Affiliation:
1. Environmental Horticulture, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center University of Florida Davie Florida USA
2. Environmental Horticulture West Florida Research & Education Center Jay Florida USA
Abstract
AbstractIn Florida, multiple counties restrict the application of N to turfgrass and landscapes during the summer rainy season. These summer fertilizer blackout periods could impact turfgrass quality and the functionality of warm‐season turfgrass species. A 2‐year study was conducted at the University of Florida's Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC) and West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) to assess turfgrass performance of ‘Floratam’ and ‘Classic’ St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze] as well as ‘Empire’ and ‘Palisades’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.), respectively, receiving no N fertilization during summer blackout period using eight fertilization programs compared to an unfertilized control. Visual quality, normalized difference vegetation index, percentage green cover, and dark green color index were assessed biweekly. Roots were collected before and after the fertilizer blackout period to determine root dry weight. While no differences were detected in St. Augustinegrass at the FLREC and zoysiagrass at the WFREC, all fertilized treatments except urea reached and maintained an acceptable turfgrass quality (≥6) throughout the blackout period, suggesting that urea by itself was not sufficient to support an optimal turfgrass performance during a fertilizer blackout period. The addition of P to nutrition programs did not influence turfgrass quality. Results indicate that N source is the most important factor to sustain turfgrass quality year‐round in Florida.
Funder
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Subject
Plant Science,Soil Science,Agronomy and Crop Science
Reference24 articles.
1. Effects of Fertilizer Type on Quality and Nutrient Content of Established Landscape Plants in Florida
2. Influence of Core Aerification, Topdressing, and Nitrogen on Mat, Roots, and Quality of ‘Meyer’ Zoysiagrass
3. Gautam R.(2015).Environmental and agronomic aspects of nitrogen fertilizer management in St. Augustinegrass turfgrass during summer fertilizer black‐out[Doctoral dissertation University of Florida].University of Florida Digital Collections.https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UFE0047795/00001/pdf