A study of growth in swards of timothy and meadow fescue III. The effect of two levels of nitrogen under two cutting treatments

Abstract

1. Pure swards of S. 48 timothy and S. 215 meadow fescue receiving approximately 52 or 156 lb. N per acre over a period of 8 months were cut (a) at anthesis and twice thereafter or (6) every 4 weeks. The number and weight of tillers and leaves and annual plot yields were determined.2. Tiller numbers rose to their highest in spring and then declined throughout the summer. The higher rate of nitrogen increased tillers in the meadow fescue more than in the timothy; the system of frequent defoliation resulted in enhanced production of tillers in the low nitrogen swards of both species, so that maximum populations within a species were similar under the two levels of nitrogen.