EFFECT OF FOLIAR FERTILIZATION ON THE SEED PRODUCTION OF MERIT KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS IN 1984

The use of foliar nutrient sprays is an alternative method for getting nutrients into plants rapidly. However, the benefits of the practice to seed production of Kentucky bluegrass have not been demonstrated. In 1984, the Station studied the re-sponse of Merit Kentucky bluegrass to applications of two nu-trient formulations, High Yield and High K; each applied at the five-pound per acre rate. No statistically significant increase in seed yield was obtained compared to the normal soil fertilization program. There was a significant increase in the number of florets and number of seeds per spikelet at the bottom of the panicle after treatment with High Yield at early boot stage and with High K three-four days after polli-nation began compared to soil fertilization alone. Perhaps 10-15 lb/A rates of foliar nutrients would increase seed yields. Foliar feeding of plant nutrients is an established practice with many horticultural and vegetable crops (2). However, the practice has not been adopted for field crops like wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa and grasses for seed. Both positive and negative results have been obtained. Limited experimen-tation by the author has failed to show benefits from appli-cations of foliar nutrients to Baron and Merit Kentucky blue-grass (1). Since there are many aspects or variables involved in the use of foliar nutrients and their subsequent value it was decided to continue the work. An experiment on Merit Kentucky bluegrass was conducted in 1984 to determine the effect of foliar nutrient application at early boot and again after flowering