Effect of nitrogen rates and mowing heights on color, density, uniformity, and chemical composition of creeping bentgrass cultivars in winter

Abstract

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) is used on golf course putting greens in Japan, however, this turfgrass goes dormant and loses color in the winter. Two levels (0.8 and 9.6 gm²) of nitrogen (N) and two mowing heights (5 and 12 mm) were used to determine their effects on turf quality (color, uniformity, and density) and chemical composition of 12 cultivars of creeping bentgrass during the winter. High N rate or mowing height increased color of the plants significantly during the experiment, but high N rate was more effective than high mowing height. High N rate increased the levels of N, potassium (K), boron (B), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and magnesium (Mg), but reduced the levels of calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and copper (Cu) in the plant tissues. High mowing height resulted in an increase in K content, but reduction in N, P, S, Ca, and Mo levels, though the levels of other nutrients were not affected. The level of N of plants under low N rate was below the sufficiency range, whereas levels of other nutrients including N were generally within the sufficiency range under other treatments. The results showed that desirable color could be provided under high N application rate with no apparent winter injury or nutrient deficiencies in transitional zones. The quality of the turf may be further improved under high mowing height management.