Analysis of forage yield and economic benefit of sudangrass under different site conditions and fertilizations

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of N and K application on the forage yield and economic benefit of sudangrass under different site conditions on Datonghu Farm, Hubei in 2007 and 2008. The results showed that the fresh grass yield of the all treatments of N and K combined application increased 1.2 to 2.3 times over the treatment N0K0 when planted in field bund. In farmland, fresh grass yield of each treatment of N and K combined application was also significantly higher than that of the CK and the grass yield was increased by 0.84 to 2.20 times respectively, but the grasses yields were much lower than that under field bund condition. Under two site conditions, the treatment of N540K180 obtained highest grass yields as 82.1 t/hm2 and 57.0 t/hm2. The economic benefit analysis indicated that the combined application of N and K fertilizers increased income by 3 991 yuan/hm2 and 2 897 yuan/hm2 on average in field bund and farmland, and the net profit of N540K180 were the highest and achieved to 5 087 yuan/hm2 and 4 385 yuan/hm2 in field bund and farmland respectively.