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Frequent Trinexapac‐ethyl Applications Reduce Nitrogen Requirements of Creeping Bentgrass Golf Putting Greens
Author(s) -
Kreuser William C.,
Soldat Douglas J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2011.07.0364
Subject(s) - agrostis stolonifera , clipping (morphology) , biology , nitrogen , yield (engineering) , growing degree day , agronomy , horticulture , mathematics , poaceae , botany , sowing , materials science , chemistry , philosophy , linguistics , organic chemistry , metallurgy
The plant growth regulator trinexapac‐ethyl (TE) [4‐(cyclopropyl‐a‐hydroxymethylene)‐3,5‐dioxo‐cyclohexanecarboxylic acid ethylester] reduces turfgrass clipping yield and enhances turfgrass color and density. Typically, such responses are achieved through alteration of N application rate, yet few have comprehensively investigated the effect of TE on turfgrass N requirements. We hypothesized that TE reduces putting green N requirements without sacrificing turfgrass quality. A three year study was conducted on a creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera L.) putting green with treatments consisting of three N application rates (5, 10, and 20 kg N ha −1 14 d −1 ) with or without TE application. To sustain season‐long growth suppression, TE was applied at 0.10 kg a.i. ha −1 every 200 growing degree days (GDD; base 0°C). Turfgrass yield and color were quantified every other week, and clipping tissue N content was analyzed monthly. Clipping yield, tissue N content, N removal, and color index increased with N rate. All attributes responded linearly to N application rate. Trinexapac‐ethyl enhanced color while suppressing clipping yield and nutrient removal from mowing. As a result, TE reduced creeping bentgrass putting green N requirements by 25% conservatively and on several occasions by greater than 50%.