Nutrient Requirements of Mixed Forages

Western Canada has more than 10 million acres of forage crops, much of which are mixed forage stands. Only 25 percent of the forage acreage is fertilized and then it is usually with low rates of fertilizer.

This study, now complete, investigated N and P fertility of mixed foraged stands at two locations in Alberta. Four years of data show a consistent response to N fertilization, but P response has mainly been limited to one site. At that site P increased total forage yield by more than 20 percent over the check treatments in 1998. This project has successfully demonstrated the importance of fertilizing mixed stands with both N and P for optimum yield and stand quality. Visual observations indicate that balanced fertilization results in a more uniform stand with healthier alfalfa compared to non-fertilized stands. AB-13