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Water Use of St. Augustinegrass and Bahiagrass under Varying Nitrogen Rates
Author(s) -
McGroary P. C.,
Cisar J. L.,
Snyder G. H.,
Erickson J. E.,
Daroub S. H.,
Sartain J. B.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj2010.0237
Subject(s) - paspalum notatum , lawn , randomized block design , cultivar , agronomy , mathematics , clipping (morphology) , environmental science , biology , botany , philosophy , linguistics
In Florida, state agencies are concerned about St. Augustinegrass [ Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] for being a possible high water user and excess (N) applications in home lawns. This has resulted in a desire by some municipalities to substitute St. Augustinegrass with bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flügge). Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of different N fertilizer rates on water use and turf quality of bahiagrass and St. Augustinegrass commonly used in residential yards. The experiment was a split‐plot randomized complete block design repeated over two trials. Whole plots arranged in blocks consisted of either bahiagrass cultivar ‘Pensacola’ or St. Augustinegrass cultivar ‘Floratam’. Subplots consisted of two N rates (98 and 294 N kg ha −1 yr −1 ). Water use rates, was influenced by grass type and by N rates with bahiagrass having higher water use rates (WURs) than St. Augustinegrass in one of the two trails. The high N rate increased turfgrass WURs but only in Trial 1. In both trials clipping yields (CY) were greater for bahiagrass than St. Augustinegrass. Furthermore, the higher N rate produced greater CY than the lower N rate. All treatments produced acceptable turfgrass quality when averaged for each trial though, not for ever cycle. Bahiagrass generally produced superior quality ratings than St. Augustinegrass. In addition, the higher N rate always produced higher quality scores than the lower N rate.