KEY WORDS: CYNODON DACTYLON, LAWN GRASS, TURF

INTRODUCTION

The turf is an integral and significant part of the land- scape and enhances its beauty when established properly, while a poor turf will detract from the overall appear-

ARTICLE INFORMATION:

*Corresponding Author: prarthana.piku246@gmail.com Received 5th Feb, 2016

Accepted after revision 28th March, 2016 BBRC Print ISSN: 0974-6455

Online ISSN: 2321-4007

Thomson Reuters ISI SCI Indexed Journal NAAS Journal Score : 3.48

©A Society of Science and Nature Publication, 2016. All rights reserved.

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ance (Brede, 2000). Proper management of turf grass can lead to an aesthetically beautiful turf. Cynodon dactylon is one of the major turf grass grown for aesthetic as well as recreational purposes. Bermuda grass, Cynodon spp. is one of the most commonly grown turfgrass genera

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in the southern United States having excellent drought tolerance (Jeffrey et al. 2015).

The demand for the use of Bermuda grass as a turf grass is abundant and historical. Bermuda grass (Cyno- don dactylon) is a warm-season turfgrass and is widely used on home lawns, golf courses, and sport fields. Bermuda grass is very wear resistant among the warm season turfgrasses and has an excellent recuperative capacity. Cynodon dactylon is further spread through its commercial use as forage and turf, being widely used in the Sonoran Desert region as a lawn grass, (Chambers and Hawkins, 2002, Turgeon, 2002).

Beyond practical purposes, the turf has helped to beautify many parks and landscapes, while also provid- ing resilient playing fields for many sports. In addition to sports such as football and soccer, Bermudagrass is a desirable playing surface for numerous other activi- ties, including polo fields and horse racing tracks, ( Patton et al., 2004 and Bloodhorse, 2005). Presently, its hybrids are used extensively as lawn grasses (Usher, 1974). It also has been used in soil stabilization projects for preventing soil erosion (Anderson, 1999). Hence, the present investigation on the nutrient uptake of Bermud- agrass was undertaken with a view to find the optimum nutrient levels under which maximum nutrients are con- sumed to maintain a proper quality turf.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The experiment was conducted in Department of Hor- ticulture, Assam Agricultural university during 2013- 2014 on Bermuda grass (both local and hybrid cultivars). The treatments included of T0 - Control, T1 -Vermicom- post 200g/m², T2- Vermicompost 200g/m² + 10:10:10gm/ m2 (N:P:K), T3-Vermicompost 200g/m² +20:20:20gm/m2 (N:P:K), T4 - 40:40:40 gm/m² (N:P:K), T5 - 50:50:50 gm/ m² (N:P:K) and T6 - 60:60:60 gm/m² (N:P:K).The experi- ment was laid out in a split plot design with 3 replica- tion having a plot size of 1.5 square meter. The sources of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were urea, single super phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively. The different doses of vermicompost, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash applied with their treatment combinations. The remaining half nitrogen was splitted into three parts and applied during the month of August, Novem- ber and February as foliar spray. The planting materials of local type required for the study were collected from the healthy mother plant from Horticultural orchard of Assam Agricultural University.

The hybrid cultivar was collected from Kaziranga Golf Resort. Sprigs of 3-4 nodes were planted at a spacing of 7cm x 7 cm by dibbling method. The plots were lightly irrigated just after planting. All the aftercare and intercul-

tural operations like mowing, rolling, racking and weeding were performed at regular interval. Treatment wise above ground plants were collected at each month and were then chopped into small pieces and sun dried as well as oven dried at 60-65°C to a constant weight, powdered and stored in a sealed polythene bag for N, P and K analysis. The amount of nitrogen was expressed as percentage on dry weight basis. 0.5 mg of sample was taken in a diges- tion flask to which digestion mixture was added and the sample was digested with 25 ml of H2SO4 till a bluish liquid is formed. This digested solution was used for estimation of total nitrogen by Micro-Kjeldahl’s method described by Humphries (1956). N was estimated as the amount of ammonia evolved during steam distillation of the digest.

