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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #178283
Title: YIELD AND MINERAL ELEMENT COMPOSITION OF TIFTON 85 AND COASTAL BERMUDA IN RELATION TO FERTILIZER APPLICATION

Author
item Anderson, William - Bill
item PARKER, M - UNIV OF GA

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2005
Publication Date: 6/14/2005
Citation: Anderson, W.F., Parker, M.B. 2005. Yield and mineral element composition of Tifton 85 and coastal bermuda in relation to fertilizer application. Proceedings of Conference of Amercan Forage and Grassland Council. 14:115.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Tifton 85 bermudagrass is a highly productive forage which was released in 1992 by G. W. Burton, USDA/ARS, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA. Studies show that Tifton 85 consistently produces 10-20 % more forage than Coastal bermudagrass. Nitrogen fertilization studies, over a wide range of rates, are needed to make useful recommendations to growers of Tifton 85 bermudagrass. Fertilizer experiments were initiated in 2004 on established sods of bermudagrass. Tifton 85 experiments were located on a high P-medium K Fuquay sand (Arenic Plinthic Paleudults) and a low P-medium K Tifton loamy sand (Plinthic Paleudults). A Coastal experiment was located on a high P-medium K Carnegie loamy, coarse sand (Plinthic Paleudults) for comparison. Main plots received annual N rates of 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 lbs/acre. Only two N rates, 200 and 400 lbs/acre, were applied to Coastal bermudagrass. Subplots for Tifton 85 and Coastal were low, medium, and high P-K rates which were calculated as 50, 100, and 150 % of the estimated uptake in forage according to N rates and yield from a large number of previously performed N rates studies with Coastal bermudagrass. Total amounts of annual fertilizer and lime were split into four equal applications preceding the first four of five harvests. Treatment sources were dolomitic limestone, NH4NO3, CaS04, Ca(H2P04)2, and KCl. Limestone was applied in a 4:1 ratio, four parts limestone to one part N. A constant rate of gypsum supplied 50 lbs S/acre. Forage samples from each plot for five harvests were analyzed for macro and micronutrients, however, only data for N, P, and K are being reported. Rates of N from 200 to 500 lbs/acre increased Tifton 85 dry matter from 10.1 to 13.0 tons/acre on the Fuquay soil and 8.2 to 12.1 tons/acre on the Tifton soil. Coastal yield for 200 and 400 lbs N/acre were 7.3 and 10.0 tons/acre, respectively. There was no further significant increase in yield for N rates above 500 lbs/acre. The high rate of P-K fertilizer increased Tifton 85 forage yields about five % above the lower rates on both soils, however, Coastal was not affected by P-K rates. For N rates of 200 to 700 lbs/acre, N concentration in Tifton 85 forage varied from 1.69 to 2.27 % on the Fuquay soil, 1.47 to 2.38 % on the Tifton soil. Coastal forage had slightly higher N levels than Tifton 85 bermudagrass. Generally, P concentrations were not affected by N rates, the average for Tifton 85 being 0.24 % on the Fuquay soil, 0.20 % on the Tifton soil, and 0.22 % for Coastal on the Carnegie soil. Mean K concentrations across N rates for Tifton 85 bermudagrass were 1.71 % on the Fuquay soil and 1.78 % on the Tifton soil. Coastal bermudagrass had slightly lower values. Tifton 85 bermudagrass utilizes N more efficiently than Coastal bermudagrass.