Influence of Nitrogenous Fertilizers on Guinea Grass Yield and Carrying Capacity in Lajas Valley

Abstract

The Lajas Valley is a semiarid region located in the southwestern corner of the Island. Annual rainfall fluctuates from 40 to 60 inches with rather prolonged dry spells. Guinea grass is the prevailing and most important pasture forage. Very little or no fertilizer at all is used and, generally speaking, the grazing management is poor. In 1952, an experiment was started with Guinea grass submitted to different fertilizer treatments, under rotational grazing. A randomized-block design already described in another paper (3) was used and each treatment of 0, 40, and 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre was applied as ammonium sulfate every 4 months was replicated three times. Results obtained indicate that fertilization pays even in this relatively dry section of the Island.