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Nitrogen Management

Response of Coastal Bermudagrass Yield and Nutrient Uptake Efficiency to Nitrogen Sources

^a Univ. of Florida, Range Cattle Research and Education Center, 3401 Experiment Station, Ona, FL 33865
^b Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M Univ. System, P.O. Box 200, Overton, TX 75684-0200

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

Received for publication July 7, 2006. Nitrogen is an important agronomic input for bermudagrass production in the southern USA. Fertilizers that can efficiently provide N to grass pastures and hay meadows are an important issue because of increasing costs and environmental problems associated with N losses. This experiment was designed to determine the effectiveness of various N sources on ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] production and N uptake efficiency. Nitrogen was applied at 0, 45, 90, and 135 kg ha^–1 harvest^–1 as urea–ammonium nitrate (UAN), urea, ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium sulfate (AS) on Gallime (Glossic Paleudalf) and Lilbert (Plinthic Paleudult) soils. Mixtures of S with UAN and of Ca and B with urea were also evaluated. Bermudagrass was periodically harvested and subsampled for total N analysis. At termination of the study soil samples were collected for pH and extractable NO₃–N analyses. Bermudagrass yield responses to N sources were significant only in the Gallime soil. In this soil, AN and AS increased yields and resulted in greater N uptake compared to urea and UAN. Lilbert soil showed no effect of N sources on dry matter (DM) production. There was a yield response to N rates and maximum bermudagrass production was generally achieved at the 90 kg ha^–1 N rate regrowth^–1. Fertilizer efficiency declined as the N rate was increased. Soil acidity increased in response to N application, particularly for the AS treatments. Selection of N sources and rates should be carefully planned to avoid detrimental effects on soil acidity and, consequently, fertilizer efficiency.

Abbreviations: AN, ammonium nitrate • AS, ammonium sulfate • ATS, ammonium thiosulfate • DM, dry matter • UAN, urea-ammonium nitrate solution

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