Contribution of grass clippings to turfgrass fertilization and soil water content under four nitrogen levels

Grasscycling: A Key Practice for Sustainable Turfgrass Management

“…When clippings are returned, they are gradually decomposed within the turf-soil system, thus releasing nutrients available to plants [15]. Few studies analysed mineral nutrients on clippings from turfgrass [28][29][30], while several studies investigated the N content of them. Liu and Hull [16] reported an average N concentration in turfgrass clippings of 42-45 mg g −1 of dry matter (DM) for Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), 41-44 mg g −1 DM for perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and 33-39 mg g −1 DM for tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), with a DM yield ranging from 3.68 t ha −1 for perennial ryegrass to 5.51 t ha −1 for tall fescue resulting in yearly N amount ranging from 111 to 260 kg N ha −1 (Table 1).…”

“…The first, and probably the most important, positive aspect of grasscycling is its potential effect on the N cycle and on other elements such as phosphorus and potassium on the turfgrass-soil ecosystem [28], as clippings returned could potentially reduce N fertilisation requirements of the turfgrasss [20,26]. Excessive N applications can have negative impacts on the environment, especially when quick-release N sources are used to fertilise turfgrass [57].…”

“…A potential increase in thatch because of grasscycling practices has both negative and positive effects. As mentioned previously, positive attributes of thatch include its ability to buffer soil temperature extremes and reduce water loss from soil [24], and this effect on soil moisture content is important considering drought conditions and low precipitation in some areas of the world [28]. However, when thatch thickness is too excessive to benefit turfgrass health, thatch reduction practices (i.e., verticutting, core cultivation, etc.)…”