EFFECTS OF NITROGEN-FERTILIZATION AND CUTTING FREQUENCY ON THE COMPETITIVE ABILITY AND THE REGROWTH CAPACITY OF RUMEX-OBTUSIFOLIUS L IN SEVERAL GRASS SWARDS

The broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius L.) is widely distributed, and is perceived as a major weed problem in intensively managed permanent grassland. The effects of nitrogen fertilization (120; 240 or 480 kg N ha-1), cutting frequency (every 4 or 6 weeks) and competing grasses on development, dry matter production and stem growth of Rumex were studied under field conditions. Young plants of Rumex were planted into established pure swards of Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium perenne L., Alopecurus pratensis L. and Poa pratensis L. In all treatments, only Lolium multiflorum hindered the growth of R. obtusifolius substantially. Cutting intervals of 6 weeks were more favourable to Rumex than were 4-week intervals. Its proportion of herbage yield increased from 2% at 120 kg N ha-1, taken as an average of the three grass swards (Lolium multiflorum not included), to 18% at 480 kg N ha-1. The reproductive capacity of Rumex was greatly influenced by the competing grass species: in the P. pratensis sward, Rumex developed up to 12.3 stems with inflorescences per plant per year, but only 0.9 stems developed in the L. multiflorum plots. The regrowth potential of R. obtusifolius after intense shoot competition and low interception of radiation was unexpectedly high. It is concluded that established dock plants cannot be controlled to any extent by strong competition of grasses, by variation in cutting frequency or by nitrogen fertilization.