soil as show the results of soil sampling at two depths (0 - 3 cm and 3 - 6 cm). The contentration of P in soil decreased during five growing seasons for 0.4 mg to 3.6 mg P2O5 100 g-1 of soil, depending on rate of applied fertiliser. Because the soils of karst pasture are very poor on P, the concentration of P in herbage is very low too. Only one half of the animal's need for P can be covered this way. The increase of P concentration in herbage as a result of applied P is more important than the increase of the yield. At annual rate of 90 kg P2O5 ha-1 the average concentration of P in herbage was 2.1 g P kg-1 of DM. The effect of applied P on the yield of available and used herbage by grazing animals was small, due to low soil pH and slow improvement in floristic composition of the sward.

Published

15. 07. 2009

Issue

Section

Original Scientific Article

How to Cite

VIDRIH, M., VIDRIH, A., POGAČNIK, M., & KOMPAN, D. (2009). Phosphorus in the soil and in the herbage of the Karst pasture. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 93(2), 201–209. https://doi.org/10.14720/aas.2009.93.2.15004