Nitrate Leaching During Turf Establishment: Sodded and Seeded Centipedegrass.

Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides [Munro] Hack) was established as sod (April and August 2007) or seed (May 2005 and 2006) at the University of Florida, West Florida REC.  Urea nitrogen (N) was applied once to the plots; either prior to seeding or sodding (PTS) or 30 days after planting (DAP).  N rates were 24.5, 49.0, and 98.0 kg N ha^-1.  Each plot contained a lysimeter with a surface area of 0.22 m².  Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications.  Data collection included total nitrate leached and turf quality, color, and density.  Seeded centipedegrass quality was unaffected by N timing in both experiments except for the initial rating where N applied 30DAP resulted in better quality and color.  No differences in N leaching from seeded plots could be attributed to N timing or rate throughout the first 60d of the first study.  At the conclusion of the first study, N leaching was greatest in plots fertilized PTS and a rate response was observed with higher applied N resulting in greater leaching.  Centipedegrass established from sod showed improved quality when fertilized 30DAP versus PTS during the first experiment.  A dose response was observed with higher N rates producing better quality in both experiments.  In the first experiment, no differences in N leaching were attributed to N timing or rate.  In the second experiment, no differences in N leaching were observed during the first 30d.  In the 31-60d time period, a rate response was noted with greater N leaching from plots receiving 98.0 kg N ha^-1; 26% less on plots receiving 49.0 kg N ha^-1; and 48% less for plots receiving 24.5 kg N ha^-1.  Over the duration of the study, 37% more N leached from the plots receiving fertilizer PTS versus plots receiving fertilizer 30DAP.