The effects of fertilizer on the establishment of seeded grass and legume stands when reclaiming coal strip mines have not been evaluated in northwest Colorado. Nitrogen (0, 28, 56, and 112 kgN/ha) and phosphorus (0 and 56 kgP/ha) were applied in all combinations to the spoils before topsoiling or to the surface after topsoiling. In the greenhouse, herbage yield and yield of roots in the 28 cm of topsoil replaced over the spoil increased as rate of N increased; phosphorus did not increase yield. Nitrogen content of the herbage increased from 1.02% to 1.33% as rate of N increased from 0 to 112 kgN/ha. In a field study in northwest Colorado, neither N nor P fertilizer improved stand establishment ratings. Both the amount and placement of N at time of seeding affected herbage yield during the third growing season. Alfalfa yields were increased 20% by buried P and 44% by surface P in the third growing season. Applying N fertilizer at time of seeding is not recommended. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.