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Influence of Nitrogen Fertilization and Clipping on Grass Roots¹

ABSTRACT

Strategic placement of P³² and root excavations revealed that roots of orchardgrass and bromegrass reached a greater depth when no N was applied. Nitrogen increased the root diameter and decreased the rate of elongation causing the plants to feed near the soil surface for a longer period of time. Defoliation stopped root growth within 24 hours and induced decomposition of the existing roots within 36 to 48 hours. Uptake of P³² placed in the existing root zone 24 to 48 hours after clipping was not detected until new roots reached the activated zone. New roots were initiated from basal leaf nodes of orchardgrass and rhizome nodes of bromegrass. Removal of all roots at the time of defoliation did not influence the rate of regrowth from transplanted sod plugs under optimum soil moisture conditions.

¹ Journal Paper No. 1327, Purdue University Agr. Exp. Sta., Lafayette, Ind. Contribution from the Department of Agronomy. Presented before Div. IV, Soil Science Society of America, Lafayette, Ind., Aug. 8, 1958. The authors are indebted to Swift and Company and to Spencer Chemical Company for funds granted to carry out this work.

² Graduate Teaching Assistant, Associate Professor of Agronomy, and Assistant Professor of Agronomy, respectively.

Received for publication September 22, 1958. Accepted for publication February 9, 1959.