Economic comparison of forage production from annual crops, perennial pasture and native grassland in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

Abstract Demand for high forage production and quality of oat (Avena sativa L., A nuda L.) by animal husbandry has increased in recent years, especially in the cold regions of northern China, because these regions are the traditional animal husbandry base. To maximize high quality of forage production, we developed a new model of two-sown regime for oat forage during a single growing season in an alpine region of Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, using two early-matured oat species, Avena sativa (cv. Qinghai444, winner oat cultivar) and A. nuda (cv. Huazao2, spring oat cultivar). The key technologies and corresponding mechanisms in the first spring-sown and the second summer-sown were studied by measuring agronomic characteristics and forage quality and production. Furthermore, forage production and quality, resources use efficiency, and economic benefits were compared and quantified between two-sown regime and traditional one-sown regime across three consecutive years (2017–2019). We found that 1) the first sowing in spring was done when the thawing depth of soil at 10–13 cm occurred, and the forage yield was mainly achieved by an increase in plant height; 2) The second sowing after harvesting the first sowing oat forage was made in summer under no-tillage treatment, with the yield being mainly due to an increase in tiller density by increasing seeding rate; 3) Compared to traditional one-sown regime, dry weight yield, crude protein yield and relative feed value were significantly increased by 53.6%, 48.9% and 70.6% across three experimental years of 2017–2019, respectively. These results clearly demonstrate that the two-sown regime of oat is an effectively way in improving forage production and quality as well as increasing benefits in an alpine region of northern China.

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Effect of N fertilizer on the productivity and nutritive values of perennial grass mixtures in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p04-001 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 361-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

S. K. Dong ◽

Z. F. Yang ◽

R. J. Long ◽

Z. Z. Hu ◽

M. Y. Kang

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Perennial Grass ◽

Alpine Region ◽

Smooth Bromegrass ◽

N Application ◽

Crested Wheatgrass ◽

Application Rates ◽

Nutritive Values

A study was conducted on grass mixtures that included smooth bromegrass (SB) + drooping wild ryegrass (DW), smooth bromegrass + Siberian wild ryegrass (SW) + crested wheatgrass (CW) and smooth bromegrass + Siberian wild ryegrass + drooping wild ryegrass + crested wheatgrass in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The study was conducted from 1998 to 2000 to investigate the effects of N application rates and growing year on herbage dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive values. Herbage DM production increased linearly with N application rates. The effect of N application on DM yields was greater (P < 0.05) in the 2nd and 3rd production years than in the establishment year. Dry matter yields of SB + SW + CW and SB + SW + DW + CW can reach as high as 15 000 kg ha-1 at 345 kg ha-1 N rate in the 3rd growing year. With increased N application rates, crude protein (CP) contents and 48 h in sacco DM degradability of grasses increased (P < 0.05). No effect (P > 0.05) of N application was detected on organic matter (OM) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) concentration. It can be concluded that for increased biomass production in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a minimum of 345 kg N ha-1 should be applied to grass stands in three split application of 115 kg N ha-1, in early June, early July and late July. Key words: Nitrogen levels, herbage dry matter yield, leaf shoot ratio, crude protein contents, dry matter degradability

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The interaction between poisonous plants and soil quality in response to grassland degradation in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Plant Ecology ◽

10.1007/s11258-014-0333-z ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 215 (8) ◽

pp. 809-819 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Yuan-Yuan Li ◽

Shi-Kui Dong ◽

Shiliang Liu ◽

Xuexia Wang ◽

Lu Wen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Alpine Region ◽

Grassland Degradation ◽

Poisonous Plants

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Effects of nitrogen application rate on soil and plant characteristics in pastures of perennial grass mixtures in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr03036 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 42 (7) ◽

pp. 727 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

S. K. Dong ◽

Y. Jiang ◽

M. J. Wei ◽

R. J. Long ◽

Z. Z. Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Application Rate ◽

Alpine Region ◽

Perennial Grasses ◽

Soil N ◽

N Application ◽

Total Soil ◽

N Application Rate ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Total Soil N

To illustrate the effect of nitrogen (N) application on soil physical and chemical characteristics, herbage yield and quality, and nitrogen and water use efficiency in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, a 3-year experiment was conducted on 3 mixtures of 4 perennial grasses commonly cultivated on the Plateau, Bromus inermis (BI) + Elymus nutans (EN), BI + E. sibricus (ES) + Agropyron cristatum (AC), and BI + ES + EN + AC by applying 4 levels of N fertiliser, 0, 115, 230, and 345 kg/ha from 1998 to 2000 in a randomised design. At harvesting time, soil pH and soil dry bulk density at 0–30 cm depth did not vary with N application rate. Soil organic carbon at 0–30 cm was not significantly variable under different N rates. Total soil N at 0–30 cm increased with N application rate and application year. After 3 years’ consecutive N treatment, total soil N reached 13 g/kg at an N application rate of 345 kg/ha. Soluble soil N at 0–30 cm increased with application rate but decreased with application year. At 345 kg N/ha application rate, soluble soil N was >100 mg/kg in 1998, but decreased to around 80 mg/kg in 2000. Herbage DM yields increased linearly with the N application rate. Compared with no fertiliser, 1.5 times more DM yield in 1998 and nearly double the DM yield in 1999 and 2000 were harvested for all grass mixtures at 345 kg N/ha. N concentrations in the herbages were significantly improved by N application. Each N fertiliser rate increased N contents in grass herbages by ≈3 g organic matter/kg. Apparent nitrogen recovery (ANR) decreased with N application rate in the establishment year of 1998, but increased with N application rate in 1999 and 2000. N use efficiency (NUE) decreased with N application throughout the experiment. Precipitation use efficiency (PUE) was significantly improved by N application for each grass mixture. Positive residual N-fertiliser effects were observed on herbage DM yield, ANR, NUE, and PUE in this study. BI + ES + AC showed higher DM yields, ANR, NUE, and PUE than the other 2 grass mixtures, and thus was proposed for N-input grassland systems in the alpine region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

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