Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/25.2.4208

NPK fertilisation of natural grassland for the development of a sustainable management system

Dalibor TOMIĆ orcid.org/0000-0002-2814-1935 ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia *
Vladeta STEVOVIĆ ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Dragan ĐUROVIĆ ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Milomirka MADIĆ orcid.org/0000-0002-5301-4751 ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Miloš MARJANOVIĆ orcid.org/0000-0003-1772-4374 ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Nenad PAVLOVIĆ ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Duško BRKOVIĆ ; University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Agronomy, Cara Dušana, 34, +38132000 Čačak, Serbia
Mirjana PETROVIĆ orcid.org/0000-0002-3828-6265 ; Institute of Forage Crops, +38137251 Globoder, Kruševac, Serbia
Vladimir ZORNIĆ ; Institute of Forage Crops, +38137251 Globoder, Kruševac, Serbia
Đorđe LAZAREVIĆ ; Institute of Forage Crops, +38137251 Globoder, Kruševac, Serbia

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

In this study, the effect of NPK fertilization with different nitrogen rates on the dry matter yield and botanical composition of a Festucetum pratense natural grassland was analysed in a 10-year field trial. The experiment was conducted in the period 2011–2020 in central Serbia, 1000 m above sea level. The fertiliser treatments included: control without fertilisers, N60:P40:K40, N100:P40:K40, and N140:P40:K40 kg/ha per year. The mineral fertilisation treatments had a significant effect on the dry matter yield and botanical composition of the grassland, especially in the first cut, resulting in a lower total number of plant species in the grassland. The effect of fertilization on dry matter yield and botanical composition was largely dependent on weather conditions. In the last years of the trial, the dry matter yield gradually decreased under the fertiliser treatments, which is a consequence of the decrease in diversity. Satisfactory results on this grassland can be achieved with low nitrogen fertiliser applications combined with the maintenance of plant diversity as a basis for sustainable grassland management in temperate latitudes.

Keywords

botanical composition; dry matter yield; fertilisation; natural grassland

Hrčak ID:

318559

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/318559

Publication date:

28.6.2024.

Article data in other languages: serbian

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