During the 6 -yr plot harvesting program, precipita-
<br />tion was variable and produced an unusually moist year
<br />(1978 when precipitation was approximately 140 of
<br />the growing season mean) and an unusually dry year
<br />(1980 when precipitation was approximately 50% of
<br />the growing season mean). Production during these 2 yr
<br />is depicted in Fig. 4, and it was not until soil depth ex-
<br />ceeded 60 cm that the production lines for the wet and
<br />dry years diverged. In the soil depth zone of 60 to 152
<br />cm, relative production during the wet year was ap-
<br />proximately 10% greater than production during the
<br />dry year; however these differences were not significant
<br />at the 5% level. Therefore, variations in precipitation
<br />appear to have no significant influence on soil depth re-
<br />quirements for maximum production of cool - season
<br />perennial grasses.
<br />Data collected by E. J. DePuit (personal communica-
<br />tion) suggested that soil depth requirements for maxi-
<br />mum vegetative production may change in response to
<br />plant maturation and other aspects of community devel-
<br />opment. Presented in Fig. 4 is the response of perennial
<br />grasses to increasing soil depth during the first 3 yr of
<br />the study as compared with the last 3 yr. The production
<br />responses were similar, except for one area. During the
<br />1981 to 1983 period, cool- season grass production at the
<br />50 -cm soil depth was significantly greater (at the 5%
<br />level) than production during the 1978 to 1980 period.
<br />These data suggest that soil depth requirements to maxi-
<br />mize forage production become more clearly defined as
<br />time progresses.
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