Get reliable rangeland science

Prior to 1962 it was thought that 90 to 135 kg N per ha annually gave satisfactory yields of grass herbage. Grasses were consequently selected for their productivity with this amount of applied nitrogen. It was subsequently shown that the yield response of grasses was linear with up to 450 kg N per ha. Thus it became necessary to test again many commonly?grown grasses with this high rate of nitrogen. Thirty grasses were fertilized annually with 450 kg N, 90 kg P2O5 and 65 kg K2O per ha. Herbage yields were determined each time the grasses reached early anthesis . Mean herbage yields over four years varied from 1 700 to 17 900 kg dry matter per ha. Results showed clearly that stoloniferous grasses were more productive than tufted grasses. The significance of high yielding stoloniferous grasses in relation to beef production in Rhodesia is briefly discussed.