Field Test 1

Protene® 19-2-19 Controlled Release Fertilizer

Performance Assessment Compared with Polymer Coated Fertilizer

Protene® 19-2-19 Trial [PDF]

Objective:
To measure release characteristics of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium on soils at 1, 32, 49, 63, 91 and 126 days following application of two controlled release fertilizers, Protene® 19-2-19 and Polyon 19-6-12.

Description:
The trial was conducted in Southeastern Pennsylvania on a golf course. Soil was native silt loam. Turfgrass was mostly comprised of creeping bentgrass mown at 0.5 inches 3-4 times per week. Treatments were applied in April using a shaker bottle. Sites were tested prior to trial start-up for N, P and K levels in the soils. Treatments were then targeted to those sites with minimal levels of N, P and K. Treatments were replicated five times in a randomized block design.

1). Soils were tested at 1, 32, 49, 63, 91 and 126 days following application for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
2). Due to the similarity and linear relationships of the treatment data collected a linear trendline and regression analysis was used to analyze the findings and to generate the table and graphs shown.

Protene® 19-2-19 paralleled or outperformed Polyon in nutrient release during a 126 day trial**

The following graphs demonstrate that Protene® effectively fed the turf over a 120 day period and that nutrient release was better than or equal to Polyon over the same time-frame.

*More available nitrogen in spring, and long lasting release for a sustained feed during the entire season!

Conclusions:
Protene® 19-2-19 effectively fed N, P, K, over 120 days, and provided more available nitrogen in the first 32 days (spring green-up) compared with polymer coated fertilizer. Turfgrass color and quality were similar for both treatments for the duration of the trial.

Protene® 19-2-19 performed well compared with polymer coated fertilizer in release properties of key nutrients to support turfgrass management.

**Experimental design and field test were conducted by Dr. Steve McDonald, M.S. Turfgrass Solutions LLC. Trial was conducted under commercial golf course conditions. Statistical Analysis of the data was conducted by Dirk E. Axe, Ph.D., ANTG Research and Development LLC.