Various N fertilizer sources are available for lawn turf. Few field
studies, however, have determined the losses of nitrate (NO3–N) from
lawns receiving different formulations of N fertilizers. The objectives
of this study were to determine the differences in NO3–N leaching
losses among various N fertilizer sources and to ascertain when losses
were most likely to occur. The field experiment was set out in a
completely random design on a turf typical of the lawns in southern
New England. Treatments consisted of four fertilizer sources with
fast- and slow-release N formulations: (i) ammonium nitrate (AN),
(ii) polymer-coated sulfur-coated urea (PCSCU), (iii) organic product,
and (iv) a nonfertilized control. The experiment was conducted across
three years and fertilized to supply a total of 147 kg N ha-1 yr-1.
Percolate was collected with zero-tension lysimeters. Flow-weighted
NO3–N concentrations were 4.6, 0.57, 0.31, and 0.18 mg L-1 for AN,
PCSCU, organic, and the control, respectively. After correcting for
control losses, average annual NO3–N leaching losses as a percentage
of N applied were 16.8% for AN, 1.7% for PCSCU, and 0.6% for organic.
Results indicate that NO3–N leaching losses from lawn turf in
southern New England occur primarily during the late fall through
the early spring. To reduce the threat of NO3–N leaching losses, lawn
turf fertilizers should be formulated with a larger percentage of slow
release N than soluble N.
Link to Research document (PDF)
K. Guillard, Department of Plant Science Unit 4067, University of
Connecticut, 1376 Storrs Road, Storrs, CT 06269-4067. K.L. Kopp,
Department of Plants, Soils, and Biometeorology, Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-4820. Received 16 Oct.
2003.
*Corresponding author (karl.guillard@uconn.edu).
Published in J. Environ. Qual. 33:1822–1827 (2004).
copyright ASA, CSSA, SSSA
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
1822
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The authors thank LESCO and Sustane/Natural Fertilizer of America for providing their fertilizers for this experiment. We are grateful to Dr. John C. Clausen and Dr. Thomas F. Morris for their helpful comments and suggestions for this paper. |
