High quality turf must be supplied with enough of each essential nutrient. The nutrients the grass uses will either come from the soil or must be supplied as fertilizer. How can a turf manager be sure that all nutrients are supplied to the turf in adequate amounts? This presentation will explain how the maximum amount of each element used by the grass can be estimated, and how the minimum levels for sustainable nutrition (MLSN) guidelines can be used to ensure that the grass is always supplied with enough of each element.

1. Leaves of Grass:
nutrient requirements for every turfgrass
Micah Woods, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist | Asian Turfgrass Center
www.asianturfgrass.com
@asianturfgrass
15 August 2014
South China Turf Managers Association
Sheraton Cotai Central, Macau
http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

2. Penn G-2 creeping bentgrass
Shanghai, ChinaWhat are we trying to do?

3. 1. Ensure all essential elements
are in adequate supply
perennial ryegrass
Chiba, Japan

4. 2. Maximize nutrient use
efficiency by applying the
minimum amount required
Penncross creeping bentgrass
Chiba, Japan

5. How do we accomplish
1) adequate supply &
2) maximum efficiency?
Penn A-1 bentgrass, USA
Enough K No K

6. We need to know 3
quantities
L-93 creeping bentgrass
Ithaca, New York
1. How much of
an element is
present in the soil?
2. How much of
an element is
needed in the soil?
3. How much of
an element does
the grass use?

7. Quantity 1 (amount present)
obtained from soil test
Cornell University Nutrient
Analysis Laboratory, New York

8. Reference
November, 2012
Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition
Soil Guidelines
Minimum Level for Sustainable Nutrition (MLSN) is a new, more sustainable approach to managing soil
nutrient levels that can help you to decrease fertilizer inputs and costs, while still maintaining desired turf
quality and playability levels. The MLSN guidelines were developed in a joint project between PACE Turf and
the Asian Turfgrass Center. All soil analyses were conducted at Brookside Laboratories, New Knoxville, OH.
MLSN Soil Guideline
pH >5.5
Potassium (K ppm) 35
Phosphorus (P ppm); pH<7.5, Mehlich 3 18
Phosphorus (P ppm); pH<7.5, Bray 2 25
Phosphorus (P ppm); pH>7.5, Olsen 6
Calcium (Ca ppm) 360
Magnesium (Mg ppm) 54
Managing sodium and
salts: In locations where
poor quality irrigation
meet the guideline of <110
ppm sodium or <2 dS/m
salts, MLSN guidelines
and overall management
practices may need to be
basis. For more informa
Quantity 2 (amount needed)
obtained from MLSN guidelines
http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/
20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

9. January GCM: www.gcsaa.org

10. Quantity 3 (amount used) estimated
based on applied nitrogen
Fukuoka, Japan

11. The amount of fertilizer ( F ) to apply is:
F = MLSN (g/m2) + Harvest (g/m2) - soil test (g/m2)

12. 60
0 0
60
0
20
40
60
Soil Test Annual
Plant Uptake
Fertilizer
Applied
Remaining
in Soil
K(ppm)

13. 60
−47.9 0
12.1
0
20
40
60
Soil Test Annual
Plant Uptake
Fertilizer
Applied
Remaining
in Soil
K(ppm)

14. 60
−47.9 33.5
45.6
0
20
40
60
Soil Test Annual
Plant Uptake
Fertilizer
Applied
Remaining
in Soil
K(ppm)

15. 8.96
−7.15 5
6.81
0.0
2.5
5.0
7.5
Soil Test Annual
Plant Uptake
Fertilizer
Applied
Remaining
in Soil
K(gm2
)

16. 74.6
−1.6 0
73
0
20
40
60
Soil Test Annual
Plant Uptake
Fertilizer
Applied
Remaining
in Soil
Ca(gm2
)

17. The amount of fertilizer ( F ) to apply is:
F = MLSN (g/m2) + Harvest (g/m2) - soil test (g/m2)

26. “N supply was the primary determinant of
turfgrass growth rate, plant nutrient demand,
and nutrient uptake. Nitrogen uptake
accounted for over 88% of uptake of all other
nutrients. Uptake of P and K were strongly
related to tissue N content irrespective of soil
test levels.”
Kussow et al., 2012
ISRN Agronomy. Evidence, Regulation, and Consequences of Nitrogen-driven
Nutrient Demand by Turfgrass.

33. http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html

34. http://www.seminar.asianturfgrass.com/20140815_leaves_of_grass.html