For phosphorus estimation, plant samples were digested by the wet digestion method as described by Jackson (1973). 0.5 g of plant sample was taken in a 250 ml conical flask and 5 ml of conc. HNO3 was added to it. After pre digestion with nitric acid, 10 ml of triacid mixture (HNO3, H2SO4 and HClO4 in the ratio of 10: 1: 4) was added to the conical flask and digested on hot plate at temperature between 200-250°C till yellow fumes were removed and about 2 ml of the solution was left. The solu- tion was then used for determination of leaf phosphorus by adopting colorimetric method. The stock solution pre- pared for determination of leaf phosphorus was used for estimation of leaf potassium by using flame photometric method (Jackson, 1973).The experimental data obtained from various observations were analysed statistically by using Fisher’s method of analysis of variance in spilt plot design as described by Panse and Sukhatme (1978).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The significant increase of N content was detected with gradual increase in nutrient levels as evidenced from the table 1. Regarding month wise, N content was found in a decreasing trend from the month of April’13 to July’13. Thereafter it was increased from the month of August’13 onwards, followed by increased in the month of March’14. Among the treatments T6 exhib- ited the highest and treatment T0 exhibited the lowest amount of N in the shoot tissue. The highest N content (5.055%) was obtained in the month of February’14, fol- lowed by next higher level (5.046%) in the month of January’14 in treatment T6 and they were at par, while in February’14 treatment T0 recorded (3.461% ) and in January (3.454%) of N in shoot. The lowest N content (2.567%) was observed in the month July’13, followed by August’13 (2.675 %) in Treatment T0.

Cultivar effects on the per cent N content during the different months were found to be significantly differ- ent. Among the two cultivars C2 exhibit more N content

Gogoi, Mahanta and Talukdar

in all the months. The decreasing trend of N per cent was observed from the month of April’13 to July’13, followed by increased from the month of August’13 onwards.

This might be due to more availability of nutrients which reduced carbohydrates and thereby more nitrogen accumulation in shoots. Earlier Monore et al. (1967) and Singh et al. (1992) obtained more per cent nitrogen in shoot tissue with an increased level of nitrogen. Hence, the findings of the present investigations are in con- formity with the findings of the above scientists. The highest per cent nitrogen content was obtained in the month February’14. This might be due to application of the splits of nitrogen in February’14 and less leaching as well as more mineralization of organic nitrogen. Powell et al. (1967) and Singh et al. (1992) have reported simi- lar trend of findings in Kentucky bluegrass and Cynodon dactylon (L.) Persoon. The lowest per cent content was obtained in the month of July’13. This might be due to leaching loss and dilution effect due to increase in fresh weight of clipping. Singh et al. (1992) also reported decrease in per cent nitrogen of tissue during summer month (June and July). Hence, the results obtained in the present investigation are in conformity with the findings of the above workers. More nutrient uptake in spring months than the summer months was observed by Brink et al. (2005)

In cultivar C1 highest N content (4.027%) was found in the month of February’14, followed by January’14 (3.952%). The lowest amount of N (2.993%) was found in the month of July’13 followed by August’13 (3.092%). Again in cultivar C2 highest amount (4.258%) was recorded in the month of February’14, followed by January’14 (4.128%). The lowest amount was found in the month of July’13 (3.138%), followed by August’13 (3.260%).

Data on per cent P content in shoot in Table 2 revealed that there was a significant increase in P content with increased concentration of nutrients. Regarding month wise P content was found in a decreasing order from the month of April’13 to July’13. Thereafter it was increased from the month of August’13, followed by decreased in the month of March’14. Among the treatments T6 exhib- ited highest and treatment T0 exhibited lowest amount of P in the shoot tissue. The highest P content (0.415%) was obtained in treatment T6 in the month of February’14, followed by next higher level (0.397%) in the month of January’14. The lowest P content (0.287%) was observed in the month August’13 in treatment T0 followed by treatment T1 (0.290 %). Among the two cultivars C2 exhibit more P content in all the month’s observation.

