This study evaluates the performance of a milorganite fertilizer when alone and in combination with IBDU when applied to creeping bentgrass in a high sand rootzone in a putting green environment. Data was collected on the strength and duration of the colour response after application, turf quality, density, uniformity, and resistance to stress/ disease. The data collected through the study concludes that all three combinations of test fertilizer provided positive turf performance in relation to the quality, uniformity and colour.Nu-Gro Corporatio

Carey, Ken C.

The Atrium (Univ. of Guelph)

INTERACTION BETWEEN FERTILIZER PERFORMANCE OF IBDU AND MILORGANITE ON CREEPING BENTGRASS PUTTING GREEN TURF K. Carey Department of Plant Agriculture and the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, University of Guelph, Ontario. Sponsor: Nu-Gro Corporation OBJECTIVE The objective of this research project was to determine the performance of the IBDU and Milorganite fertilizers alone and in combination on creeping bentgrass putting green turf on a high sand rootzone, in order to determine if there is an interaction between the products. Data collected included the duration and strength of the color response following applica-tion of the tested products, turf quality, unifor-mity, and density, and resistance of the turf to dis-ease and drought stress. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN / METHODS The treatments consisted of IBDU and Milorganite alone at the recommended N rate and program, as well as a 50:50 combination of the two at the same N rate (Table 1).  IBDU and 50:50 treatments included supplemental P to equalize the levels across all treatments. An unfertilized check treatment was also included. Treatments were applied to 1 x 2 m plots of creeping bentgrass turf maintained as a putting green on the Califor-nia style green at the Guelph Turfgrass Institute (mowing at 4 mm, irrigation to prevent stress, fungicide to control disease). Treatments were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were applied 06/04, 07/ 05, 07/31, and 08/26, 2003 for a total N rate of 2 kg actual N 100 m-2. Color response of the turf to treatments was assessed both visually and using instrumental color (colorimeter and/or chlorophyll meter). Uniformity of the color response was assessed visually and using instrumental data. Plots were also rated for turf quality, density and uniformity. Spring greenup will be assessed in April 2004. Clippings were collected on 14 dates (6/11, 6/18, 6/29, 7/02, 7/08, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/07, 8/13, 8/ 20, 8/27, 9/10, and 9/26) during the experiment. Mowing was restricted for two to four days prior to clipping collection, and a 0.8 m2 strip in each plot was mowed with a walk-behind mower. Clippings were air-dried and weighed to determine growth rate. Results Visual ratings of color, quality, uniformity, and density. There were significant differences among the treatments on a number of days, particularly after the second application date as the fertilizers began to release nitrogen (Table 2). Differences were small, however, and on most days the significant differences were only between    Table 1.  