Abstract
Low cost and favorable handling characteristics make urea (46-0-0) a leading nitrogen source for frequent, foliar N fertilization of golf course putting greens in season. Yet few field investigations of resulting NH3 volatilization from putting greens have been directed. Meanwhile, NH3 emissions degrade air and surface water quality. Our objective was to quantify NH3 volatilization following practical, low-N rate, and foliar application of commercial urea-N fertilizers. Over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons in University Park, PA, USA, an industrial vacuum pump, H3BO3 scrubbing flasks, and sixteen dynamic flux chambers were employed in four unique experiments to measure NH3 volatilization from creeping bentgrass putting greens (Agrostis stolonifera L. ‘Penn G2’) in the 24 h period ensuing foliar application of urea based-N at a 7.32 or 9.76 kg/ha rate. Simultaneous and replicated flux chamber trapping efficiency trials showing 35% mean NH3 recovery were used to adjust NH3 volatilization rates from treated plots. Under the duration and conditions described, 3.1 to 8.0% of conventional urea N volatilized from the putting greens as NH3. Conversely, 0.7 to 1.1% of methylol urea liquid fertilizer (60% short-chain methylene urea) or 0.7 to 2.2% of urea complimented with dicyandiamide (DCD) and N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) volatilized as NH3.
Highlights
Foliar fertilization, or frequent spray application of soluble nutrient forms, is an increasingly popular method for ensuring nutritional sufficiency of intensively managed turfgrass in season [1]
A common ingredient of commercial liquid fertilizers, urea-N is routinely applied by golf course superintendents [2,3]
Foliarly applied urea is hydrolyzed into ammonia (NH3 ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) by urease [6], an enzyme ubiquitous to soil, thatch, and turfgrass leaf and shoot surfaces [7]
Summary
Frequent spray application of soluble nutrient forms, is an increasingly popular method for ensuring nutritional sufficiency of intensively managed turfgrass in season [1]. CO(NH2 ) , is a plant-available N-form subject to two possible outcomes following foliar application. The more desirable is symplast assimilation [4]. This fate of foliarly applied urea-N has been observed to account for as much as 7 kg/ha d−1 on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) putting greens [5]. Foliarly applied urea is hydrolyzed into ammonia (NH3 ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) by urease [6], an enzyme ubiquitous to soil, thatch, and turfgrass leaf and shoot surfaces [7]
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