Fertiliser nitrogen responses on two hill pastures of different phosphate fertiliser history

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Abstract
Fertiliser nitrogen responses with and without applied phosphate, were measured over spring on slopes and flat areas within two sheep‐grazed hill pastures of different P status. One pasture had received little phosphate in recent years and contained low levels of legume (9.2%) and ryegrass (6.3%), whereas the other had received large P inputs and contained substantially more legume (14.9%) and ryegrass (13.9%). Pasture N responses on both pastures were large in spite of differences in species composition. Application of phosphate along with the N fertiliser did not affect total pasture production, or grass species yields, on either pasture. Legume production was little affected by fertiliser N, but was substantially greater with P on lower P status soils. Increases in pasture production with N were similar on flat (0–10°) and steep (10–25°) sites, despite different productivity and species composition. This suggests that N deficiency over spring is general in these soils and essentially independent of pasture types.

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