scholarly journals Conversion of forestry land back to productive pasture

Author(s):  
M.F. Hawke

Large areas of pine forests have been logged and the land sold to farmers for converting to pasture in the South Waikato district. This land use change is expected to continue, given the present commodity prices. A trial was conducted on an ex-forest site at Rotorua to assess the feasibility of converting land from forestry to pastoral agriculture. The establishment of pasture (ryegrass and white clover) on an ex-forest site was successful and results after 4 years indicated there were no major problems with the conversion. An application of 4 t lime/ha lifted soil pH levels into the optimum range of 5.8-6.0 and an annual maintenance dressing of 40 kg phosphorus (P) /ha has more than maintained optimum Olsen P levels of 35-45 μg/ml for pasture growth. It is expected however that commercial sites where post-forest soil P levels were lower than on the Rotorua trial site, would require higher capital P fertiliser input. Soil fauna surveys indicated a recolonisation of some soil macro fauna e.g. earthworms, grass grubs and clover root weevil. Recommendations for converting pines to pasture include removal of stumps and forest debris (where practical), vigorous weed control and the application of nutrients such as phosphate that promote pasture production. Keywords: forestry, soil Olsen phosphorus, soil pH, pasture, Pinus radiata

Soil Research ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 427 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Dodd ◽  
R. W. McDowell ◽  
L. M. Condron

Long-term application of phosphorus (P) fertilisers to agricultural soils can lead to in the accumulation of P in soil. Determining the rate of decline in soil P following the cessation of P fertiliser inputs is critical to evaluating the potential for reducing P loss to surface waters. The aim of this study was to use isotope exchange kinetics to investigate the rate of decline in soil P pools and the distribution of P within these pools in grazed grassland soils following a halt to P fertiliser application. Soils were sourced from three long-term grassland trials in New Zealand, two of which were managed as sheep-grazed pasture and one where the grass was regularly cut and removed. There was no significant change in total soil P over the duration of each trial between any of the treatments, although there was a significant decrease in total inorganic P on two of the sites accompanied by an increase in the organic P pool, suggesting that over time P was becoming occluded within organic matter, reducing the plant availability. An equation was generated using the soil-P concentration exchangeable within 1 min (E1 min) and P retention of the soil to predict the time it would take for the water-extractable P (WEP) concentration to decline to a target value protective of water quality. This was compared with a similar equation generated in the previous study, which used the initial Olsen-P concentration and P retention as a predictor. The use of E1 min in place of Olsen-P did not greatly improve the fit of the model, and we suggest that the use of Olsen-P is sufficient to predict the rate of decline in WEP. Conversely, pasture production data, available for one of the trial sites, suggest that E1 min may be a better predictor of dry matter yield than Olsen-P.


Author(s):  
A.G. Gillingham ◽  
J. Maber ◽  
J. Morton ◽  
M. Tuohy

The fertiliser requirements of hill country vary with soil type, slope and aspect-related factors which govern pasture production potential and species composition. In most situations, the topographic complexity is such that only very broad differentiation in land units can be made when aerially applying fertiliser. The traditional method of aerial topdressing is for superphosphate to be flown on at a common rate over large blocks of complex topography by fixed-wing aircraft. Advances in geographical positioning system (GPS) and aircraft technology now allow aircraft to fly accurately defined track spacing and so achieve optimum uniformity of fertiliser spread. The same technology could be used to vary fertiliser application rate along a flight path according to predetermined recommendations and through links to a farm geographic information system (GIS) map. This approach could also be used to apply different fertiliser types. In a desktop study the effects of differential, compared with uniform, fertiliser application policies, on animal productivity and economic returns were examined for three contrasting hill farm situations using a combination of trial results and the AgResearch PKS Lime Programme. Results showed that for a farm with a low soil P status (Olsen P =9), that stocking rate could be increased by 0.5 su/ha, and the economic return by 7.5%, by differential, rather than uniform fertiliser application. In a similar but higher soil P status farm (Olsen P = 15), the increase was 0.9 su/ ha and 10.1% respectively. In a summer-dry situation where nitrogen fertiliser could be substituted for some P fertiliser, a differential policy designed to optimise production gave a 2.1 su/ha and 43% net margin increase, compared with the uniform application of a typical rate of maintenance P fertiliser only. The results from the desktop study are discussed in relation to the practical aspects of developing differential fertiliser application methods. This will relate to extra fertiliser application cost, and the definition of practical sized land units and fertiliser forms, which will all have some effect on the net economics of a differential application policy. Despite these unknowns, the technology would appear to offer real gains to the hill country farmer. Keywords: economic return, fertiliser application, GIS, GPS, hill country, phosphate


