Abstract
In order to assess and evalute the effect of potash applied at two levels viz., 112 and 224 kg K20 ha-1- on the yield of berseem fodder and seed, a field experiment comprising eight treatments was conducted on a loamy soil. Data revealed that application of potash alongwith phosphorus resulted in non-significant increase in yield of berseem fodder, while nitrogen phosphorus combination gave the highest yield. Whereas phosphorus was found to be of real necessi-ty for the crop. Similar to the green fodder yield, applicGtion of potash alongwith. nitrogen and phosphosus resulted in non-signifi-cant increase of berseem seed. also. Furthers it was observed that the addition of only nitro en to berseem was not economical.
INTRODUCTION
Berseem (Trifolium alexandrium-L) due to its many merits as a fodder crop and its soil improvement properties holds an important position among various fodders in Pakistan (Wahhab, 1960). Though average yields of this fodder are fairly good in former's fields, yet there is a very large scope of improvement provided balanced fertilization is practiced. MacGregor et alL (1961) reported that phosphate and phosphate potash fertilization to affalfa increased the per acre production through increased hay yield. Keefer (1973) and Korter (1974) conducted field experiments under a vide variety of environ-mental conditions and found that lucerne yields were increased by the application of h= her rates of phosphorus and potash. Zhunusov and Dantkulov (1974) conducted a pot experiment for three years with KC', K2SO4 and potash labelled with K42 on lucerne. They found that K application increased hay yield by an average of 35-40% on pale and dark Chestnut Serozem soils to which only nitrogen and phosporus had been applied for a long time. Bader and Baierova
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*Assistant Professor, Depott. of Soil Science, University of Agri. Faisalabad. **Agricultural Chemist (Soils), Ayub Agricultural Research Inst. Faisalabad.
