Tuesday, November 14, 2006
206-3

Soil Amino Sugar Nitrogen in Residential Lawns in St. Cloud, MN.

M.R. Bender1, A.K. Pradhananga1, and S.M. Sewell2. (1) Dept of ETS, St. Cloud State Univ, 720 S Fourth Ave, St. Cloud, MN 56301, (2) Dept of Agronomy and Horticulture, Univ of Nebraska, 109 Keim Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0914

The Illinois soil N test has been used extensively to determine the role of amino sugar-N in corn fertility; however, it is not known if this test can be adapted to determine the influence of amino sugar-N on turf fertility in residential lawns. It is unknown if high soil amino sugar-N concentration in lawns lessens turf response to additional fertilizer inputs. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and concentration of amino sugar-N in typical residential lawns in a Midwestern city. Soils were collected from 75 homeowner lawns in St. Cloud, MN and the Illinois soil N test was used to determine amino sugar-N concentration of both front and back lawns. Soils were also analyzed for NO3-N, NH4-N, total N, extractable PO4-P and total C. Developers of the Illinois soil N test at the University of Illinois determined that corn is nonresponsive to additional fertilizer inputs if soil amino sugar-N exceeds 225 mg N kg soil-1. Analysis of residential lawns in St. Cloud, MN showed that nearly all exceeded the 225 mg N kg soil-1 threshold; however, the relationship between soil amino sugar- N and lawn response is not yet understood.

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