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Role of Pensacola Bahiagrass Stolon-Root System in Fertilizer Nitrogen Utilization on Leon Fine Sand¹

An experiment was conducted with Pensacola bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) on Leon fine sand near Gainesville, Fla. for 6 years to determine residual effects of applied N on forage N uptake, and changes in stolons, roots, and soil N. Nitrogen was applied at 0, 112, 224, and 448 kg/ha/year. Except for the control, paired plots were used at each N rate. Nitrogen fertilization was dis. continued on one of each treatment pairs in 1969 and 1970 to determine the residual effect of N. These treatments were resumed in I971. The residual effect of N was small for all treatments, amounting to 8, 41, and 95 kg/ha total N in harvested forage above the control for the 2-year period for the 112, 224, and 448 kg N rates, respectively. Unrecovered N through 1968 was approximately 200, 350, and 770 kg/ha for the three treatments, respectively. Nitrogen lost from the stolon.root systems during 1969 and 1970 through decrease in mass and N concentrations was 60, 100, and 190 kg/ha for the three N treatments, respectively. Little of the unrecovered N could be accounted for by analysis of the surface soil. Lack of residual effect on plant growth confirmed that little available N was in the soil profile to rooting depth. Based on previous studies, leaching appears to have limited importance when N is applied to well-established perennial grass pastures during the growing season. Conditions imposed in this soil by high water table, large amounts of plant residues, and rapid decomposition during the summer season could make denitrification a significant factor.

Key Words: Forage N • N recovery

² Professor (Soil Chemist), Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Florida, Gainesville 32601.

Received for publication May 8, 1972.