Golf green establishment

Trial designed to compare different fertilisers for the establishment of creeping bentgrass on USGA rootzone.

NIBIO institute

Key Conclusions

  • Sierrablen Plus Pearl Renovator 11-11-5 provided significantly improved turf establishment up to week 6 over other fertiliser options.
  • The use of Sierrablen Plus Pearl Renovator 11-11-5 significantly reduced Nitrogen leaching between weeks 3-12 and showed a reduced trend in P leaching, indicating improved nutrient efficiency.

Objective

The trial aimed to evaluate various fertilisers for their effectiveness in establishing creeping bentgrass on USGA rootzone.

Trial Details

Trial station

NIBIO institute

Product

Renovator with Pearl Technology

Assessments

% cover, turf quality, colour and density were made for 12 weeks

Treatments

A randomised and replicated (x3) field trial conducted independently by NIBIO, Landvik, Norway, examined 5 granular fertiliser options for establishment of Agrostis stolonifera surface over a USGA rootzone. The trial area had lysimeters in place to collect drainage water and measure nutrients leached. The trial started in June 2020 and assessments of % cover, turf quality, colour and density were made for 12 weeks, by which time the surface was fully established. Growing conditions were good, with average soil temperatures above 17°C, however rainfall was nearly double the 30-year average for June and July. Drainage water was collected through the trial and N & P measured.

Trial overview at week 3. Treatments labelled

 

Treatments

A randomised and replicated (x3) field trial conducted independently by NIBIO, Landvik, Norway, examined 5 granular fertiliser options for establishment of Agrostis stolonifera surface over a USGA rootzone. The trial area had lysimeters in place to collect drainage water and measure nutrients leached. The trial started in June 2020 and assessments of % cover, turf quality, colour and density were made for 12 weeks, by which time the surface was fully established. Growing conditions were good, with average soil temperatures above 17°C, however rainfall was nearly double the 30-year average for June and July. Drainage water was collected through the trial and N & P measured.

Trial overview at week 3. Treatments labelled

 

Results

1. Turf coverage progression was significantly greater for Sierrablen Plus Pearl Renovator, up to week 6 (Image 1: week 3, Image 2: week 5). Turf quality was significantly greater from week 4 to week 6 after sowing (Table 2). Higher than average rainfall potentially meant that initial granular applications of conventional nutrition were leached from the high sand-based rootzone.

Table 2. Key trial results (n=3), Means which do not share a letter are significantly different (P<0.01)

 

2. Drainage water analysis demonstrated significantly reduced N leaching from Sierrablen Plus Pearl treatments (Table 3), and also a lower trend of P leaching. The combination of CRF Nitrogen and Pearl ‘root-activated’ phosphorus reduced leaching of nutrients into drainage water in comparison to other technology fertilisers. Making this a nutrient efficient approach for turf establishment.

 

Table 3. Mean total N & P analysed in drainage water (n=3). Means which do not share a letter are significantly different (P<0.01)

 

Trial overview at week 5. Treatments labelled

Related trials

Early season recovery #1
STRI, Bingley, 2013
Early season recovery #2
Leeds, 2015
Early season recovery #3
Harrogate, 2016