Award details

Effects of forage grasses and legumes on soil processes

Reference	BBS/E/G/00003108
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr John Witty
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res
Department	Inst of Grassland and Environmental Res Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	335,713
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1999
End date	31/03/2003
Duration	48 months

Abstract

Hypothesis. Key soil processes determining pasture yield, sustainability and nutrient capture can be manipulated through the use of plants which differ in their effect on soil structuring and in their resistance to the diffusion of O2 down the root system. Aim. To identify and understand the physiological and genetic basis of genotypic variations in the ability of grasses and clovers to influence soil aeration, mineralisation, denitrification and nutrient capture in clover /grass pasture. Background Observations. Clover adapts to waterlogging and poor soil structure by developing root aerenchyma which results in a 4 fold in crease in O2 permeability. This has a major effect in aerating the plough layer. There is genetic variation in the time taken to adapt, and the yield of adapted plants can be increased by flooding (Pugh et al .,1995; Witty and Pugh, 1996). Aside from the direct effects of root mediated O2 transport, clover is also known to improve soil structure and air filled pore space (Mytton et al 1993). At several farm sites the porosity of compacted soils beneath clover was more than 7 times higher than beneath grass (Witty and Mytton, unpublished data). There is also genotypic variation in the expression of these traits. The aim is to identify the mechanisms and their underlying genetic controls and to develop and evaluate the impact of novel germplasm on nutrient acquisition and losses in agricultural systems.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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