NITROGENOUS NUTRITION OF KIKUYU USING CHEMICAL AND BIOFERTILIZERS

This study was conducted at the Experimental Nursery of the ornameEal
Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture. Cairo University. during the 0
successive seasons of 2000/2001 and 2001/2002, with the aim of Investigating I he
response of Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum c/andestinum Hochst, ex Chiov.) to a N
sources (conventiona) chemica) fertilization and biofertilization), and assessing he
possibility of using blofeltillzers to reduce the need for chemical N fertilization. Kik yu
turfgrass received pre-planting and post-planting inoculation with Cerealln (a
commercial, product containing B8ciJJU5 poJymyxa and Azotobacter chroococc m
bacteria) only, or post-planting chemical N fertilization using ammonium nitrate at
rates equivalent to 2, 3 or 4 9 N/m²/month (with or without Cerealln inoculation), In
addition, unfertirrzed plants were used as the control. All treatments Increased turf density, plant height, !he fresh end dry weights of dlppings/m² and underground partslm², as well as the leaf contents of pigments (tOtal chforophylfs and carotenoids), lotal carbohydrates, N, P and K. In general, raising t e rate of chemical N fertilization caused steady increases in the values recorded or most of these parameters, These increases were more pronounced when chemical N fertilization was combined with (he use of Cereal/n, In both seasons, Cerealin +- N at J or 4 g/m²/month gave the highest values for most of the vegetative growth paremete s as well as the different chemical constituents, whereas inoculation with Cerealin alo e was the least effective treatment in most cases, In many cases, the data recorded on some vegetative growth characteristiqs nncluding the fresh and dry weights of clippings) show that combining Cerealin with chemical N fertilization reduced the need for chemical N fertilization by approximate y 25-33%, It can be concluded thatlnoculatlon of Penniselum cJandestlnum plugs witr CereaJin, fonowed by chemical N fertilization of the turf at the rate of 3 g N/m²/month was sufficient to maintain high quality for the above-ground turf, and relativefy goo characteristics for the underground parts and chemical composition,