Phosphorus fertilizer and grazing management effects on phosphorus in runoff from dairy pastures

Fertilizer phosphorus (P) and grazing related factors can influence runoff P concentrations, from grazed pastures. To investigate these effects, we monitored the concentrations of P in surface runoff from grazed dairy pasture plots (50 x 25 m) treated with four fertilizer P rates (0, 20,40, and 80 kg ha(-1)yr(-1)) for 3.5 yr at Camden, New South Wales. Total P concentrations in runoff were high (0.86-11.13 mg L-1) even from, the control plot (average 1.94 mg L-1). Phosphorus fertilizer significantly (P < 0.001) increased runoff P concentrations (average runoff P concentrations from the P-20, P-40, and P-80 treatments were 2.78, 3.32, and 5.57 mg L-1, respectively). However, the magnitude of the effect of P fertilizer varied between runoff events (P < 0.01). Further analysis revealed the combined effects on runoff P concentration of P rate, P rate x number of applications (P < 0.001), P rate x time since fertilizer (P < 0.001), dung P (P < 0.001), time since grazing (P < 0.05), and pasture biomass (P < 0.001), A conceptual model of the sources of P in runoff comprising three components is proposed to explain them mobilization of P in runoff and to identify strategies to reduce runoff P concentrations. Our data suggest that the principal strategy for minimizing runoff P concentrations from grazed dairy pastures should be the maintenance of soil P at or near the agronomic optimum by the use of appropriate rates of P fertilizer.