General considerations for forage & pasture management: which factors affect the nutrient content of pasture & forage

Take home messages

• Soil fertility has a key role in the growth and development of grass and in roughage composition.

• However, soil fertility comprises many facets and is often difficult to assess, expensive, hazardous and time consuming.

• The combination of two broad spectrum tests, we can routinely assess the physical, biological and chemical characteristics of a soil by:

  • The multi nutrient 0.01 M CaCl2 extraction procedure, which gives insight in the availability of beneficial plant nutrients in a soil, and

  • Near infrared spectroscopy which gives insight in, among others, the soil nutrient stock and the complete pool of soil nutrients.
     

• Combining CaCl2 extraction and NIRS technologies has resulted in the routine assessment of 50 soil characteristics and provides insight in the biological, chemical and physical soil fertility.

• Assessment of soil fertility gives a better understanding of, and grip on grass production and roughage quality, e.g. in the nutrient content of grasses (phosphorus and lysine content).

• Large efforts have been made to validate the addition value of measuring more soil fertility characteristics, including fractions of nutrients. However, further underpinning remains necessary.

References

• Van Ittersum, M. K., and Rabbinge, R., 1997. Concepts in production ecology for analysis ad quantification of agricultural input-output combinations. Field Crop Research, 52 (3), 197-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4290(97)00037-3

• Houba, V. J. G., Novozamsky, I., Lexmond, T. M., and Van der Lee, J. J., 1990. Applicability of 0.01 M CaCl2 as a single extraction solution for the assessment of the nutrient status of soils and other diagnostic purposes. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 21 (19-20), 2281-2290. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629009368380
• Houba, V. J. G., Novozamsky, I., and Van der Lee, J. J., 1994. Status and future of soil and plant analysis. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 25 (7-8), 753-765. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629409369078

• Houba, V. J. G., Novozamsky, I., and Van Dijk, D., 1998. Certification of an air-dry soil for p and extractable nutrients using one hundredth molar calcium chloride. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 29 (9-10), 1083-1090. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629809370010

• Ros, G. H., 2011. Predicting soil nitrogen supply. PhD Thesis Wageningen University, The Netherlands.

• Van Erp, P. J., 2002. The potentials of multi-nutrient soil extraction with 0.01 M CaCl2 in nutrient management. PhD Thesis Wageningen University, The Netherlands.

• Van Rotterdam – Los AMD, 2010. The potential of soils to supply phosphorus and potassium processes and predictions. PhD Thesis Wageningen University, The Netherlands.

• William, P., and Norris, K., 1987. Near-Infrared Technology in the agricultural and food industries. American Association of Cereal Chemists, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.

• Jaconi, A. C., Vos, C., and Don, A., 2019. Near infrared spectroscopy as an easy and precise method to estimate soil texture. Geoderma, 337, 906-913. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.10.038

• Kuipers, S. F., 1951. Principles of fertilization. Nederlands Land- en Tuinbouwbibliotheek. Dalal, R. C., and Hallsworth, E. G., 1976. Evaluation of the parameters of soil phosphorus availability factors in predicting yield response and phosphorus uptake. Soil Science Society of America Journal 40, 541-546. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1976.03615995004000040026x

• Moody, P. W., Aitken, R. L., Compton, B. L., and Hunt, S., 1988. Soil phosphorus parameters affecting phosphorrus availability to, and fertilizer requirements of, maize (Zea mays). Australian Journal of Soil Research, 26 (4), 611-622. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9880611

• Ehlert, P., Morel, C., Fotyma, M., and Destain, J., 2003. Potential role of phosphate buffering capacity of soils in fertilizer management strategies fitted to environmental goals. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Sciences, 166, 409-415. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200321182

• Quintero, C. E, Boschetti, N. G., and Benavidez, R. A., 2003. Effects of soil buffer capacity on soil test phosphorus interpretation and fertilizer requirement. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 34 (9-10), 1435-1450. https://doi.org/10.1081/CSS-120020455