Leaves of Grass: nutrient requirements for every turfgrass

transcript

Micah Woods, Ph.D.Chief Scientist | Asian Turfgrass Centerwww.asianturfgrass.com@asianturfgrass

15 August 2014South China Turf Managers AssociationSheraton Cotai Central, Macauhttp://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

Penn G-2 creeping bentgrass Shanghai, ChinaWhat are we trying to do?

1. Ensure all essential elements are in adequate supply

perennial ryegrassChiba, Japan

2. Maximize nutrient use efficiency by applying the

minimum amount required

Penncross creeping bentgrassChiba, Japan

How do we accomplish 1) adequate supply &

2) maximum efficiency? Penn A-1 bentgrass, USA

Enough K No K

We need to know 3 quantities

L-93 creeping bentgrassIthaca, New York

1. How much of an element is

present in the soil?

2. How much of an element is

needed in the soil?

3. How much of an element does the grass use?

Quantity 1 (amount present)obtained from soil test

Cornell University Nutrient Analysis Laboratory, New York

ReferenceNovember, 2012

Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition

Soil Guidelines

Minimum Level for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) is a new, more sustainable approach to managing soil nutrient levels that can help you to decrease fertilizer inputs and costs, while still maintaining desired turf quality and playability levels. The MLSN guidelines were developed in a joint project between PACE Turf and the Asian Turfgrass Center. All soil analyses were conducted at Brookside Laboratories, New Knoxville, OH.

MLSN Soil Guideline

pH >5.5

Potassium (K ppm) 35

Phosphorus (P ppm); pH<7.5, Mehlich 3 18

Phosphorus (P ppm); pH<7.5, Bray 2 25

Phosphorus (P ppm); pH>7.5, Olsen 6

Calcium (Ca ppm) 360

Magnesium (Mg ppm) 54

Managing sodium and salts: In locations where poor quality irrigation

meet the guideline of <110 ppm sodium or <2 dS/m salts, MLSN guidelines and overall management practices may need to be

basis. For more informa

Quantity 2 (amount needed) obtained from MLSN guidelines

http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

January GCM: www.gcsaa.org

Quantity 3 (amount used) estimated based on applied nitrogen

Fukuoka, Japan

The amount of fertilizer ( F ) to apply is:

F = MLSN (g/m2) + Harvest (g/m2) - soil test (g/m2)

Soil Test AnnualPlant Uptake

FertilizerApplied

Remainingin Soil

−47.9 0

FertilizerApplied

Remainingin Soil

−47.9 33.5

FertilizerApplied

Remainingin Soil

−7.15 5

6.810.0

FertilizerApplied

Remainingin Soil

−1.6 0

FertilizerApplied

Remainingin Soil

The amount of fertilizer ( F ) to apply is:

F = MLSN (g/m2) + Harvest (g/m2) - soil test (g/m2)

“N supply was the primary determinant of turfgrass growth rate, plant nutrient demand, and nutrient uptake. Nitrogen uptake accounted for over 88% of uptake of all other nutrients. Uptake of P and K were strongly related to tissue N content irrespective of soil test levels.”

Kussow et al., 2012

ISRN Agronomy. Evidence, Regulation, and Consequences of Nitrogen-driven Nutrient Demand by Turfgrass.

http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

Leaves of Grass: nutrient requirements for every turfgrass

Education