2004 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 393-414
Author(s):  
Abdul R. Bah ◽  
Zaharah A. Rahman ◽  
Aminuddin Hussin

Integrated nutrient management systems using plant residues and inorganic P fertilizers have high potential for increasing crop production and ensuring sustainability in the tropics, but their adoption requires in-depth understanding of nutrient dynamics in such systems. This was examined in a highly weathered tropical soil treated with green manures (GMs) and P fertilizers in two experiments conducted in the laboratory and glasshouse. The treatments were factorial combinations of the GMs (Calopogonium caeruleum, Gliricidia sepium, andImperata cylindrica) and P fertilizers (phosphate rocks [PRs] from North Carolina, China, and Algeria, and triple superphosphate) replicated thrice. Olsen P, mineral N, pH, and exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg were monitored in a laboratory incubation study for 16 months. The change in soil P fractions and available P was also determined at the end of the study. Phosphorus available from the amendments was quantified at monthly intervals for 5 months by33P-32P double isotopic labeling in the glasshouse usingSetaria sphacelataas test crop. The GMs were labeled with33P to determine their contribution to P taken up bySetaria, while that from the P fertilizers was indirectly measured by labeling the soil with32P. The P fertilizers hardly changed Olsen P and exchangeable cations during 16 months of incubation. The legume GMs and legume GM+P did not change Olsen P, lowered exchangeable Ca, and increased exchangeable K about threefold (4.5 cmol[+]kg−1soil) in the first 4 months, even as large amounts of NH4-N accumulated (~1000 mg kg soil−1) and soil pH increased to more than 6.5. Afterwards, Olsen P and exchangeable Ca and Mg increased (threefold) as NH4+-N and soil pH declined. The legume GMs also augmented reversibly sorbed P in Al-P and Fe-P fractions resulting in high residual effect in the soil, while fertilizer-P was irreversibly retained. The GMs increased PR-P utilization by 40 to over 80%, mobilized soil P, and markedly enhanced uptake of N, K, Ca, and Mg. Thus GMs+PRs is an appropriate combination for correcting nutrient deficiencies in tropical soils.


Author(s):  
N.A. Thomson

In a four year grazing trial with dairy cows the application of 5000 kg lime/ ha (applied in two applications of 2500 kg/ha in winter of the first two years) significantly increased annual pasture production in two of the four years and dairy production in one year. In three of the four years lime significantly increased pasture growth over summer/autumn with concurrent increases in milk production. In the last year of the trial lime had little effect on pasture growth but a relatively large increase in milkfat production resulted. A higher incidence of grass staggers was recorded on the limed farmlets in spring for each of the four years. In the second spring immediately following the second application of lime significant depressions in both pasture and plasma magnesium levels were recorded. By the third spring differences in plasma magnesium levels were negligible but small depressions in herbage magnesium resulting from lime continued to the end of the trial. Lime significantly raised soil pH, Ca and Mg levels but had no effect on either soil K or P. As pH levels of the unlimed paddocks were low (5.2-5.4) in each autumn and soil moisture levels were increased by liming, these factors may suggest possible causes for the seasonality of the pasture response to lime


