Publication Date

1985

Location

Kyoto Japan

Description

Four tropical grasses and one legume were grown on an oxic dystropept soil in W. Java, Indonesia. Two levels of S fertilizer were applied (0 and 60 kg S/ha). Forages were harvested at 6 and 9 week intervals during the wet and dry monsoons respectively. Production of leaves and stems was determined separately and samples of a 6- and 9-week regrowth were analyzed for chemical composition. The effect of S fertilization on dry matter (DM) yield was markedly influenced by the effect of season. During the wet season only the production of stems from napier grass was increased (P < .05). During the dry season stem and leaf production of napier grass and centro increased (P < .05) under fertilization but there was a decrease (P < .05) in leaf production of guinea grass. S fertilization increased S content in leaves and stems by 23%. There was a tendency for N to increase and for NDF in leaves to decrease. Only in centro was ADF and lignin of fertilized plants lower (P < .05). Although Ca, P, Mg, Cu and Zn were not affected by fertilization, ash content in leaves of fertilized forages differed (P < .05) from controls.

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Sulfur Fertilization of Five Tropical Forages I. Dry Matter Production and Chemical Composition

Kyoto Japan

Four tropical grasses and one legume were grown on an oxic dystropept soil in W. Java, Indonesia. Two levels of S fertilizer were applied (0 and 60 kg S/ha). Forages were harvested at 6 and 9 week intervals during the wet and dry monsoons respectively. Production of leaves and stems was determined separately and samples of a 6- and 9-week regrowth were analyzed for chemical composition. The effect of S fertilization on dry matter (DM) yield was markedly influenced by the effect of season. During the wet season only the production of stems from napier grass was increased (P < .05). During the dry season stem and leaf production of napier grass and centro increased (P < .05) under fertilization but there was a decrease (P < .05) in leaf production of guinea grass. S fertilization increased S content in leaves and stems by 23%. There was a tendency for N to increase and for NDF in leaves to decrease. Only in centro was ADF and lignin of fertilized plants lower (P < .05). Although Ca, P, Mg, Cu and Zn were not affected by fertilization, ash content in leaves of fertilized forages differed (P < .05) from controls.