Influence of Three Nitrogen Fertilization Schedules on Bermudagrass and Seashore Paspalum: I. Spring Green‐up and Fall Color Retention

Abstract

A primary concern in managing warm‐season turfgrasses within the transition zone is the lengthy dormant period, during which these swards lack green color. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of three N fertilization schedules on spring green‐up and fall color retention of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Sw.). A field trial was performed at the agricultural experimental farm of Padova University (northeastern Italy). Bermudagrass cultivars Princess‐77, Riviera, SWI 1014, and Yukon and seashore paspalum ‘Sea Spray’ were compared under three N fertilization schedules: (i) 6.7 g N m−2 on 15 May, 15 June, and 15 August, (ii) 5 g N m−2 on 15 May, 15 June, 15 August, and 15 October, and (iii) 4 g N m−2 on 15 May, 15 June, 15 August, 15 September, and 15 October. Spring green‐up was estimated weekly as a percent green turfgrass coverage from 15 March to 15 June of 2010 and 2011. Fall color retention was visually rated from September to November of 2010 and 2011. Sea Spray seashore paspalum had later spring green‐up and better fall color than the bermudagrass cultivars, which differed widely in terms of spring green‐up and fall color retention. Fall‐applied N enhanced green‐up of all the grasses tested and extended fall color retention of bermudagrass cultivars. This study revealed that protracting applications of N fertilizer until late season may improve quality performance of warm‐season grasses without increasing annual N applied.

Foliar Fertilization With Commercial Liquid Fertilizer for Improving Growth and Quality of Seashore Paspalum Turf

“…plants/pot, covering rate, herb fresh and dry weights, as well as leaf content of pigments, total soluble sugars, indoles an phenols. Similar results were also elicited by Trenholm and Unruh (2009) on Paspalum notatum, Rimia et al (2013) on bermudagrass and seashore paspalum, Pompeianoa et al (2014) on Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis "Tifway", Zoysia japonica "Meyer" and Paspalum vaginatum "Salam". Now, our local market is full of several commercial fertilizers that supply the plants with various nutrients and compounds essential for increasing growth, production and quality.…”

“…This may be reasonable because of the synergistic effect of both fertilizers in providing the sod plants with their requirements of nutrients, vitamins, auxins and amino acids which directly share in vital processes occurred in plant tissues (Kenneth, 1979). In this regard, Rimia et al (2013) mentioned that fall-applied N enhanced greenness of Bemudgrass and seashore paspalum and extended fall colour retention of them.…”

WinRHIZO Technology for Measuring Morphological Traits of Bermudagrass Stolons

“…Therefore, using the WinRHIZO technology for numerous stolons derived from a turfgrass sample, it is possible to easily and accurately quantify the total stolon length. Stolon abundance in a turfgrass sward is usually described by stolon mass density (mg cm -2 ), which is measured after oven-drying (Munshaw Rimi et al, 2013a;Schiavon et al, 2016). Similarly, stolon length can be used to calculate stolon length density (cm cm -2 ), and both can be applied in analysis of samples with a large amount of biomass.…”

“…Study of stolon and rhizome traits in a mature turfgrass is oft en based on the measurement of internode length and diameter, and mass dry weight (Lulli et al, 2012;Munshaw et al, 2001;Rimi et al, 2013aRimi et al, , 2013b. Several studies underlined the greater interest of stolon dry weight in optimum establishment seeding rates (Munshaw et al, 2001) and cold tolerance (Rimi et al, 2013b;Schiavon et al, 2016) of warm season grasses, while little attention is given to total stolon length and diameter.…”

Field and Laboratory Evaluation of Bermudagrass Germplasm for Cold Hardiness and Freezing Tolerance

“…Cultivar selection is considered one of the most important steps for the success of bermudagrass turf, especially in the transition zone where both cool-season grasses and warm-season grasses are not equally adept at surviving the extreme temperatures in the summer and winter months (Patton et al, 2008;Giolo et al, 2013;Rimi et al, 2013). germplasm for freezing tolerance, but not for the African (Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) germplasm.…”