Treatments  Rate (g actual N m-2  Treatment application-1) Product g / 2 m2 plot Control  -— — IBDU (31-0-0) +P2O5 5 32.25Milorganite (6-2-0) 5 166.67 IBDU/Milorganite (50:50 w/w; 18.5-1-0) +P2O5 5 54.05Guelph Turfgrass Institute  2003 Annual Research Report 28      Table 2.  Functional features of turfgrass plots (rated visually). Treatment Da S te eason mean 5/23 6/  3 6/9 6/1  6 6/  24 7/2 7/8 7/  14 7/  23 7/2  9 8/  5 8/1  3 8/  21 8/  26 9/  6   Color1  IBDU 7.  0 7.  0 6.8 7.3 7.0  ab 8.5   ab 8.3 a 8.5   a 8.  3 a 8.  3 a 7.3  ab 7.5 a 7.  5 a 7.  8 a 9.0 a 7.7   a50:  50 7.  0 7.  0 7.0 7.3 7.8 a 8.8 a 8.5 a 8.5   a 8.  3 a 8.  5 a 7.0  b 7.5 a 7.  5 a 7.  3 a 8.5  ab 7.8   aMilorganit  e 7.  0 7.  0 7.0 7.8 7.8 a 7.5 b  c 8.5 a 8.5   a 8.  5 a 7.  5 a 7.8 a 8.0 a 7.  5 a 7.  3 a 8.0  b 7.7   aContro  l 7.  0 7.  0 6.8 6.5 6.5  b 6.5   c 7.0   b 6.8   b 7.  0 b 6.  0 b 5.8 c 6.0   b 6.  0 b 6.  0 b 4.8  c 6.4   bls p= d 0.  05 NS NS N  S N  S 0.8 1.0 0.8 1.0 0.  5 1.0 0.5 0.  7 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.  3 Quality1  IBDU 6.5 6.5 6.8 7.3 7.3 7.3 8.0 7.5 7.5 bc 7.5 a 7.5 a 7.3 7.5 7.3 7.8 a 7.  3 b 50:50 7.0 6.3 6.5 7.3 7.5 7.5 8.3 7.5 8.3 a 8.0 a 7.8 a 7.8 7.0 7.3 8.0 a 7.  5 ab Milorganite 7.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 7.5 8.0 8.3 8.0 8.0 ab 7.8 a 7.3 a 7.8 7.3 7.3 8.3 a 7.  6 a Control 6.5 7.0 6.8 7.3 7.0 7.0 7.8 7.0 7.0 c 5.8 b 6.3 b 7.0 6.5 6.8 5.8 b 6.  8 c ls p=d 0.0  5 NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS 0.  7 1.1 0.8  NS NS  NS 1.4 0.  2 Uniformity1  IBDU  6. 60 . 7 5 . 70 .  3 5.8 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 7a .  8 a 7. a5 7. b 3 7.5 7.  8 7.2  b50:  50  6. 60 . 7 5 . 70 .  8 6.5 8.0 7.8 8.0 7.8 7a .  5 a 7.8  a 7.5 7.5 7.  8 7. a4  bMilorganit  e 6. 70 . 7 3 . 75 .  5 8.0 8.0 7.5 7.8 7.8 7a .  8 a 8.0  a 7.3 7.5 8.  3 7.6  aContro  l  6. 60 . 7 5 . 70 .  0 7.3 7.0 7.3 7.0 5.5 5b .  8  b 7.0  7b .0 6.8 6.  5 6.7  cls p=0.0d  5 NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS 1.2 0.9 0.  5 NS  NS NS 0.  3 Density1  IBDU             7. 7.5 3  7. a4 50:50             7. 7.0 0  7. bc0 Milorganit  e            7. 7.0 3  7. ab1 Contro  l             6. 7.5 0  6. c8 ls p=0.0d  5            NS  NS  0.4 1 All visual ratings are between 0 and 10, with 10 = best (darkest green, best quality, most uniform, densest) and 6 being acceptable.  Mean  s within a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different (Fisher's protected LSD, p=0.05).  Guelph Turfgrass Institute  2003 Annual Research Report 29   fertilized plots and the unfertilized check, with no differences among the three fertilizer treatments. Full spectrum color. Of the three color parameters measured with the full-spectrum colormeter - chroma (color saturation), lightness, and hue angle – hue angle is the most meaningful in the context of a single cultivar fertilizer performance trial such as this. Hue angle showed significant differences among treatments on most observation dates (Table 3), with the fertilized plots being significantly greener than the control on most dates. Among the fertilizer treatments, the IBDU and 50:50 treatments tended to be slightly greener than the Milorganite treatments, and on several dates the 50:50 treatment was