Wear Tolerance of Kentucky Bluegrass and Creeping Bentgrass Following Nitrogen and Potassium Application

Abstract

Nitrogen (96 and 192 kg·ha-1·year-1) and K (0, 48, 96, and 192 kg·ha-1·year-1) were applied in factorial combination over 4 years to two creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) and one Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) field plot locations. Turfgrass wear tolerance and recovery from wear were evaluated in the 3rd and 4th years of N and K application by visually estimating the percentage of unworn turf present at the wheel track of a wear simulator or by determining the fresh weight of turfgrass tissue collected from cores removed within, and outside the simulator wheel track. Increasing the supply of N improved creeping bentgrass wear tolerance in the 4th year, but had no effect on Kentucky bluegrass wear tolerance. Nitrogen did not influence recovery from the wear of either species over 8 to 14 days of evaluation following the imposition of wear. Potassium did not affect the wear tolerance or recovery from wear injury in either species.