EFFECTS OF NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON THE QUALITY AND YIELD OF NATIVE RANGELAND

This study was conducted to determine N+P+K applications on yield and some quality characteristics of native rangeland in Isparta-Turkey in 2002-2004 growing periods. Application of N+P+K was found to be considerably effects on forage dry matter yield. However, the yield from N application was found to be higher than that from no- fertilization. The highest dry matter yield was obtained 1306 kg ha-1with N80P40K50 and 1291 kg ha-1, with N80P80K50 treatments, respectively. The nitrogen fertilization affected the crude protein content of native rangeland. The highest crude protein content (11.11 to 12.17%) was obtained from 80 kg ha-1 N application while the lowest crude protein content (8.26 to 9.41%) was obtained from plots without N. The N fertilization significantly decreased native rangeland NDF, ADF and ADL content from 74.32 to 68.46%, 46.45 to 39.02% and 17.15 to 14.84%, respectively.