Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of grasslands of Eastern Sicily
1992
Cosentino, S. (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Catania (Italy). Centro di Studio sulle Colture Precoci Ortive in Sicilia) | Litrico, P.G. (Reggio Calabria Univ. (Italy). Istituto di Agronomia e Coltivazioni Erbacee)
Aim of the present research was to study the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of some grasslands of the eastern Sicily, in order to choose the most effective improvement techniques. The trials were carried out from 1983 to 1986 in two typical grasslands of eastern Sicily located respectively in the low hills of Ragusa province (Ispica, 170 m slm) and in the high hills of Messina province (Cesaro, 1200 m slm). On some representative areas the dry matter accumulation process and the seasonal pattern of production according to "Corrall and Fenlon" (1978) method were studied. Moreover, the effect of nitrogen fertilization (3 q ha-1 of ammonium nitrate) was studied. The production season was comprised, at Ispica, from November to April with a stop of the growth during winter months, while at Cesaro the production season ranged between March and June. In both localities, using the method proposed by Corrall and Fenlon (1978) the production obtained was lower than the one collected studying the growth process. According to the "Corrall" method the period of peak production was, in the low hills between the second and the third decades of March and the high hills between the last days of April and the first days of May. In the two grasslands, on average, prevailed the gramineous species which increased due to fertilization treatment. The qualitative analysis of the forage allowed to ascertain at Cesaro', a decreasing of the crude protein content and an increasing of the crude fiber content starting from the end of May. At Ispica, before the winter stops, the crude protein and fiber content did not show any modification; during the spring season a decreasing of protein and an increasing of fiber was registered from the second half of April. The method proposed by "Corrall and Fenlon" did not appear suitable to characterise the grasslands of eastern Sicily
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