Author(s):  
G.G. Cossens ◽  
M.F. Hawke

During the first 20 years of a Pinus radiata tree rotation, tree growth and pasture yield were assessed under a range of tree spacings at Invermay and Akatore, two coastal sites in Eastern Otago. Pasture yield in association with trees thinned to 100 stems per hectare (sph) was comparable to that from open pasture up to a tree age of 12 years. By the 19th year, however, pasture production declined to 63% of open pasture yield at Invermay and to 42% at Akatore. At 200 and 400 sph at Akatore, pasture yield was similar to that from open pasture at tree age 12 years but declined to 27% and 0% of open pasture yield respectively by year 20. At both Invermay and Akatore, the ryegrass and clover content of open pasture was relatively constant throughout the term of the trial. However, both the ryegrass and clover content of pasture beneath trees began to decline by tree age 12 years with a very rapid decline at Akatore in the number of pasture species at 200 sph by the 19th year. No pasture remained at 400 sph, after 19 years. Livestock carrying capacity with sheep on tree treatments at Invermay decreased from 100% of open pasture at year 6 to 60% by year 10. At Akatore, livestock carrying capacity averaged over the 20-year life of the trial was 4.1 stock units per hectare with a maximum of 8.1 stock units at a tree age of 8 years. Tree growth at both sites was similar, averaging between 1 and 1.1 m/year in height over 20 years, with trees at Invermay at 100 sph averaging 9% greater height and diameter growth than at Akatore. Increasing tree stocking from 100 to 200 to 400 sph at Akatore, resulted in increased tree height, but decreased diameter at breast height. A comparison of the East Otago trees with those in a similar trial at Tikitere (Rotorua) 900 km further north indicated that the southern trees were about 6 years later in their growth pattern by tree age 20 years. On both sites, soil pH tended to be lower in the presence of trees and was significantly lower than in open pasture by year 20. The results and comparisons with the Tikitere data suggest that, in an integrated agroforestry regime, there will be livestock grazing under the trees further into the tree rotation in Otago than in North Island sites. However, slower tree growth would result in a longer rotation time to harvest. Current recommendations to farmers are to plant trees on the less productive areas of the farm and adopt a tree stocking rate which fully utilises the site. Keywords: agroforestry, livestock, pasture, Pinus radiata, soil pH, tree stocking


2011 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-358
Author(s):  
Péter Csathó ◽  
Marianna Magyar ◽  
Erzsébet Osztoics ◽  
Katalin Debreczeni ◽  
Katalin Sárdi

A szabadföldi trágyázási (tartam)kísérletek eredményeit talaj-, illetve diagnosztikai célú növényvizsgálatok segítségével tudjuk kiterjeszteni, általánosítani – figyelembe véve természetesen a kiterjesztés korlátait is. Célszerűnek láttuk ezen túl a talaj könnyen oldható tápelem-, közöttük P-tartalmát is meghatározni a hazánkban hivatalosan elfogadott AL- (ammónium-laktátos) módszer mellett az Európai Unióban és Észak-Amerikában alkalmazott P-tesztekkel is (CaCl2-, H2O-, Olsen-, Bray1-, LE-, Mehlich3- stb.) a hazai OMTK kísérletek talajmintáiban. A kísérleti helyek talajtulajdonságaiban megnyilvánuló jelentős különbségek lehetőséget adnak rá, hogy a talaj P-teszteket – és a növényi P-felvételt – jellegzetes hazai talajokon, sokszor szélsőséges talajparaméterek mellett vizsgáljuk. Az egyes P-szintek között a 28 év átlagában mintegy évi 50 kg P2O5·ha-1volt a különbség. A P0-szinten mért P-tartalmak jól jelezték az egyes kísérleti helyek talajának eltérő P-ellátottságát, illetve, közvetve, fizikai féleségében, pH és mészállapotában meglévő különbségeket. A P2-szinten – a hazai talajokra, P-igényes növényekre a hazai szabadföldi P-trágyázási tartamkísérleti adatbázisban talált összefüggésekre alapozott – új AL-P határértékek szerint csupán a bicsérdi csernozjom barna erdőtalajon nem javult a P-ellátottság legalább a „jó” szintig. Vizsgálataink megerősítették az AL-módszer függőségét a CaCO3-tartalomtól: a Mehlich3 módszerrel való összefüggésben a karbonátmentes és a karbonátos talajok csoportja erőteljesen elkülönült egymástól. Az AL-P korrekció elvégzése, azaz az AL-P értékeknek egy standard talajtulajdonság-sorra való konvertálása (KA: 36; pH(KCl): 6,8; CaCO3: 0,1%) látványosan csökkentette az AL-módszernek a talaj CaCO3-tartalmától való függőségét. Az AL-P és Olsen-P, valamint a korrigált AL-P és Olsen-P tartalmak összehasonlításában ugynakkor ugyanez az összefüggés nem volt állapítható, ami arra utal, hogy az Olsen módszer bizonyos fokig szintén pH- és mészállapot függő. Kísérleti eredményeink megerősítették a Sarkadi-féle AL-P korrekciós modell helytálló voltát. Fenti megállapításunkat ugyanakkor a növényi P-tartalmakkal való összefüggéseknek is igazolniuk kell. Szükséges tehát a talajvizsgálati eredményeknek a diagnosztikai célú növényvizsgálatokkal, valamint a terméseredményekkel való összevetése. A tartamkísérletek talajai lehetőséget nyújtanak a környezetvédelmi célú P-vizsgálatok értékelésére, a talaj P-feltöltöttsége környezeti kockázatának becslésére. Ezekkel a kérdésekkel a cikksorozat további részeiben kívánunk foglalkozni.


