Soil nutrient distribution in pastures flood‐irrigated by the border strip method
Open Access
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research
- Vol. 40 (1), 99-110
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.1997.9513237
Abstract
Two studies of the distribution of the levels of the nutrients phosphate, sulphate, potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, and of pH levels, were carried out in sheep pastures that were flood‐irrigated by the border strip method in mid Canterbury, New Zealand. The border strips had been formed by grading the land to a gently sloping plane surface, then creating c. 12 m‐wide, 200–300 m long strips by raising “borders” c. 1.8 m wide and c. 12 m apart, with strips aligned with the direction of maximum fall. The first study involved four 30‐year‐old border‐strip pastures at Winch‐more Research Station, whereas the second study involved 20 border‐strip pastures of varying age on nine commercial farms in Ashburton County. In both instances 75 nun‐deep soil samples were taken from the tops of the irrigation borders and from the border crutches and strips, at varying positions up and down the length of the border‐strip systems. In both studies nutrient levels were in general lowest in the strips, highest in the crutches, and intermediate on the borders. These differences are presumed to have been caused by stock camping on the borders and in the crutches, and the movement of faeces by irrigation water. A practical outcome of the study is the conclusion that fertiliser and lime applications can be restricted to the strips.Keywords
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- High performance ion chromatography measurement of sulfate in 20 mM phosphate extracts of soilCommunications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 1994
- Nutrient Cycling and Soil Fertility in the Grazed Pasture EcosystemPublished by Elsevier ,1993
- Nutrient cycling and losses based on a mass-balance model in grazed pastures receiving long-term superphosphate applications in New Zealand: 2. SulphurThe Journal of Agricultural Science, 1992
- Nutrient cycling and losses based on a mass-balance model in grazed pastures receiving long-term superphosphate applications in New Zealand: 1. PhosphorusThe Journal of Agricultural Science, 1992
- Balance sheet of phosphorus, sulphur and potassium in a long-term grazed pasture supplied with superphosphateNutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 1992
- Leaching losses from irrigated pasture: Waiau Irrigation Scheme, North CanterburyNew Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1986