Comparative studies on two forage grass species under different sources of nitrogen fertilizer and water regime at South Sinai.

摘要

In this paper, the response of two forage grass species, i.e., ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and reed canary grass (Phalaris canariensis) to different nitrogen sources (ammonium sulfate 20.6% N, ammonium nitrate 33.5% N and urea 46% N) at rate of 60 kg N per feddan and two irrigation intervals (5 and 7 days) were studied under the saline conditions of Ras Sudr Experimental Station, South Sinai (Egypt), during 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 growing seasons. It was found that the short irrigation interval (5 days) recorded insignificant increase in growth characteristics and forage yield except in number of tillers per unit area in both cuts of the first season and plant height in the first cut during the second season. Urea was the best nitrogen fertilizer in terms of its effect on some growth parameters of two grass species studied, however, their fresh and dry forage yields as well as their other components responded positively to ammonium nitrate with insignificant differences. Fresh and dry forage yield of ryegrass and their components were superior than that of reed canary grass in both seasons. The first order interaction had a positive effect on some parameters at the second season. On the other hand, soil water content and soil water osmotic potential were more available and caused less injury to the plants irrigated every 5 days especially at the early growth stages than those irrigated every 7 days..