Pa. Pieterse et al., THE INFLUENCE OF NITROGEN LEVELS, SOIL TY PE AND WATER-STRESS ON THE GROWTH-RATE AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF PANICUM-MAXIMUM CV GATTON, Water S.A., 20(3), 1994, pp. 259-263
The influence of N fertilisation, soil type and water stress on the gr
owth rate and water use efficiency of Panicum maxiMum was evaluated in
a pot trial at the University of Pretoria. There were 5 levels of N a
pplication on 3 different soil types and the treatments were replicate
d under conditions of water stress. it was concluded that N fertilizat
ion, at levels higher than 80 kg N.ha-1, does have a significant effec
t on both growth rate and water-use efficiency, but that its influence
was overshadowed by soil type and availability of groundwater. Water-
use efficiency also decreases as the season progresses. From the resul
ts of this trial it seems to be good policy, to irrigate only till the
first cut or the first half of the summer.