Effects of Rates and Nutrient Ratios on Production and Quality of Phytomass at Fertiliser Application to an Alluvial Meadow The research objective was to assess effects of fertiliser application rates and nutrient ratios on production and quality of grassland at an alluvial meadow. The initial sward type was Festucetum pratense association. A field trial was established in the western part of "Zvolenská kotlina" basin (altitude 350 m) and consisted of ten fertiliser treatments: zero-fertilised sward (control); fertiliser P and K application; rates of 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N/ha at two ratios of N : P : K nutrients, namely the low N : P : K ratio (1 : 0.3 : 0.8) and the high one (1 : 0.15 : 0.4), respectively. The grassland was utilised by three cuts. Dry matter (DM) production and herbage quality were determined at each of the cuts. The yield of DM was higher with the rates of 50 and 100 kg N/ha applied at the high nutrient ratio than at the low ratio. Over the research period, the highest DM production was recorded at the treatment with the low nutrient ratio and the highest N rate applied. The content of crude protein (CP) was increasing with the rising fertiliser N rate and the increase in CP was higher at the low nutrient ratio treatments. The zero-fertilised control also provided sufficient CP content. The low nutrient ratio resulted in higher P and K content than the high one. The lowest content of P and K was recorded at the control. The highest P content was found at the treatment with the fertiliser P and K applied. The highest K content was recorded at the 2nd cut, but decreased at the 3rd cut in all the treatments. The content of Ca was rising towards the 3rd cut. The content of nutrients was higher at the treatments where the high ratio was used. The content of Mg in DM was higher at the treatments with the high nutrient ratio and the high N fertiliser rates. The content of Mg was increasing in the 2nd cut at all the treatments.

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Grasslands intensification by use of mineral fertilization has contributed substantially to the increase in forage production. Intensification, however, can degrade the other beneficial functions or soil properties. The effects of mineral fertilization on soil and plant chemical qualities of a permanent wet grassland (Festucetum pratense association) were investigated in Slovakia. The grassland was treated using 3 different N, P, and K rates of mineral fertilizers in kg. ha−1. yr−1 plus the Control (0NPK) almost over 60-year period (1961–2017). The N, P, and K rates in low NPK treatment (LNPK) were N50, P15.4, and K 41.5, in the medium NPK treatment (MNPK) were N100, P30.8, and K83, and in the high NPK treatment (HNPK) were N200, P 61.6, and K 166, respectively. Overall, soil variables (pH, soil organic carbon, plant-available K) showed the most significant changes. A more balanced development was observed in case of soil total nitrogen, C:N ratio, and plant-available P. ANOVA revealed a significant effect between treatments only on plant-available P. In the case of plant functional group development, long-term mineral addition significantly disfavors legumes and forbs. However, analyses of the botanical composition over the last 5 years showed that legume cover significantly differs only in the HNPK treatment. Plant C:P, N:P, and N:K ratios were significantly reduced when fertilizers were added. In terms of grasslands yields, the highest biomass and content of macronutrients were obtained under the HNPK rates. However, with regard to the quality and quantity of the soil organic matter, the most appropriate treatment has been with the MNPK rates. Our findings demonstrate that medium fertilization seems to be an acceptable compromise to meet both productivity and environmental aspects and to connect ecological benefits with social benefits in the long term.

Effects of Non-Fertilised Grassland Management Intensity on Herbage Quality and Quantity Over 2006-2009, an optimum cutting frequency was investigated at non-fertilised grassland. The research was carried out at the Suchý vrch site (near Banská Bystrica), altitude 460 m. The research sward was utilised by cutting with different intensity: high (4 cuts), medium (3 cuts), low (2 cuts) and by 1 cut under extensive exploitation. Herbage yield, organic and mineral substances and nutritive value were determined. The intensity of sward exploitation influenced the dry matter (DM) production which was higher when utilised by two cuts than by four and three cuts, respectively. The research parameters showed the best DM quality at the highest cutting frequency (the high and the medium intensity). Crude protein (CP) content increased at higher cutting frequency, but dropped at extensive utilisation. The content of fibre was higher at less intensive cutting. The highest content of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) was found under more intensive cutting. Towards the end of growing season, calcium (Ca) content was rising while that of K was decreasing. The sodium (Na) content was low at all the research treatments.

Possibilities were studied for using digested substrate as fertiliser applied to grassland. Over 2008-2009, a research trial consisting of four treatments in four replicates (the non-fertilised control; sward fertilized with digested substrates from 100% slurry; 80% slurry and 20% phytomass; 60% slurry and 40% phytomass) was performed on seminatural grassland at Radvaň site. In the sward utilised by three cuts a year, these parameters were studied: botanical composition, dominant species, herbage production, organic matter and mineral substances. At the fertilized treatments, the proportion of grasses was higher in 2009 than in 2008, but that of legumes and other herbs decreased. Dominant grasses were Poa pratensis L., Festuca rubra L., Lolium perenne L., Trisetum flavescens L. while Trifolium repens L. and Medicago falcata L. dominated among legume species. The application of digested substrate as fertiliser showed positive effects on herbage production, the highest increase was found at Treatment 4 where the digested substrate consisting of 60% slurry and 40% phytomass was applied. The highest amounts of crude protein (CP), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were recorded at the treatment with the digested substrate composed of 80% slurry and 20% phytomass applied.