Publication Date
1997
Description
The benefits of increasing soil water with snow management and fertilizer for annual and perennial crops have been demonstrated for semiarid environments. We examined the combined effect of snow management and fertilizer on forage production. In 1985, vertical wood slat or slotted plastic snow fencing (0.7m high) were erected on crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) pasture. In 1986, five rates of fertilizer: 400, 200, 100, 50, 0 kg ha-1 nitrogen each with 50 kg ha-1 phosphorous and a sixth treatment with no fertilizer were applied to each side and type of the snowfence. A second site was selected on native range in fall 1986 with fertilizer applied in spring 1987. Samples were harvested from subplots every 1.5m perpindicular to the fence in the subsequent springs until 1991. Production of crested wheatgrass and native range was influenced by the fertility level, type of snowfence, distance and direction from the snowfence.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Effect of Snowtrapping and Fertilization on Production of Crested Wheatgrass and Native Pastures in Southwest Saskatchewan
The benefits of increasing soil water with snow management and fertilizer for annual and perennial crops have been demonstrated for semiarid environments. We examined the combined effect of snow management and fertilizer on forage production. In 1985, vertical wood slat or slotted plastic snow fencing (0.7m high) were erected on crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) pasture. In 1986, five rates of fertilizer: 400, 200, 100, 50, 0 kg ha-1 nitrogen each with 50 kg ha-1 phosphorous and a sixth treatment with no fertilizer were applied to each side and type of the snowfence. A second site was selected on native range in fall 1986 with fertilizer applied in spring 1987. Samples were harvested from subplots every 1.5m perpindicular to the fence in the subsequent springs until 1991. Production of crested wheatgrass and native range was influenced by the fertility level, type of snowfence, distance and direction from the snowfence.
