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Bahiagrass Response to Lime and Nitrogen under Pines¹

The fertilization of slash pine trees (Pinus eliotti Engelm), a practice initiated in the sixties, stimulates bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) production, providing under-canopy forage for the beef cattle industry of the Southeast on sandy, acid soils. Little research has been conducted to determine the production potential of limed and N fertilized bahiagrass growing under pine. The objectives of this research were to measure bahiagrass forage production under slash pine, comparing lime (2.24 Mg ha^–1) vs. no lime, four N rates (28, 56, 112, 224, kg ha^–1), and to observe changes in extractable soil P, K, and pH on a Norfolk sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Paleudult). During the 4yr period, application of 2.24 Mg ha^–1 lime empirically decreased bahiagrass forage yield under pines when averaged across N levels. Liming at 2.24 Mg ha^–1 yr^–1 for 4 yr did change the soil pH from 5.0 to 6.1. Nitrogen rates did not affect bahiagrass forage production the first year, but without lime, we found a quadratic response to N rates each year thereafter. The highest yields of bahiagrass forage with lime were obtained with 56 kg ha^–1 N. Economic analysis shows the greatest net return ($441 over 4 yr) for no lime at 112 kg ha^–1 N and with lime ($211) at 56 kg ha^–1 N.

Key Words: Pensacola bahiagrass • Paspalum notatum Flügge • Pinus eliotti Englem • Forage yield • Extractable P • Extractable K • pH

² Professor, associate professor, and associate professor of Agronomy, and biological scientist II, respectively, Univ. of Flonda

Received for publication May 28, 1985.