The decomposition of turfgrass clippings is fast at high air humidity and moderate temperature |
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| Authors: | Karin Kauer Henn Raave Tiina Köster Rein Viiralt Merrit Noormets Indrek Keres |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Field Crop and Grassland Husbandry , Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences , Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014 , Tartu , Estonia karin.kauer@emu.ee;3. Department of Field Crop and Grassland Husbandry , Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences , Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014 , Tartu , Estonia |
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| Abstract: | Abstract In grassland areas where herbage production has no economic value, the cut grass is often left on the sward surface where its decomposition is influenced by weather conditions. Although the influence of temperature and humidity on decomposition has been investigated under controlled lab conditions, experimentation has generally been under ideal moisture conditions that have not tested the combinations of climatic limitations that might occur in the field. The decomposition of mown turfgrass clippings deposited at different times of vegetation period was studied in situ using nylon bags during the first 8 weeks after deposition to investigate the effect of weather conditions (the air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) on decomposition. Decomposition is the highest in the case of high air humidity and temperature of 10°C. Limiting factors for decomposition at temperatures above 10°C is the air humidity and below 10°C the air temperature. The general tendency was that the rate of decomposition increased with increasing air temperature up to 10°C, but with further increases of air temperature the decomposition rate slowed down. Relative air humidity had a variable impact (at the beginning of the decomposition process (weeks 1–2) the influence was negative, during weeks 3–8 of the decomposition process the effect was positive), and hence had no generalized relationship with decomposition over the studied decomposition period (weeks 1–8). The most significant influence of weather conditions on the decomposition rate was recorded directly after cutting. If the cutting was done during hot weather conditions, the material was drying fast and therefore decomposed slowly. Our results indicate that for fast decomposition of clippings it is important to maintain the freshness of material. Lower decomposition rates occurred during conditions of hot and dry weather, and also cooler (temperature near to 0°C) weather, and can be compensated as soon as favourable weather arrives. |
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| Keywords: | Air temperature nylon bags precipitation relative air humidity sward |
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