Increasing Knowledge Of Pasture Production

Press, Volume C, Issue 29643, 13 October 1961, Page 23

Increasing Knowledge Of Pasture Production

(From Our Own Reporter)

TAURANGA. Oct. 12. "While there are still many putalinf problems, our knowledge today is such that if there were enough scientist* •nd money there would be v.rtually no insoluble problem of soil fertility concerning pasture production,” Professor T. W. Walker, professor of soil science at Canterbury Agricultural College, told the conference of the New Zealand Grassland Asso. nation which ended today. Thia statement cannot yet He extended to include animal production, which, after • 11, is vital to us, but an increasing number of animal problems are being explained. With such an unexpected finding as the relationship between vitamin E meteboli«n and selenium deficiency it is clear that some of these eranplex problems will only be solved by basic biochemical research. Other unsolved animal d sorders are not likely to be •r.swered by blunderbuss • ."•plication* of various mineral m.xture*. although where a farmer has a probtern which cannot at present he solved I am sympathetic but sceptical about their use.” said Professor Walker. Although no fanner need

be long in doubt as to what fertiltear* he needed to increase pasture production. Dr. Walker Mid thi* wa* a far ery from having advice on the quantities, forms, and times ot application to give maximum net returns. A* returns declined and coats increased although fertiliser costs had actually remained remarkably steady or had even decreased as in the case of potash—these problems needed answers. There were probably few farmers applying too much fertiliser for it to be unprofitable. but it could not be expected that fanners would increase their use of fertilisers unless they were given much better guidance. "I consider this to be one of the major problems facing •oil scientists and agrostologies in the next 10 years,” said Professor Walker.