Are the effects of an organic fertilization on a permanent meadow similar to those of a mineral fertilization?

• Published in: Revue suisse d'agriculture Vol. 35; no. 4
• Main Authors: Jeangros, B. (Station federale de recherches en production vegetale de Changins (RAC), Nyon (Switzerland)), Sahli, A, Jacot, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: 01.07.2003
• Subjects: ABONOS INORGÁNICOS; ABONOS ORGÁNICOS; BOTANICAL COMPOSITION; COMPOSICIÓN BOTÁNICA; COMPOSITION BOTANIQUE; CONTENIDO DE MATERIA SECA; DRY MATTER CONTENT; ENGRAIS MINÉRAL; ENGRAIS ORGANIQUE; EXPERIMENTACIÓN EN CAMPO; EXPÉRIMENTATION AU CHAMP; FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO; FERTILITÉ DU SOL; FIELD EXPERIMENTATION; FÓSFORO; INORGANIC FERTILIZERS; MEADOWS; ORGANIC FERTILIZERS; PHOSPHORE; PHOSPHORUS; POA TRIVIALIS; PRADOS DE SIEGA; PRAIRIE DE FAUCHE; RENDEMENT; RENDIMIENTO; SOIL FERTILITY; TENEUR EN MATIÈRE SÈCHE; YIELDS
• ISSN: 0375-1325

During 6 years the effects of different organic fertilizers (cattle slurry or manure) have been compared to mineral fertilizers on two permanent meadows in the Swiss Jura. The organic fertilizations leaded to a similar, sometimes even slightly higher soil fertility as compared to the mineral fertilization. The botanical composition was less affected by the fertilization treatment, but organic fertilizers had the tendency to promote Poa trivialis. In comparison to the mineral fertilizers, the organic fertilizers caused mainly a reduction of the annual dry matter yield of 0.7 to 1.0 t DM per ha on average (-10 to -15%). They also induced a small increase of the P content in the grass. On the whole, we observed only small differences between the organic fertilization treatments. For most observed parameters, the effects of the site, of the year or of the harvest period (1st growth or following growth) were greater than those of the fertilization.