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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Burns, Oregon » Range and Meadow Forage Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150188
Title: EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF MEADOW FOXTAIL HAY

Author
item Angell, Raymond
item Svejcar, Anthony

Submitted to: Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: ANGELL,R.F., SVEJCAR,A.J., EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF MEADOW FOXTAIL HAY, EASTERN OREGON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTER, 1998. PP. 74 - 79.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: a 3-year study was conducted on a wild-flooded meadow in eastern Oregon to determine the response of the introduced grass, meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis L.), to fertilizer nitrogen. Nitrogen was applied as urea in March each year at 0, 36, 72, or 108 lb N/acre reates. Forage was harvested at three weekly intervals in July each year. Nitrogen significantly increased forage yield each year although the increases were greatest in the second and third years, with up to 1.5 tons/acre of additional forage produced. Based on the dollar cost of the urea used in this study, the highest return in pounds of forage per dollar spent on nitrogen occurred in 1997 at the 72 lb N/acre rate with a forage yield increase of 120 lb/dollar spent on nitrogen. Compared to non-fertilized plots, nitrogen costs were between $22 and $26/ton of additional forage in years two and three. By contrast in year one, costs ranged from $32 to $45/ton. Based on this study, nitrogen fertilization appears to provide increased benefits during wet climatic cycles when forage production is high, but less benefit in the year immediately after a drought cycle when available soil nitrogen may be higher.