Author(s):  
Márcia H. Beck ◽  
Pedro A. V. Escosteguy ◽  
Deborah P. Dick

ABSTRACT The effect of humic acids (HA) on phosphorus (P) availability is still contradictory; thus, it is necessary to identify the conditions that play a crucial role in this effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of HA application, combined with doses of P, on the content of this nutrient in a Latosol with and without acidity correction. Two experiments were carried out, one with HA from peat and another with HA from mineral charcoal (leonardite). Doses of these acids (0; 1.12 and 5.62 mg C g-1 of soil) and P (26.2 and 104.7 mg P g-1 of soil, 1 and 4-fold higher than recommended, respectively) were tested at soil pH 4.5 and 7.0, in a three-factorial design. The soil was incubated for 20 days and the soil-P content was measured by Mehlich-1 and remaining-P tests. The effect of HAs on P availability varied with the P doses and soil acidity. Humic acids application increases P content in Latosol when P dose is higher than recommended and there is no acidity correction (pH 4.5). However, there is no effect of HAs application on soil-P content when applying the recommended amount of this nutrient, irrespective of the pH value.


Author(s):  
V. P. Tkach ◽  
O. V. Kobets ◽  
M. G. Rumiantsev

The forest site capacity using was quantitatively assessed for the stands of the main forest-forming species of Ukraine, Scots pine and common oak, taking into account natural zones and forest types. The tables of productivity of modal and highly productive pine and oak stands have been developed. It has been found that the stands use an average of 50–75 % of the forest site capacity of lands. The average weighted value of the capacity used by pine forests was 68–76 % in the Polissya zone, 70–78 % and 68–73 % in the Right-bank and Left-bank Forest-Steppe zones respectively, and 54–78 % in the Steppe zone. For oak stands, the value was 71–75 % and 63–71 % for the Right-bank and Left-bank Forest-Steppe zones respectively and 65–75 % for the Steppe zone. The basis for increasing the productivity of forests was confirmed to be the differentiation of forest management systems and individual forestry activities on a zonal and typological basis.


1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 541 ◽  
Author(s):  
LM Egerton-Warbuton ◽  
BJ Griffin ◽  
BB Lamont

Selection for aluminium (Al) tolerance was assessed by studying pollen-pistil interactions in Eucalyptus calophylla trees colonising a 30-year-old abandoned coal mine-site (soil pH 4.3) compared with E. calophylla trees on an adjacent forest-site (soil pH 5.3). Energy-dispersive X-ray micro-analysis of reproductive tissues demonstrated that low levels of Al occurred in the stigma, lower style and unfertilised ovules of forest-site flowers. In contrast, significantly higher levels of Al were detected in all reproductive tissues of mine-site flowers. Al concentrations were higher at the base of the style than in the stigma. Al was also detected in stigmatic exudates of mine-site flowers. Selection for Al tolerance occurred in the anther of mine-site flowers as pollen from mine-site flowers germinated six-fold (15.6%) compared with forest-site pollen (2.6%) at the highest concentration of Al (22 ppm) used. However, the rate of pollen tube growth was not significantly different between mine- and forest-sites at any Al concentration. Tolerance of Al by the mine-site pollen was not shared by the progeny as there was no increase in the survival or growth of mine-site seedlings in mine soils over forest-site seedlings. Controlled pollinations between mine-/forest-site pollen and mine-site pistils demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the number of mine- or forest-site pollen tubes at any level in the style in mine-site pistils. Pollen tube abnormalities principally occurred in mine-site pistils. We concluded that there is no evidence yet for a genetically-based tolerance of Al in E. calophylla on coal mining soils.


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