Objectives
This project, involving four farms, aims to assess the extent to which using a foliar feed that is based on urea and humic acid can reduce the application of conventional N fertiliser to grass. They aim to investigate the effectiveness of using foliar feed, which is more commonly used in horticulture systems, on a grassland system.
Objectives
Nod y prosiect hwn, sy’n cynnwys pedair fferm, yw asesu i ba raddau mae defnyddio bwyd dail sy’n seiliedig ar asid wrea a hwmig yn medru lleihau’r angen am wasgaru gwrtaith N confensiynnol ar y borfa. Anelir at archwilio’r effeithiolrwydd o ddefnyddio bwyd dail ar systemau glasswelltir, sy’n fwy cyffredin mewn systemau garddwriaeth.
Activities
On each of the four farms, one large field will be split into three sections of equal size and the following treatments will be compared:
1) Nitrogen fertiliser, as per current/ standard practice
2) Foliar feed
3) No fertiliser
The performance of each plot will be measured in terms of:
1) Dry matter yield
2) N content of fresh grass tissue
3) Costs of N application per tonne of dry matter
4) Clover content to assess the impact on species composition of the sward
Activities
Ar bob un o’r pedair fferm, bydd un cae yn cael ei rannu’n dair rhan hafal ac yna bydd y triniaethau canlynol yn cael eu cymharu:
1) Gwrtaith nitrogen yn ôl yr arfer bresennol / safonol
2) Bwyd dail
3) Dim gwrtaith
Bydd perfformiad pob llain yn cael ei fesur yn ôl y canlynol:
1) Cynnyrch deunydd sych
2) Cynnwys N ym meinwe porfa ffres
3) Costau gwasgaru N am bob tunnell o ddeunydd sych
4) Cynnwys meillion er mwyn asesu’r effaith ar gyfansoddiad rhywogaethau mewn gwndwn
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014UK06RDRP004 United Kingdom - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Wales
Emplacement
- Main geographical location
- South West Wales
€ 44397
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
Project keyword
1 Practice Abstracts
The majority of Nitrogen (N) fertilisers are applied to grassland systems in solid, or prill form with a spreader. The nutrients are applied to the ground before being washed into the topsoil by rain and then taken up by the root system of the plants. A host of factors such as soil compaction, drainage, bio-activity, soil temperature, dry or wet weather can affect the nutrient release and uptake by the grass with this method.
There is another, quicker, method of getting nitrogen directly into the grass, which is through the leaves of the plant. Leaves have pores between cell structures which can be good entry point for nutrients. Previous trials have proven that foliar feeding (through the leaves) fertiliser directly to the grass can decrease the amount of total nitrogen necessary whilst minimising nitrogen losses through runoff.
This project, involving four farms, aims to assess the extent to which using a foliar feed that is based on urea and humic acid can reduce the application of conventional N fertiliser to grass. They aim to investigate the effectiveness of using foliar feed, which is more commonly used in horticulture systems, on a grassland system. For it to be successful, the quality and quantity of dry matter of the grass, as well as the clover content must not be compromised.
Mae’r rhan fwyaf o wrtaith Nitrogen (N) yn cael ei wasgaru mewn systemau glaswelltir ar ffurf pelenni gyda pheiriant gwasgaru. Mae’r maetholion yn cael eu gwasgaru ar y ddaear cyn cael eu golchi i mewn i’r uwchbridd gan y glaw ac yna’n cael eu hamsugno gan system wreiddiau’r planhigion. Trwy ddefnyddio’r dull hwn, mae yna nifer o agweddau a allai effeithio ar ryddhau’r maetholion a’r mewnlifiad i’r borfa gan gynnwys, cywasgiad y pridd, draeniad, bio-actifedd, tymheredd y pridd, tywydd sych neu dywydd gwlyb.
Dull arall a chyflymach o gael nitrogen yn syth i mewn i’r borfa yw trwy ddail y planhigyn. Mae gan ddail fandyllau rhwng strwythurau’r celloedd sy’n galluogi’r maetholion i fynd i mewn iddynt. Mae arbrofion blaenorol wedi profi bod bwydo glaswellt (drwy’r dail) gyda gwrtaith yn uniongyrchol yn medru lleihau faint o nitrogen sydd ei angen ac yn lleihau colledion nitrogen trwy ddŵr ffo.
Nod y prosiect hwn, sy’n cynnwys pedair fferm, yw asesu i ba raddau mae defnyddio bwyd dail sy’n seiliedig ar asid wrea a hwmig yn medru lleihau’r angen am wasgaru gwrtaith N confensiynnol ar y borfa. Anelir at archwilio’r effeithiolrwydd o ddefnyddio bwyd dail ar systemau glasswelltir, sy’n fwy cyffredin mewn systemau garddwriaeth. Er mwyn iddo fod yn llwyddiannus, ni ddylid cyfaddawdu ar y safon a a faint o ddeunydd sych sydd yn y borfa, yn ogystal â’r cynnwys meillion.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Tony Little
Project coordinator
Project partners
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Mike Harrington
Project partner
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Mike Smith
Project partner
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Mr. Steven Jones
Project partner
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Robin Nicolson
Project partner
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Terry James
Project partner