Low Input Improvement of Degraded Grassland in Semiarid Area of China : 1. Evaluation of sheep dung as a water retention agent

SUGIURA Toshihiro, KOBAYASHI Hiroshi, IWASE Satoru

doi:10.14941/grass.43.352

In this study, we intend to establish a new durable reseeding method of herbage seeds by sheep defecation in the Inner Mongolian steppe. 1. Factors affecting germination from dung pellets Two sheep were fed 200g alfalfa seeds and were grazed for 36 hours. On the plowed field with soft soil surface, 45% dung pellets were partially covered with soil and 22% dung pellets were completely buried under the ground by trampling. Seventy nine to 86.9% of all dung pellets collected included about two grains of seed per pellet. The number of seedlings was 518/100m^2 in the plowed field. These seedlings emerged from seeds within dung pellets which were embedded 1cm depth under ground. 2. Evaluation of the dung pellets as a water retention material As the dung contained 18% to 22% water, the water content of seed, contained in the dung pellets, increased from 31% to 68%. The relationship between the water contents of dung pellet and that of seed showed positive correlation. It was found that water in the dung pellets increased the water content of the seed in the dung pellet. Water content of dung pellets which were buried in the soil increased soil water level rapidly during the first 12 hours. As the dung pellets were buried in the wetter soil, the dung pellets were capable of absorbing about 2.2 times water and keeping this water for few days after absorption.

Low Input Improvement of Degraded Grassland in Semiarid Area of China : 1. Evaluation of sheep dung as a water retention agent

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