The Effect of Moderate Salinity on Nitrate Leaching from Bermudagrass Turf: A Lysimeter Study

Abstract

A column lysimeter study was conducted under greenhouse conditions to determine the impact of moderately saline irrigation water on NO3 leaching from turfgrass. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. ‘NuMex Sahara’) was fertilized at three N levels (25, 50 and 75 kg NH4NO3-N ha−1 month−1) and irrigated with saline water (0, 3.0 and 6.0 dS m−1) in a factorial arrangement. Leachate was analyzed for salinity and NO3, and clippings were collected and analyzed for total N. Nitrate leaching was not affected by either N level or salinity. Nitrate concentrations in the leachate were low, averaging approximately 0.3 mg N L−1; less than 1% of the applied N leached. Longer-term N allocation to leaf growth accounted for up to 98% of applied N, whereas short-term allocation, determined using 15N, ranged from 46–67%. Salinity had no affect on clipping yield, the biomass of root and verdure, or root distribution. These data indicate the potential for moderately saline irrigation water to be used on bermudagrass turf without increasing NO3 contamination of groundwater, as long as leaching is adequate to prevent rootzone salinity reaching damaging levels.