THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN, PLANT-DENSITY AND COMPETITION BETWEEN BROMUS-STERILIS AND 3 PERENNIAL GRASSES - THE IMPLICATIONS FOR BOUNDARY STRIPMANAGEMENT

The competitive ability of Festuca rubra L., Holcus lanatus L, and Poa trivialis L. when grown from seed, in monoculture and in 1:1 additive mixtures with Bromus sterilis L. was studied. B. sterilis was more ag gressive when grown in additive mixtures with F. rubra than P. trivial is or H. lanatus. H. lanatus was less dominated by B. sterilis at the second harvest; visual observations suggested that this dichotomy was due to its slower initial growth rate, and its subsequent dense vegeta tive growth habit. There was no statistically significant difference b etween the Relative Yield Total (RYT) of B. sterilis in additive mixtu res with F. rubra, H. lanatus or P. trivialis, indicating that they we re competing for the same resources. B. sterilis produced significantl y more reproductive tillers and seeds as a result of nitrogen applicat ion, and such production was accentuated in the absence of interspecif ic competition. The implications of sown grass strips for field margin management are discussed.