| |
| Web URL(s): | https://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/?file=/1920s/1929/2909164.pdf#page=2
Last checked: 01/25/2017
Requires: PDF Reader |
|---|
| Publication Type:
| Professional |
|---|
| Content Type: | Q & A |
|---|
| Corporate Author(s): | USGA Green Section |
|---|
| Title: | Use of highly concentrated fertilizers; roles of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in plant nutrition |
|---|
| Section: | Questions and answers
Other records with the "Questions and answers" Section
|
|---|
| Source: | The Bulletin of the United States Golf Association Green Section. Vol. 9, No. 9, September 1929, p. 165-166. |
|---|
| Publishing Information: | Washington, DC: USGA Green Section |
|---|
| # of Pages: | 2 |
|---|
| Question: | "We are interested in using highly concentrated fertilizers, and in particular a certain commercial fertilizer which is claimed to contain 17 per cent nitrogen, 33 per cent phosphoric acid, and 17 per cent potash. These figures make a total of 67 per cent combined nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, which is greater than the 46 per cent nitrogen alone contained in urea, 35 per cent nitrogen alone in nitrate of ammonia, 20 per cent nitrogen alone in sulphate of ammonia, 58 per cent combined nitrogen and potash in nitrate of potash, and 59 per cent combined nitrogen and phosphoric acid in phosphate of ammonia, as listed on page 112 of the Bulletin for June, 1928. We appreciate that for certain conditions nitrogen is more desirable than phosphoric acid or potash but do not quite understand the roles of the three fertilizing elements nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, in plant nutrition nor what value or superiority each may have as applied to golf course turf. Our greens are all of creeping bent and are dressed frequently with compost containing a fixed percentage of sulphate of ammonia. Our fairways are largely Kentucky bluegrass and clover, with a small percentage of bent and fescue. These likewise are being dressed with compost containing a fixed percentage of sulphate of ammonia. May any additional benefits be expected from the use of a highly concentrated complete fertilizer? If you would recommend the use of the commercial fertilizer to which we have referred, at what rate should it be applied to an acre?" |
|---|
| Source of Question: | Kentucky |
|---|
| Answer/Response: | "It is generally accepted that nitrogen is conducive to succulent, leafy growth, and if it is used excessively with some plants nothing but stalks and leaves will be produced, to the detriment of the fruit. Phosphoric acid is considered to be used by the plant in root development and in the stiffening and hardening of the plant, as in the stiff stalks, veins, and seed coats. Potash is useful in the formation of the stiffer structures of the plant, the coloring in the plant, and the structure of the fruit and seed. It will therefore be seen that in turf work, where we are not aiming to produce an abundance of hard stalks and fruit but rather an abundance of leaves, the nitrogenous fertilizers possess higher value. When, however, seedings are first made it is well to use some fertilizer containing phosphoric acid, since a good root development is required in order to establish a good stand of grass. Once the roots are developed, turf grasses are better able to obtain sufficient phosphorus from the soil. At certain times the plant requires some phosphorus and potash, and unless these are present in the soil in sufficient quantities the plant will suffer. Usually the soil on the fairways contains sufficient phosphorus and potash, and the supply is not depleted, due to the clippings being left on the ground and thereby returning these fertilizing elements to the soil. On putting greens, however, where clippings are removed, the situation is different. A good top-dressing of compost usually contains sufficient phosphorus and potash to take care of the loss. However, it is wise to apply occasionally a complete fertilizer, containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, to putting greens. If sulphate of ammonia is applied to fairways at the rate of 200 pounds to the acre, as indicated in the Bulletin for June, 1928, it would take 235 pounds of the commercial fertilizer to which you refer, containing 17 per cent nitrogen, to supply an equal amount of nitrogen. Usually muriate of potash is employed to supply the potash in mixed fertilizers, and a certain allowance in the rate of application is made for the potash contained so as to forestall possible injury to the grass from burning that might result from the muriate of potash, and we would accordingly recommend a rate of 150 to 190 pounds to the acre for the fertilizer in question. The advisability of using the commercial fertilizer you refer to depends somewhat on its price. We think the chief value of fertilizers for golf courses is in their nitrogen content, and recommend that fertilizers be bought for the most part on a nitrogen-content basis. The particular fertilizer you are considering contains more phosphoric acid and potash, in comparison with nitrogen, than is required on golf courses, and hence we would not recommend it for steady use. It could, however, be applied occasionally either to putting greens or fairways with very good results. Sulphate of ammonia and compost supply putting greens with abundant nitrogen and usually with sufficient phosphorus and potash also, and are therefore recommended for continued use." |
|---|
| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Fertilization program; Fertilization rates; Fertilizer types; Nitrogen fertilizers; Nutritional requirements; Phosphoric acid; Potash; Recommendations
|
|---|
| Language: | English |
|---|
| References: | 0 |
|---|
| See Also: | See also related article "The fairway fertilization problem" Bulletin of the United States Golf Association Green Section, 8(6) June 1928, p. 110-112 R=51181 R=51181 |
|---|
| ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
USGA Green Section. 1929. Use of highly concentrated fertilizers; roles of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in plant nutrition. Bull. U.S. Golf Assoc. Green Sec. 9(9):p. 165-166. |
| Fastlink to access this record outside TGIF: https://tic.msu.edu/tgif/flink?recno=121020 |
| If there are problems with this record, send us feedback about record 121020. |
| Choices for finding the above item: |
|---|
| Web URL(s):
https://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/?file=/1920s/1929/2909164.pdf#page=2
Last checked: 01/25/2017
Requires: PDF Reader |
| 
MSU catalog number: SB 433.15 .B85 |
| Request through your local library's inter-library loan service (bring or send a copy of this TGIF record) |
