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TURFGRASS SCIENCE

Boron Fertilization of Bentgrass

Dep. of Agronomy and Soils, 253 Funchess Hall, Auburn Univ., AL 36849

^* Corresponding author (eguertal{at}acesag.auburn.edu).

Although many states recommend boron (B) fertilizer for fiber, fruit, and vegetable crops, information about B fertilization of turfgrasses is lacking. The objective of this research was to examine the effects of B fertilization on clipping yield, shoot production, and turf color in a creeping bentgrass {Agrostis palustris Huds. [= A. stolonifera var. palustris (Huds.) Farw.]} putting green. Both greenhouse and field studies were conducted, with B added at rates of 0, 1, 2, and 3 mg kg^–1 B in the greenhouse study, and rates of 0, 1.1, 2.2, and 4.4 kg B ha^–1 in the field study. Bentgrass in the greenhouse study was grown in a sand and peat mix, while bentgrass in the field study was grown on a native soil (loamy sand) putting green. Studied bentgrass cultivars were Penn A2, Penn G1, Penn G6, SR1020, Dominant, L-93, Crenshaw, and Penncross. In the greenhouse study, dry weight of bentgrass shoots increased as B rate increased. In the field study, in one year of two, B uptake by bentgrass increased as B rate increased. Dry weight of clippings, thatch depth, shoot density, and turf color were unaffected by B fertilization, indicating that B fertilization in the loamy sand soil was not needed. Increases in shoot dry weight observed in the greenhouse study suggest that further study of B fertilization of bentgrass in sand-based greens might be warranted.