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Copy link Single application of an eqo.s fertilizer improved turf quality
STRI, Bingley
Key Conclusions
- Independent summer fertilizer trial completed at STRI, Bingley, UK
- Completed 2023 on Lolium perenne sward over sand dominated rootzone.
- Eqo.s controlled-release nitrogen was compared with competitor slow release and inhibited nitrogen products, at a 110kg N ha application rate over the trial period.
- All three fertilizers significantly improved (P<0.01) mean turf quality, mean turf colour and mean NDVI during the course of the 14-week trial.
- Eqo.s controlled-release nitrogen significantly (P<0.01) improved mean turf quality, mean turf colour and mean NDVI from 28 days through to 84 days when compared with slow release and inhibited nitrogen applied at the same rate.
Trial Details
Trial station
STRI, Bingley
Treatments
An independent summer fertilizer trial was conducted at STRI trials ground, Bingley, UK. A Lolium perenne sward over a high sand percentage rootzone was maintained as a professional sports pitch for the trial over 14 weeks during the summer 2023. Three fertilizer technologies were compared (table one), applied once at the trial start at a rate of 110 kg/ha (the additional nutrients present in the SRF product were not equalized). The treatments were replicated four times in 1m x 1m plots following a randomised complete block design, as part of a larger fertilizer trial. Visual assessments of turf quality and turf colour on a 1-10 scale, alongside NDVI readings by handheld meter were made fortnightly through the trial between June and October.
| Treatments | Nitrogen type | Analysis | Rate (g/m2) | Total N applied (kg N /ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | N/A | |||
| Eqo.s | Coated controlled release fertilizer | 32-0-0 | 34.5 | 110 |
| SRF | Slow-release fertiliser containing Methylene urea and Isobutylidene diurea | 20-5-8 | 55 | 110 |
| Inhibited | Urea containing DCD nitrification inhibitor | 46-0-0 | 24 | 110 |
Treatments
An independent summer fertilizer trial was conducted at STRI trials ground, Bingley, UK. A Lolium perenne sward over a high sand percentage rootzone was maintained as a professional sports pitch for the trial over 14 weeks during the summer 2023. Three fertilizer technologies were compared (table one), applied once at the trial start at a rate of 110 kg/ha (the additional nutrients present in the SRF product were not equalized). The treatments were replicated four times in 1m x 1m plots following a randomised complete block design, as part of a larger fertilizer trial. Visual assessments of turf quality and turf colour on a 1-10 scale, alongside NDVI readings by handheld meter were made fortnightly through the trial between June and October.
| Treatments | Nitrogen type | Analysis | Rate (g/m2) | Total N applied (kg N /ha) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control | N/A | |||
| Eqo.s | Coated controlled release fertilizer | 32-0-0 | 34.5 | 110 |
| SRF | Slow-release fertiliser containing Methylene urea and Isobutylidene diurea | 20-5-8 | 55 | 110 |
| Inhibited | Urea containing DCD nitrification inhibitor | 46-0-0 | 24 | 110 |
Results
Initial response in mean turf colour was strongest for the Inhibited N (figure 1), but by day 14 all three fertilizers provided an equal turf response.
Figure 1. Mean Turf Visual Colour (1-10). Error bars indicates standard error of the mean. Treatment points sharing a letter indicate no significant difference.
By day 28 turf response was significantly (p<0.01) better for eqo.s treated turf. This significantly greater response remained for eqo.s until week 12. Mean turf quality followed a similar trend (figure 2), with inhibited N providing a stronger response at day 7 which equalled out by day 14.
Figure 2. Mean Turf Visual Quality (1-10). Error bars indicate standard error of the mean. Treatment points sharing a letter indicate no significant difference.
At day 28 the eqo.s N treatment showed a significantly higher quality value right through to week 12. NDVI results showed similar responses (data not shown). The differential turf response was clearly visible at week 6 from drone images taken of the trial (image 1).
Image 1: Drone image from week 6 of a section of the summer fertilizer trial, STRI.
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