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The Fate of Nitrogenous Fertilizers Applied to Turfgrass
Author(s) -
Petrovic A. Martin
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1990.00472425001900010001x
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , fertilizer , environmental science , denitrification , irrigation , volatilisation , nitrate , agronomy , groundwater , soil water , surface runoff , nitrogen , chemistry , soil science , ecology , biology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
Maintaining high quality surface and groundwater supplies is a national concern. Nitrate is a widespread contaminant of groundwater. Nitrogenous fertilizer applied to turfgrass could pose a threat to groundwater quality. However, a review of the fate of N applied to turfgrass is lacking, but needed in developing management systems to minimize groundwater contamination. The discussion of the fate of N applied to turfgrass is developed around plant uptake, atmospheric loss, soil storage, leaching, and runoff. The proportion of the fertilizer N that is taken up by the turfgrass plant varied from 5 to 74% of applied N. Uptake was a function of N release rate, N rate and species of grass. Atmospheric loss, by either NH 3 volatilization or denitrification, varied from 0 to 93% of applied N. Volatilization was generally <36% of applied N and can be reduced substantially by irrigation after application. Denitrification was only found to be significant (93% of applied N) on fine‐textured, saturated, warm soils. The amount of fertilizer N found in the soil plus thatch pool varied as a function of N source, release rate, age of site, and clipping management. With a soluble N source, fertilizer N found in the soil and thatch was 15 to 21% and 21 to 26% of applied N, respectively, with the higher values reflecting clippings being returned. Leaching losses for fertilizer N were highly influenced by fertilizer management practices (N rate, source, and timing), soil texture, and irrigation. Highest leaching losses were reported at 53% of applied N, but generally were far less than 10%. Runoff of N applied to turfgrass has been studied to a limited degree and has been found seldom to occur at concentrations above the federal drinking water standard for NO − 3 . Where turfgrass fertilization poses a threat to groundwater quality, management strategies can allow the turfgrass manager to minimize or eliminate NO − 3 leaching.