ELEMENTAL SULFUR IMPREGNATED WITH IRON AS A FERTILIZER SOURCE FOR KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS

Abstract

Elemental sulfur (S) impregnated with Fe (S-Fe) fertilizer was evaluated on Kentucky bluegrass (KBG; Poa pratensis L.) in three glasshouse studies: (1) with/without Fe as S-Fe, ferrous sulfate (FS), or iron-ethylenediamine-N,N’-bis(2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) (Fe-EDDHA) to soil (49 kg Fe ha⁻¹), or foliar Fe-EDDHA (5 kg Fe ha⁻¹) on two cultivars; (2) 0, 49, 197, or 592 kg Fe ha⁻¹ of S-Fe deep mixed or surface mixed on two soils; (3) 0 or 49 kg Fe ha⁻¹ applied as S-Fe on four cultivars. A field study comparing 0 and 49 kg Fe ha⁻¹ applied as S-Fe to KBG was also conducted. Soil applied S-Fe was assimilated in shoots as efficiently as Fe-EDDHA applied to soil or foliage. Shoot Fe increased significantly with increasing S-Fe in a curvilinear response when deep mixed with soil and in a linear response when surface applied. However, no Fe source tested impacted yield or verdure in these studies.

Keywords:

• iron
• sulfur
• elemental sulfur
• Kentucky bluegrass
• Poa pratensis
• turfgrass
• fertilizers
• nutrient uptake
• chlorosis
• chelate

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Cultivars were provided by Doug Brede, Jacklin Seed, Post Falls, Idaho. Funding for this project was provided by the Office of Research and Creative Activities and the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences at Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.