Beaty et al. (1960) reported similar findings of increas- ing trend of phosphorus content with a gradual increase in levels of nitrogen. Hillard et al. (1992), Rechigl (1992), Robinson and Ellers (1996), also reported that addition of phosphorus fertilizer increased phosphorus concen-

tration in the Rye grass. This might be due to more vigorous growth of roots and shoots, which enhanced the uptake of phosphorus. Again in blue grass per cent phosphorus was increased by increasing potassium lev- els. The highest per cent phosphorus content of tissue (0.377%) was obtained in winter season particularly in February month in cultivar C2, which might be due to mineralization of organic form of phosphate. The lowest per cent of phosphorus content was observed in summer season might be associated with dilution effect of high- est weight of clipping. Powell et al. (1967) and Monore et al. (1967) also reported the similar trend of results in per cent phosphorus content. Hence, the results obtained in the present investigation are in conformity with the above workers.

In cultivar C1 highest P content (0.370%) was found in the month of February’14, followed by Janu- ary’14 (0.363%). The lowest amount of P (0.306%) was found in the month of August’13 followed by July’13 (0.306%). Again in cultivar C2 highest amount (0.377%) was recorded in the month of February’14, followed by January’14 (0.368%). The lowest amount of P was found in the month of August’13 (0.306%), followed by July’13(0.306%).

Data on per cent K content in shoot revealed that there was a significant increase in K content with increased concentration of nutrients (Table 3). Regarding month wise K content was found in a decreasing order from the month of April’13 to July’13. Thereafter it was increased from August’13 onwards, followed by decreased in the month of March’14. Among the treatments T6 exhibited highest and treatment T0 exhibited lowest amount of K in the shoot tissue. The highest K content (2.470%) was obtained in the month of February’14, followed by next higher level (2.440%) in the month of Janu- ary’14 in treatment T6, The lowest K content in treatment T0 (1.267%), followed by treatment T1 (1.275 %) in the month August’13 and which were at par.

This is in line with Adane et al (2003) who reported that the nutrient of natural grass lands increases with increasing levels of N, P, K fertilizer application. Potas- sium concentration in tissues in response to potassium fertilization is nitrogen dependent. The lowest per cent potassium content was recorded in control which might de due to less growth of roots and shoots. Beaty et al. (1960) and Monore et al. (1967) in Kentucky blue grass and Webstar et al. (2005) in perennial rye grass also reported the increase in potassium content with an increase in levels of nitrogen. The highest per cent potassium content in both the cultivars was obtained in February. The higher per cent potassium content in winter season (February) might be due to more availabil- ity of potassium in soil. The lowest per cent potassium content in July’13 were recorded which might be due to

less availability of potassium in soils that were entrap- ping with clay minerals. The increase in winter in per cent content of potassium and decrease in summer in the present investigation are in conformity with the findings of Beaty et al. (1960) and Powell et al. (1967).

Among the two cultivars C2 exhibit more K con- tent in all the months. In cultivar C1 highest K content was (2.027%) found in the month of February’14, fol- lowed by January’14 (1.989%). The lowest amount of K (1.446%) was found in the month of August’13 fol- lowed by July’13 (1.514%). Again in cultivar C2, high- est amount (2.201%) was recorded in the month of Feb- ruary’14, followed by January’14 (2.159%). The lowest amount was found in the month of August’13 (1.573%), followed by July’13 (1.654%).

CONCLUSION

From the above findings it could be concluded that the nutrient uptake is different according to the different nutrition application and different season. Higher dose of nutrient supply increased the nutrient uptake in both the cultivars and the uptake was found to be more in the winter months.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are greatly thankful to the Department of Horticulture, Crop physiology and Soil science for pro- viding the necessary facility and laboratory support for carrying out the study successfully. We are also thankful to Assam Agricultural University for providing for pro- viding research area, funds for conducting this research.

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