How to grow high-yield forage grass

In order to achieve better economic benefits, many friends who grow forage grass will choose to grow forage grass that can be harvested multiple times a year. In order to obtain higher yields, some friends even look for high-yield forage grass varieties. Here’s how to grow high-yield forage grass.

1. Soil treatment before forage planting

1. Deep plowing: Deep plowing is generally done with animal-powered plows and tractors. The appropriate depth is 20-25 cm. Deep plowing should be done once a year. Deep plowing should be timely, careful and the field surface should be level.

2. Harrowing: For the land that has just been plowed, use a spiked harrow to level the ground, break up the soil clods, and remove the roots of weeds to conserve moisture. After sowing and before germination, if the soil is compacted, use a spike-toothed harrow to break up the compaction and facilitate germination. Harrowing perennial pastures in early spring and after harvest can eliminate weeds, improve soil moisture, nutrients and air conditions, and facilitate the regrowth and growth of pastures.

3. Suppression: If the soil surface is too loose, has clods or is dry and moisture-deficient before sowing, it can be suppressed. Crush large clods, level the ground, increase soil compactness, and improve the moisture content of the surface soil. In case of drought, press down the soil after sowing to increase moisture and promote germination.

4. Inter-row tillage: Inter-row tillage after seedling emergence is called inter-row tillage, which is mainly used to eliminate weeds, loosen the soil, increase ground temperature, prevent drought, etc. It is necessary to cultivate the soil in time and keep it loose and free of weeds, especially after irrigation or rain, to break up the compaction and conserve moisture.

5. Digging ditches, making ridges and ridges: Digging ditches, making ridges and ridges can remove stagnant water, help ventilate and light, and increase ground temperature. In low-lying and flood-prone areas, it is even more important to do a good job of digging ditches and draining water.

2. Forage cultivation and fertilization technology

1. Basic principles of fertilization:

(1) Fertilize according to the type of forage grass and the amount of fertilizer required: Different types of forage grass require different types and amounts of fertilizer. Grasses in the Poaceae family have a high demand for nitrogen fertilizer and are sensitive to it. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizer should be used mainly, combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Leguminous forage grasses have nodules that can fix free nitrogen in the air. They should be mainly fertilized with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers and a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer, especially when the nodules of seedlings have not yet formed. Applying a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer can promote the formation of leguminous forage grass nodules, fix nitrogen with phosphorus, and promote the growth of grasses. For the same type of forage grass, the demand for fertilizer varies at different growth stages. During germination, seeds store abundant nutrients. Generally, the demand for nutrients in the seedling stage, which does not absorb nutrients, is small. As the seedlings grow, the demand gradually increases. The period when Poaceae forage grasses absorb the most nutrients is from tillering to flowering; while the period when Leguminosae forage grasses absorb the most nutrients is from branching to bud formation. According to the characteristics of fertilizer, apply it in appropriate amount and at appropriate time to meet the fertilizer needs during the forage development stage.

(2) Fertilize according to soil fertility: Generally, loamy soil contains a lot of organic matter and quick-acting nutrients. Sufficient basal fertilizer and timely topdressing can achieve high yields. Clay soil or low-lying soil with high moisture content has high fertility, strong fertilizer retention capacity, and slow decomposition of organic matter. In the early stage, more accelerated-effect fertilizers should be applied, and in the later stage, greed for greenness, excessive growth, and lodging should be prevented. Sandy soil has low fertility and poor fertilizer retention capacity, so more organic fertilizer should be applied as base fertilizer, and chemical fertilizer should be applied in appropriate amounts and frequently. For any soil, we must pay attention to the combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

(3) Apply fertilizer according to soil moisture conditions: The amount of soil moisture directly affects the formation of humus and the accumulation of fast-acting nutrients. There is too much moisture in the soil, poor microbial activity, slow decomposition of organic matter, and few fast-acting nutrients, so quick-acting fertilizers should be applied appropriately. If the soil lacks moisture or is too dry, not only will the organic matter be difficult to decompose, but there will also be few available nutrients, making it difficult for fertilizer to be absorbed. In the dry season, fertilization should be combined with irrigation or precipitation.

(4) Apply fertilizer according to its type and characteristics: Different types of fertilizers have different characteristics. Fertilizers with slow effects and that are not easily lost in the soil can be used as base fertilizers, such as superphosphate and wood ash; fertilizers with fast effects and that are easily absorbed by grass can be used as top dressing, such as ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium sulfate.

2. Fertilization method:

(1) Applying basal fertilizer

① The role of basal fertilizer: Before sowing forage, organic fertilizer and slow-release chemical fertilizer are applied in combination with soil tillage to meet the needs of forage during the growth period, which is called basal fertilizer. The function of base fertilizer is to cultivate the soil fertility of fertilizer and meet the fertilizer needs of the entire growth of forage.

② Methods of applying base fertilizer: There are three main types: scattered application, strip application and layered application. The first type of fertilization is to spread the material evenly on the surface before tilling the soil, and then turn it over and apply the fertilizer into the ditch; strip application concentrates the fertilizer, uses less and has a high fertilizer efficiency; layered fertilization is to combine deep tillage to apply coarse fertilizer and slow-release fertilizer into deep layers, and fine fertilizer and quick-release fertilizer into the upper layer of the soil. The above fine and coarse fertilizers, combined with the depth and distribution range of the root system of forage during the growth period, should be placed at a depth that meets the nutrients required for forage growth.

(2) Application of seed fertilizer

①The role of seed fertilizer: Organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, bacterial fertilizer, etc. applied together with seeds during sowing are seed fertilizers. Its purpose is to meet the nutritional needs of seed germination and seedling growth.

② Method of seed and fertilizer application: For dense row sowing, strip application can be adopted in furrows; for spot sowing, transplanting or cuttings, hole application can be adopted, or the seeds can be soaked and mixed before sowing. When applying fertilizer, in order to prevent the fertilizer from corroding and poisoning the seeds, organic fertilizers that are too acidic, too alkaline, can produce high temperatures, and are not fully decomposed are not suitable as seed fertilizers.

3. Apply topdressing

①The role of top dressing: Fertilizer applied during the growth and development of forage according to the needs of forage is called top dressing. The purpose is to timely supply the nutrients required by forage grass at each growth period, promote growth and development, and achieve high yield and high quality.

②Top dressing method: The main fertilizer used for top dressing is inorganic quick-acting fertilizer. There are methods such as broadcasting, strip application, hole application and foliar fertilization. The type and amount of topdressing should be determined based on the growth of forage grass and specific conditions such as local climate change and rainfall. In order to give full play to the role of fertilizer and prevent waste and damage to forage grass.

Different types of forage grass require different types and amounts of fertilizer. It is also necessary to apply fertilizer according to soil fertility, soil moisture conditions, and the type of fertilizer or its usage characteristics.