EFFECT OF FALL SOIL AERATION ON BERMUDAGRASS HAY YIELD

摘要

Use of soil aerator implements is promoted to reduce soil compaction and improve forage yields, yet few studies have been done to show the effect of soil aeration on these factors. Two replicated experiments were conducted in central Arkansas in established bermudagrass fields to determine the effect of aeration during fall of subsequent bermudagrass dry matter yield the following growing season. Forage dry matter yield was lower in aerated plots for second cutting and for total yield than for non-aerated plots in Faulkner County. Treatments were not significantly different between treatments in Van Buren County, although non-aerated plots ranked numerically higher in yield than aerated plots. Under conditions of this study, field aeration during fall was not effective in improving forage yield during the following growing season.