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Predicting seasonal production of Eragrostis curvula.


Hackland N.G.E.
Jones R.I.

Abstract

The potential for mathematical prediction of the yield and quality of forage crops in fodder production planning is still untapped. This paper presents a multiple regression equation accounting for 88% of the variation that occurred in some 270 individual annual yields of Eragrostis curvula. The data originated from nine sites in the eastern high summer-rainfall regions in South Africa. The significant variables were level of applied nitrogen, rainfall, age of pasture and a combination of soil factors. The "Richards" function was used to derive the seasonal distribution of growth rates of E. curvula at four of the nine sites. A procedure for predicting the corresponding production curve for a given farm site is proposed, based on the expected total yield and a selected standard curve. This technique shows promise and it will be applied to other pasture species

Keywords: crops; eragrostis curvula; fodder; forage; growth rate; growth rates; pasture; production; rainfall; seasonal distribution; seasonal production; soil factors; south africa; summer rainfall region; yield


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eISSN: 1727-9380
print ISSN: 1022-0119