greener than either the IBDU or Milorganite treatment (though not significantly so). There were some significant treatment effects on lightness, but this was usually just the three fertilized treatments being significantly darker in color that the unfertilized control. Chlorophyll index. The chlorophyll index estimates chlorophyll content in the leaf tissue by comparing incident and reflected light at 700 nm (chlorophyll absorbance) and at 840 nm (background tissue absorbance). The ratio varies from 0 (no absorbance) to 1000 (100% absorbance), with a typical level for bentgrass putting green turf in the range of 200-400. The chlorophyll index readings measured in the treated plots (Table 4) show a pattern similar to the full-spectrum hue angle. The fertilized treatments were always significantly higher than the unfertilized control, and on most dates there were significant differences among the fertilized treatments. Generally, the IBDU and 50:50 treatments had higher readings than the Milorganite treatment. On one date (6/24) the IBDU was significantly higher than the 50:50, and later (7/23) the pattern was reversed. The season mean data represents the general pattern: IBDU=50:50 > Milorganite >> Control. Clipping weight. The pattern in leaf dry matter accumulation was similar to that in color and chlorophyll index, with significant differences between the fertilized plots and the control, and smaller differences among the fertilizer treatments (Table 5).  Again, the general pattern was IBDU = 50:50 > Milorganite >> Control. In fact, on several dates the clipping weight was greater from the 50:50 plots than from the IBDU plots (though not significantly so). CONCLUSIONS All three fertilizer treatments provided good turf performance in terms of color, quality and uniformity.  Generally the IBDU treatment was superior to the Milorganite. The 50:50 mixture showed some evidence of a synergistic interaction between the components, in that it produced color, chlorophyll, and growth responses very close to the IBDU treatment in spite of having only 50% as much IBDU.  In a few cases, the 50:50 treatment was superior to either unblended fertilizer, and given the slow release characteristics of the components, it is possible that this synergism might be more obvious over longer term use. Guelph Turfgrass Institute  2003 Annual Research Report 30 Table 3.  Instrumental color readings (Minolt  a CR310 full spectrum colormeter). Date Seaso  n6/03 6/17 6/  24 7/02 7/08 7/14 7/23 8/  05 9/ 1 03 0/  09 mea  nTreatment Lightnes  s (0 - 100, 0 = black) IBDU 42.01 a 37.5 43.6 b 40.9 41.9 b 41.1 b 40.3 41.4 41.0 c 39.2 40.9 50:50 41.5 bc 37.9 43.7 b 40.4 41.7 bc 41.4 b 41.0 41.3 41.1 bc 39.6 41.0 Milorganite 41.1 c 38.1 43.6 b 41.3 41.5 c 41.2 b 40.5 41.7 41.8 b 39.8 41.0 Control 41.8 ab 38.1 44.2 a 40.8 42.5 a 42.4 a 40.7 41.2 43.1 a 39.4 41.4 lsd p=0.05 0.4  N  S 0.3  NS 0.3 0.4 N  S NS 0.8 NS NS  Chroma (0 - 60, 60 = vivid, 0 = grey) IBD  U  11.5 a 12.0 13.1 13.2 13.7 a 16.1 a 12.9 14.3 11.7 14.  1 13.2 50:50 11.2 ab 12.5 13.2 13.4 13.2 b 16.1 a 13.2 13.7 11.8 13.  9 13.2 Milorganite 10.8 b 12.6 12.9 13.2 12.9 b 15.4 b 12.1 13.7 12.0 14.  0 13.0 Control  11.4 a 12.4 13.5 13.3 13.7 a 15.5 b 12.6 13.0 12.4 12.  