Kelly O'Connor, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, E. C. Bovey Building, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada, Katerina Jordan, EC Bovey Building, University of Guelph, University of Guelph, Dept of Plant Agriculture, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CANADA, and Eric M. Lyons, Dept. Of Plant Agriculture - Bovey, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
The practice of foliar fertilization on golf greens has become common among turfgrass managers, however, the impact of this practice on the composition and competition is yet unknown. The purpose of this research was to examine whether plant composition can be influenced by the fertility application method. Annual bluegrass is considered a weedy species on most golf courses because it is very susceptible to drought, heat, cold and disease pressures. Increased inputs are required to maintain this species in order to maintain the quality of the golf green. We examined the effects of foliar fertilization compared to soil applied nutrients on annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass growth and competition. Annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass were grown in simulated golf greens in a climate-controlled greenhouse in either single species monocultures and in combination. Fertilizer was applied at a rate of 45.6g N/100m2 with three different methods of application: granular (control), soil drench, foliar. Turfgrass quality, growth rate and root architecture of the monocultures was observed and the final species composition of the mixed stands was measured after 16 weeks. Nutrient uptake of both species will be measured when nutrients are foliar applied in contrast to soil drenched. In addition morphological characteristics affecting foliar uptake such as cuticle thickness and stomate number will be examined using standard microscopy. Preliminary results suggest when grown in combination, there was a significant increases in the number of annual bluegrass plants compared to creeping bentgrass plants in the foliar applied fertilizers. As well, root mass within the top 6 cm was also lower under foliar fertilizers compared to soil drench in the combined stands. These results suggest that foliar fertilizers may be promoting the growth of annual bluegrass in creeping bentgrass greens.
