Annual herbage yields of grasses grown on sandy soils on Henderson Research Station seldom exccecîf 10 000 kg/ha dry matter, while on heavy clay soils yields of 18 000 kg/ha are consistently obtained with similar amounts of applied fertilizers. Eight grass species were established in sandy soil that had either not been fumigated or been fumigated with methyl bromide against soil nematodes. In the following season herbage dry matter yields increased from 13 280 kg/ha to 15 690 kg/ha due to fumigation, ou the average, while increases of 50% or more were obtained for three grasses. Yield reductions in two species may have been due to phytoloxic residues. Fumigation reduced the number of nematodes in the soil and in the grass roots.
Journal articles from the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA) African Journal of Range and Forage Science as well as related articles and reports from throughout the southern African region.