7 13.0 lsd p=0.05 0.4  1.4 NS N  S 0.4 0.5  NS NS N  S N  S N  S Hue angle (in the observed range, lower = yellow  , higher   = green  )IBD  U 105.5 ab 124.6 120.7  a 127.7 ab 124.4 ab 121.  3 ab 125.7 a 121.7 a 121.8 a 124.  2 a 121.7 ab 50:50 105.5 ab 125.5 121.2  a 128.2 a 125.3 a 122.  1 a 125.1 a 121.9 a 122.9 a 122.  5 a 122.0 a Milorganite 103.6 b 124.5 121.3  a 126.4 b 124.2 b 120.  8 b 122.9 b 119.5 b 121.4 a 122.  1 a 120.7 b Control 107.1  a 123.7 118.5 b 123.5 c 119.3 c 116.  5 c 119.2 c 113.3 c 113.9 b 113.  4 b 116.8 c lsd p=0.05 2.4  2.2 1.5  1.6  1.0 1.2  2.1 1.4 1.8  3.1  1.3  1  Mean of 5 readings x 4 replicates; means within a column followe  d by   the same lette  r are not significantly different (Fisher’s prot  ected LSD, p= 0.05 Table 4. Mean chlorophyl  l index1 in bentgrass plots. Observation date Seas  onTreatment 5/ 623 /02 6/09 6/16 6/24 7/02 7/08 7/15 7/23 8/05 8/ 9 /27 me03  anIBDU 181.22  ab 174.7 219.1 a 242.9 b 272.3   a 325.2 a 410.4   a 294.2 a 335.0 b 321.5 a 325.1 a 357.1 a 288.2 a 50:50 177.3 b 173.8 216.5 a  b 248.4 ab 263.8 b 314.7 a 412.7   a 301.0 a 346.3   a 325.0 a 321.6 a 351.6 a 287.7 a Milorganite 179.5 ab 174.6 216.5 a  b 253.5 a 261.6 b 285.3 b 349.9 b 277.7 b 313.2   c 317.4 a 298.4 b 312.1 b 270.0 b Control 182.3   a 175.0 212.1 b 224.6 c 228.6   c 242.8 c 301.6   c 243.9 c 247.0 d 264.9 b 240.0 c 223.3 c 232.2 c lsd p=0.05 4.6  NS 5.0  9.0  7.7  13.6  13.3  7.3  8.3  9.3  10.5  9.4  7.8  1Chlorophyll index estimates absorption o  f incident light at 700 and 840 n  m by turf; the index is from 0 t  o 1000, with 0 = no absorption (less chlorophyll) an  d 1000 = complete absorption (more chlorophyll).  2Mean o  f 40 readings (10 readings pe  r plot x 4 replicates); means within a column followed b  y th  e sam  e letter are not significantl  y different (Fisher’  s protected LSD test, p=0.05).    Guelph Turfgrass Institute  2003 Annual Research Report 31  Table 5. Clipping dry weight (g dry tissue / 0.8 m2) in fertilized plots.  Date Treatment 6/11 6/18 6/29 7/02 7/09 7/16 7/23  IBDU 4.69 3.92 0.82 a 1.49 a 4.59 a 0.80 a 0.55  50:50 4.941  3.94 0.73 ab 1.35 a 4.09 a 0.83 a 0.58  Milorganite 5.10 4.02 0.59 bc 0.62 b 2.56 b 0.52 ab 0.13  Control 4.49 3.08 0.42 c 0.32 b 0.90 c 0.14 b 0.08  lsd p=0.05 NS NS 0.18  0.44  1.13  0.39  NS  Season  7/30 8/07 8/13 8/20 8/27 9/10 9/26 mean IBDU 0.75 a 5.47 a 6.56 a 5.30 a 1.82 a 4.86 ab 2.36 a 3.14 a 50:50 0.93 a 5.53 a 6.60 a 4.81 ab 1.64 a 5.05 a 2.59 a 3.12 a Milorganite 0.14 b 5.79 a 5.92 b 4.23 b 1.39 a 4.38 b 1.73 b 2.65 a Control 0.05 b 2.43 b 2.74 c 0.97 c 0.77 b 1.24 c 0.55 c 1.30 b lsd p=0.05 0.43  0.59  0.45  0.86  0.54  0.53  0.33  0.73  1  Means of 4 replicates; means within a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different (Fisher’s protected LSD, p=0.05).  Tissue was dried to constant weight (60°C) before weighing. Guelph Turfgrass Institute  2003 Annual Research Report 32 

Interaction Between Fertilizer Performance of IBDU and Milorganite on Creeping Bentgrass Putting Green Turf

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Interaction Between Fertilizer Performance of IBDU and Milorganite on Creeping Bentgrass Putting Green Turf

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