Influence of nitrogen and potassium on micronutrient content of fifteen cultivars of bermudagrass

Abstract

There is limited information concerning the micronutrient composition of different turfgrass species and cultivars. Bermudagrass Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is an important turfgrass utilized throughout the Southeastern and Southwestern states and the transition zone of the United States. A study was conducted to determine the effects of different rates of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) on the micronutrient content of fifteen bermudagrass cultivars. The cultivars utilized were: ‘Ormond’, ‘Texturf 10’, ‘Tiflawn’, ‘Tufcote’, and ‘U‐3’ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.]; ‘Everglades’, ‘Midiron’, ‘Midway’, ‘Pee Dee’, ‘Santa Ana’, ‘Tifdwarf, ‘Tifgreen’, ‘Tifway’, and ‘Tifway II’ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt‐Davey]; and ‘Sunturf Cynodon magennisii Hurcombe]. The study was a 2x2 factorial with the factors being two levels each of N and K imposed on the fifteen cultivars. It was a completely randomized design with three replications. The N and K rates were 227 g N and 227 g K 93 m^‐2 month^‐1 (low rates) and 454 g N and 454 g K 93 m^‐2 month^‐1 (high rates) that resulted in four N:K treatment combinations as follows: 1) high N:high K; 2) high N:low K; 3) low N:high K; and 4) low N:low K. Plant tissue samples were collected in late August and analyzed for boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). There were differences for the Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations for several cultivare under certain treatment combinations. Zinc concentrations exceeded the sufficiency range in all but one instance, while there were several cases in which Fe and Mn concentrations were above the sufficiency range. The levels of B and Cu were within the sufficiency range and there were no differences for B.