Title: Impact of Potassium and Nitrogen Fertilization on Bahiagrass Herbage Accumulation and Nutrient Concentration
Abstract: Core Ideas Bahiagrass pastures on soils with low K concentration may not respond to K fertilization. Tissue K concentration in bahiagrass is variable and dependent on fertilization levels. Bahiagrass tissue K concentration of 17 g kg −1 was related to the greatest herbage accumulation in plants receiving greater levels of fertilization. Bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flügge) is the most utilized forage for beef cattle ( Bos spp.) in Florida, but there is concern that bahiagrass pastures are declining due to insufficient K fertilization. Two studies determined the effects of K and N fertilization on bahiagrass herbage mass (HM) and nutritive value in field plots (Exp. 1), and greenhouse (Exp. 2). At two locations from May to December 2014 and 2015, Exp. 1 evaluated the combinations of three N fertilization levels (0, 50 kg N ha −1 in May, or 50 kg N ha −1 in May and August) and two levels of K fertilization (0 or 42 kg K ha −1 ). Potassium fertilization did not affect HM, crude protein (CP), or in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM); however, tissue K concentration increased from 10.6 to 11.2 g kg −1 with increasing K fertilization. Plots fertilized with N had greater HM than the control, but there was no difference between plots fertilized in May only vs. those fertilized in May and August. Experiment 2 was conducted in a greenhouse in 2014 and 2015 with a factorial combination of three levels of N fertilization (0, 50, and 100 kg N ha −1 ) and four levels of K fertilization (0, 16, 33, and 66 kg K ha −1 ). There was a quadratic relationship between tissue K concentration and herbage accumulation (HA) and maximum HA occurred with tissue K concentration of 17 g kg −1 . Bahiagrass tissue K concentration and response to K fertilization are variable and can be related to fertilization levels.
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 7
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