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TURFGRASS

Nitrogen Increases Evapotranspiration and Growth of a Warm-Season Turfgrass

School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia

^* Corresponding author (lbarton{at}cyllene.uwa.edu.au).

The effect of N fertilizer rate on Kikuyu turfgrass [Pennisetum clandestinum (Hochst. ex Chiov)] evapotranspiration was evaluated during two summers. Evapotranspiration was measured using weighing lysimeters (205 mm in diameter by 625 mm in length) inserted in turfgrass field plots (10 m²). The experiment was a randomized plot design with three replicates. Treatments included two turfgrass ages (established from 20 wk or 20-yr-old turfgrass) and three N application rates (0, 50, or 150 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1). Evapotranspiration ranged from 2.8 to 7.5 mm d^–1 (or 56–81% of evaporative demand), and varied with daily evaporative demand, turfgrass age, and N fertilizer rate. The older turfgrass used more water than the younger turfgrass during both summers; while increasing the N application rate also increased evapotranspiration for both turfgrass types (younger turfgrass only in the second summer). Evapotranspiration was positively correlated with turfgrass growth (r² = 0.74–0.80) and transpiring leaf area (r² = 0.78). Older turfgrass at all N treatments, and the younger turfgrass receiving 150 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1, had adequate growth, color, and leaf N concentrations. Optimizing fertilizer applications such that the minimum N required to maintain turfgrass quality is applied, is an approach for decreasing water consumption by turfgrass.

Abbreviations: ET, evapotranspiration

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Received for publication March 13, 2008.