Wear tolerance, growth, and quality of seashore paspalum in response to nitrogen and potassium

Damage from traffic can seriously injure athletic field turfgrass, although fertility regimes can influence wear tolerance. While excess nitrogen (N) can reduce wear tolerance, moderate N has improved tolerance and hastened r ecovery from injury. Potassium (K) may enhance wear tolerance through regul ation of turgor potential. This research was undertaken to determine shoot growth and wear tolerance of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) to N and K application. Field studies were conducted in 1998 at the Univ. o f Georgia Experiment Station, Griffin. Grasses were established on U.S. Gol f Association specification greens in 1996. Fertility treatments were appli ed at annual N rates of 196 and 392 kg.ha(-1) and K rates of 92 and 392 kg. ha(-1). The higher N rate increased wear tolerance, shoot growth, shoot den sity, visual quality, and color of the two ecotypes, AP 10 and AP 14, but r educed their visible range spectral reflectance, indicating greater absorpt ion of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Measured responses to K w ere minimal and no enhancement of wear tolerance in response to K treatment was noted.