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TURFGRASS SCIENCE

Nitrogen Rate and Mowing Height Effects on TifEagle Bermudagrass Establishment

^a Agronomy and Soils, Auburn Univ., AL, 36849
^b DOW AgroScience, LLC, 9330 Zionsville Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46268

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

In the southeastern United States, ‘TifEagle’ hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L). Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy] has become a selected cultivar for renovated or new bermudagrass putting greens, and its use has increased in popularity. However, there is limited research which examines TifEagle establishment, especially when cultural practices such as mowing height are included in the experimental design. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of N rate and mowing height on the percentage ground cover, shoot density, color, total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) content, and soil nitrate (NO₃–N) and ammonium (NH₄–N) content of TifEagle hybrid bermudagrass putting greens throughout three establishment years (2002, 2003, and 2004). Weekly applications of N were applied at 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, and 4.8 g N m^–2 wk^–1, and mowing height applied at 3.2, 3.9, and 4.8 mm. Almost every agronomic measure (percentage ground cover, shoot density, root or rhizome and stolon mass, color) responded to increased applications of N, with maximum ground cover and shoot density reached at N rates from 3.4 to 4.3 g N m^–2 wk^–1. Turf mowed under the lowest mowing height often had reduced turfgrass color and rhizome and stolon mass, compared with that mowed at 3.9 or 4.8 mm. Soil pH and residual NO₃–N and NH₄–N were almost always affected by N rate, but not by mowing height. For rapid establishment without significant reductions in shoot density, rhizome and stolon mass, and TNC, the highest N rate of 4.8 g N m^–2 wk^–1, as used in this study, was not needed.

Abbreviations: TNC, total nonstructural carbohydrate • WAS, weeks after sprigging