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Response of ‘Tifton 44’ and ‘Coastal’ Bermudagrass to Soil pH, K, and N Source¹

A winter-hardy bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.], ‘Tifton 44’ with high productivity and nutritive quality should expand the range of bermudagrass production. Both productivity and winter survival are dependent upon soil fertility conditions. An investigation was designed to compare the productivity, winter survival, and mineral composition of ‘Coastal’ and Tifton 44 hermudagrass grown in Cecil sandy loam (Typic Hapludult, clayey, kaolinitic, thermic) soil as affected by pH level (4.1, 5.5, 6.5) rate of K (0, 70, 140 kg K/ha) and N source (NaNO3, urea) under greenhouse conditions. More sprigs of both cultivars survived establishment when treated with urea rather than NaNO3, regardless of K level. Survival was also improved at pH 5.5 and 6.5 over 4.1 for either cultivar. Coastal tended to outyield Tifton 44 when expressed on a yield per pot. Yield of Coastal was improved with increasing K rate regardless of N source while Tifton 44 yield was not improved by increasing K when NaNO₃ was applied. Concentrations of K, Na, and Mg were greater in Tifton 44 than in Coastal, whereas Ca was greater in Coastal than in Tifton 44. Concentrations of Mg in both cultivars were higher with urea fertilization than with NaNO₃ at pH 5.5 and 6.5. There were no significant trends for the micronutrients Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn although increasing pH tended to decrease Mn and Zn concentrations for either cultivar. Winter survival was assessed by maintaining plants out of doors under field conditions at Blairsville, Ca., UCA Mountain Branch Experiment Station. Root and rhizome weights were significantly increased by applications of K to Tifton 44 which survived exposure to winter conditions at Blairsville, Ga. while Coastal did not survive winter exposure.

Key Words: Winterhardiness • Calcium • Magnesium • Sodium • Sulfur

² Research agronomist and supervisory soil scientist, USDA-ARS, Watkinsville, GA 30677.

Received for publication January 18, 1982.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. L. Silveira, V. A. Haby, and A. T. Leonard Response of Coastal Bermudagrass Yield and Nutrient Uptake Efficiency to Nitrogen Sources Agron. J., April 4, 2007; 99(3): 707 - 714. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]