Author(s)

Gilbert C. Sigua^1*, Mimi M. Williams², Chad C. Chase Jr.¹, Joseph Albano³, Manoch Kongchum⁴

¹United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Brooksville.
²United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources and Conservation Service, Brooksville.
³United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Fort Pierce.
⁴School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) is one of the most important forage grasses in subtropical region of USA and other tropical regions of the world. Although tolerant to short term flooding, bahiagrass is classified as a facultative upland (FACU+) species that suggest yield and plant persistence might be reduced under periods of extended waterlogging. The objective of this greenhouse study (2008-2009) was to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 100, and 200 kg·N·ha^–1) on yield (DMY), crude protein content (CPC), and nitrogen uptake (NUP) of bahiagrass under varying flooded conditions (0, 14, 28, 56, and 84 days). Results disclosed an overwhelming effect of N application on yield and uptake component of bahiagrass. Averaged across flooding duration, results showed that DMY (R² = 0.91**), CPC (R²= 0.96**), and NUP (R² = 0.99**) were linearly related to increasing levels of N fertilization. Plants without N fertilization that were submerged between 14 to 84 days had significantly lower amount of DMY when compared with plants that were fertilized with 100 or 200 kg·N·ha^–1. Comparable DMY and NUP were obtained between plants fertilized with 200 kg·N·ha^–1) at 0 day of flooding (11.7 ± 5.0 ton·ha^–1) and plants fertilized with 200 kg·N·ha^–1 at 84 days of flooding (9.8 ± 2.7 ton·ha^–1). The practical implication of this study is that waterlogging may hamper yield and uptake while nitrogen fertilization could improve yield and uptake of bahiagrass under waterlogged condition.

Bahiagrass; Flooding; Nitrogen Uptake; Dry Matter Yield; Nitrogen

Sigua, G. , Williams, M. , Chase Jr., C. , Albano, J. and Kongchum, M. (2012) Yield and uptake of bahiagrass under flooded environment as affected by nitrogen fertilization. Agricultural Sciences, 3, 491-500. doi: 10.4236/as.2012.34058.