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This episode features the article “Evaluating effect of Fercristal Summum Nitro and 18-3-6 with UMAXX fertilizer on turf quality and nutrient efficiency in perennial ryegrass and bermudagrass” written by Xunzhong Zhang, Mike Goatley, Berit Smith, Taylor Motsinger, and Sydney Hook.

Introduction and Objective

Improvement of nutrient use efficiency, especially nitrogen, is an important issue in turfgrass management with respect to plant health, quality, economics and environmental protection. New technology has been used to develop fertilizers which may have high nutrient use efficiency when compared to traditional fertilizer such as ammonium nitrate. The objective was to evaluate effect of Fercristal Summum Nitro (FSN) and 18-3-6 with UMAXX for improving N uptake and turfgrass performance in comparison with ammonium nitrate in perennial ryegrass and bermudagrass turfgrasses.

Materials and Methods

Perennial ryegrass (cv. ‘Gray Hawk’) and bermudagrass (cv. ‘Latitude 36’) plugs (4″ diameter) were collected from field plots and transplanted into 6-inch pots filled with fine sand plus 10% calcined clay in early June 2025. The grasses were trimmed, irrigated, and fertilized regularly. After about 4- weeks of non-stressed growth with optimum temperature, water, fertilizer, and light, the pots were grown in a controlled environment growth chamber at optimum growing conditions. The three treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. These treatment solutions were uniformly applied to the canopy: 1). Control standard ammonium nitrate at 0.10 lb N/1000 ft²) 2). Fercristal Summum Nitro at 0.1 lb N/1000 ft²) 3). 18-3-6 with UMAXX at 0.10 lb N/1000 ft²) biweekly. All nitrogen in the 18-3-6 with UMAXX is stabilized with dicyanodiamide and N-(in-butyl)-thiophosphoric triamide and the product contains 0.1% iron. The FSN contains 20.5% nitrogen and 18 amino acids. The soluble sustainable nitrogen (SSN) technology was used to improve nitrogen use efficiency.

P and K and micronutrients were applied to all pots as base nutrients to support normal growth. Additional P and K in forms of potassium chloride and triple phosphate for treatments #1 and 2 were used to match P and K input for treatment #3. All treatments received no additional N inputs, and non-N nutrient solution was applied biweekly.

Turf quality, fresh clipping weight, photochemical efficiency, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf protein, leaf proline, and leaf nitrogen content were measured biweekly during the period of 56 days. Root growth characteristics including root biomass, length, surface area, diameter, and volume were measured at the end of the trial. The data were analyzed with an analysis of variance and mean separations were performed with a protected Fisher’s least significance difference at 5% probability level.

Results and Discussion

Turf quality

Foliar applications of Fercristal Summum Nitro (FSN) and 18-3-6 with UMAXX (abbreviation: UMAXX) improved turf quality when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate, AN) as measured from day 14 (July 22) through Day 56 (Sept. 2) in bermudagrass and perennial ryegrass. On average, both SSN and UMAXX consistently increased turf quality ratings relative to the control.

Leaf chlorophyll content

Foliar applications of FSN and UMAXX increased leaf chlorophyll content when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate as measured at day 42 (August 19) and Day 56 (Sept. 2) in bermudagrass and at day 29 (August 5) in perennial ryegrass. On average, both SSN and UMAXX increased chlorophyll content relative to the control in bermudagrass and also SSN in perennial ryegrass.

Photochemical efficiency

Foliar applications of FSN improved leaf photochemical efficiency when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) as measured from day 14 (July 22), day 28 (August 5), and day 56 (Sept. 2) in bermudagrass and day 42 and 56 in perennial ryegrass. In addition, UMAXX treatment improved photochemical efficiency relative to the control as measured at day 56. On average, both SSN and UMAXX consistently increased photochemical efficiency relative to the control.

Clipping production

Foliar applications of FSN and UMAXX increased clipping fresh weight when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) as measured at day 42 and 56 in bermudagrass (except for UMAXX at day 56) and day 28, 42 and 56 in perennial ryegrass. On average, both FSN and UMAXX consistently increased clipping production relative to the control.

Leaf protein, N content, and estimated N use efficiency (NUE)

Foliar applications of FSN and UMAXX increased leaf protein and N content when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) as measured at day 42 and 56 in bermudagrass, and day 28, 42 and 56 in perennial ryegrass. On average, both FSN and UMAXX increased leaf protein and N content in the two turfgrass species. Based on total N input and total leaf N uptake, the NUE was estimated. The FSN and UMAXX increased the N use efficiency by 12.7% and 12.9%, respectively, in bermudagrass, and 19.5% and 8.3% in perennial ryegrass, when compared to ammonium nitrate.

Leaf amino acid proline content

Foliar applications of FSN and UMAXX increased leaf proline content when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) as measured from day 14 (July 22) through day 56 (September 2) in bermudagrass (except for UMAXX at day 14) and perennial ryegrass (except for SSN at day 14). On average, both SSN and UMAXX consistently increased leaf proline content in all three turfgrass species.

Root growth characteristics and viability

Foliar applications of FSN and UMAXX increased root biomass, length, surface area, and volume when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) in the two turfgrass species. In addition, FSN treatment improved root viability relative to the control in bermudagrass and UMAXX improved root viability relative to the control in perennial ryegrass.

Summary. Foliar applications of Fercristal Summum Nitro (FSN) and 18-5-6 with UMAXX improved turf visual quality, physiological fitness, leaf protein and N content, amino acid proline content, and root growth when compared to the control (ammonium nitrate) in bermudagrass and perennial ryegras under normal growth conditions. No consistent differences in the measured parameters were found between Fercristal Summum Nitro and 18-3-6 with UMAXX.

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