Sulphur in balanced karst pasture nutrition

Abstract

In the work described in this paper, the effects of sulphur (S) fertilizers in combinations with nitrogen (NP) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers on herbage production were investigated. Results from the first three years of experiment carried are reported. Field experiment was carried out at mountain sheep pasture Vremščica. Sulphur was added at a rate of 60 kg ha^-1. Same was for nitrogen. Phosphorus was applied at 90 kg ha^–1 each year. As a result of more balanced supply of nutrients to plants, and the sheep grazing, the similar herbage mass was obtained few days earlier during each consecutive year. Most efficient on average was the combined application of NPS which gave 24 % higher yield of herbage than control treatment. Statistically significant differences were found (P=0.05) further for NP, NS and NPK treatments too. Clover content showed a trend for a slight decline on treatments where N was applied. This small decrease in clover content was probably a result of the shading of clovers by grasses. Amount of herbage utilised during two rotations was 3.5 t ha ^–1 DM for NPS treatment, and this was for 67 % higher from what was achieved on control treatment.