New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Soil nutrient distribution in pastures flood-irrigated by the border strip
method
D. J. SAVILLE1
R. A. MOSS2
A. R. BRAY1
R. B. HANNAGAN3
1AgResearch
P. O. Box 60
Lincoln, New Zealand
2AgResearch
Winchmore Research Station
Private Bag
Ashburton, New Zealand
3AgResearch
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Private Bag
Mosgiel, New Zealand
Abstract Two studies of the distribution of the levels of the
nutrients phosphate, sulphate, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and of pH
levels, were carried out in sheep pastures that were flood-irrigated by the
border strip method in mid Canterbury, New Zealand. The border strips had been
formed by grading the land to a gently sloping plane surface, then creating c.
12 m-wide, 200-300 m long strips by raising "borders" c. 1.8 m
wide and c. 12 m apart, with strips aligned with the direction of maximum
fall. The first study involved four 30-year-old border-strip pastures at
Winchmore Research Station, whereas the second study involved 20 border-strip
pastures of varying age on nine commercial farms in Ashburton County. In both
instances 75 mm-deep soil samples were taken from the tops of the
irrigation borders and from the border crutches and strips, at varying
positions up and down the length of the border-strip systems. In both studies
nutrient levels were in general lowest in the strips, highest in the crutches,
and intermediate on the borders. These differences are presumed to have been
caused by stock camping on the borders and in the crutches, and the movement of
faeces by irrigation water. A practical outcome of the study is the conclusion
that fertiliser and lime applications can be restricted to the strips.
Keywords phosphate; sulphur; potassium; magnesium; sodium;
calcium; pH; soil samples; nutrient cycling; nutrient distribution; borders;
irrigated; sheep; pastures; camping; fertiliser
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1997, Vol. 40: 99-110
0028-8233/97/4001-0099 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1997
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (880K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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