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Production Papers

Sulfur Fertilization of Bahiagrass with Varying Levels of Nitrogen Fertilization on a Florida Spodosol

^a Univ. of Florida, Range Cattle Res. and Educ. Cent., 3401 Experiment Rd., Ona, FL 33865-9706
^b Univ. of Florida, Southwest Res. and Educ. Cent., 2686 SR 29 N, Immokalee, FL 34142-9515
^c Univ. of Florida, Dep. of Stat., P.O. Box 110339, Gainesville, FL 32611-0339

^* Corresponding author (ivezenwa{at}ifas.ufl.edu)

Received for publication January 8, 2004. Low levels of available S in soils may limit bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) growth in Florida. To characterize the response of bahiagrass to S fertilizer, we annually applied a factorial combination of four N (N₀–N₂₅₅ = 0, 85, 170, and 255 kg ha^–1, respectively) and S (S₀–S₂₈₅ = 0, 95, 190, and 285 kg ha^–1, respectively) levels to a >40-yr-old pasture and measured forage yield, N and S concentrations, and N and S uptake at 35, 70, and 105 d after fertilization (DAF) over 3 yr. There were highly significant N x S fertilizer interactions for yield, concentration of N, and N uptake. In the absence of N, each of these responses increased with increasing rates of S, but as level of N increased, these three responses to S diminished. For example, with N₀, yield ranged from 1140 to 2640 kg dry matter (DM) ha^–1 over S₀ to S₂₈₅, but with N₂₅₅, yield did not vary (mean 3210 kg DM ha^–1). Up to 80 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 came from apparent mineralization of soil organic matter (OM) as a result of addition of S to plots that received no N. At 35 DAF, concentrations of S in forage ranged from 2.6 to 3.8 g kg^–1 with S₀ to S₂₈₅. Maximum annual uptake was 28 kg S ha^–1 with recovery at 136 g S kg^–1 of applied S. With 56 to 67 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1, as is common on Florida ranches, fertilization with S may not be necessary on older pasture.

Abbreviations: AS, ammonium sulfate • DAF, days after fertilization • DM, dry matter • N_x, nitrogen application at x kg N ha^–1 • OM, organic matter • S_x, sulfur application at x kg S ha^–1