Growth and Quality Responses of Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) to Different Irrigation Levels and Nitrogen Rates

Authors : Burak Nazmi CANDOGAN, Ugur BILGILI, Senih YAZGAN, Esvet ACIKGOZ

Pages : 142-152

Doi:10.17557/tjfc.84207

View : 26 | Download : 12

Publication Date : 2014-01-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :A 2-year experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different irrigation levels and nitrogen rates on visual turfgrass colour and quality and clipping yield of tall fescue insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Festuca arundinacea Schreb.); under subhumid climatic conditions. The treatments consisted of five levels of irrigation, 25% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(I1);, 50% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(I2);, 75% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(I3);, 100% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(I4); and 125% insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(I);, of the evaporation measured from a Class A pan and two rates of nitrogen, 25 kg N ha-1 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(N1); and 50 kg N ha-1insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(N2);. The N rates were applied as a monthly rate during growing seasons insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(MaySeptember);. The experimental area was irrigated by a pop-up sprinkler irrigation system. The irrigation was applied at 3-day intervals during May-September for both years. The seasonal crop evapotranspiration insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ETc); under the treatments ranged from 315 to 1154 mm in 2007 and from 363 to 1100 mm in 2008. The ETcincreased with increasing the both N rate and irrigation level, and the best seasonal turf quality of tall fescue was obtained for the I4 and I5 treatments under N2 rate. This study demonstrated that, when the level of irrigation and nitrogen rate were evaluated together, the NI4 treatment ensured sufficiently dark turf colour and quality. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that an acceptable turf quality can be sustained under the Ninsert ignore into journalissuearticles values(or N2I2 treatment in September); according to water conservation. When rainfall amountis high insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(132.2 mm); in September, the N1I1 treatment may sustain acceptable turf quality for this month. treatment in May, N1I2 treatment in June, July and August and N1I4 treatment in September
Keywords : evapotranspiration, irrigation level, nitrogen rate, tall fescue, turfgrass quality