Utilizing Branched-chain Amino Acids for Increasing Shoot Density and Establishment Rate in Creeping Bentgrass

Abstract

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Agrostis stolonifera, fertilizer, golf, percent cover, turfgrass SUMMARY. The branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) leucine (L), isoleucine (IL), and valine (V) are synthesized in plants and are essential to growth in most organisms. These compounds can be absorbed by the plant when foliarly applied, but plant catabolism of BCAA is not completely understood. A recent study observed that BCAA applied in a 2:1:1 or 4:1:1 ratio (L:IL:V) increased creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) shoot density compared with applications of equal urea nitrogen (N) at 3.03 lb/acre N. The present study investigated whether those increases could translate to a quicker establishment rate of creeping bentgrass grown from seed in standard greenhouse pots. The BCAA applications were compared with equal N applications using urea and a commercially available amino acid product. All N treatments were applied at 3.03 lb/acre N, per application and applied a total of four times on a 14-day interval starting 14 days after seeding. Measurements included final shoot density counts and root and shoot weights, as well as digital image analysis of percent green cover for each greenhouse pot every 7 days. No differences were observed after 70 days in shoot weight, or percent green cover between BCAA treatments and urea; however, BCAA 2:1:1 and 4:1:1 increased shoot density 21% and 30%, respectively, compared with urea, and were equal to the commercially available amino acid product. Applications of BCAA 4:1:1 also increased creeping bentgrass rooting weight by a factor of 7 compared with urea N.

Evaluating the use of the branched‐chain amino acids in combination with urea on creeping bentgrass at establishment

“…The increase in shoot density with BCAA 4:1:1 was greater than the increase resulting from GreenNCrease. These results differ from previous work in which GreenNCrease and BCAA 4:1:1 resulted in similar shoot densities (Mertz et al., 2019b).…”

“…Creeping bentgrass plants were initially cut when the samples had reached a 3.3‐cm height on average, and then maintained following methods used by Mertz et al. (2019b). At the time of cutting, samples were inverted, and clippings were removed to avoid influencing digital image analysis (DIA) measurements.…”

“…Pots received 2.54cm of irrigation per week with the total amount of irrigation spread out over three days each week throughout the duration of the study. Creeping bentgrass plants were initially cut when the samples had reached a 3.3-cm height on average, and then maintained following methods used by Mertz et al (2019b). At the time of cutting, samples were inverted, and clippings were removed to avoid influencing digital image analysis (DIA) measurements.…”

Proteomic Analysis of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Leaves in Response to Date Palm Waste Compost Application

“…3-isopropylmalate dehydratase performs the second step in the biosynthesis of leucine that plays an important role in controlling protein synthesis and regulating cell metabolism. Application of biostimulant based branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) leucine (L), isoleucine (IL), and valine (V) significantly increased creeping bentgrass plant growth parameters such as root weight and shoot density compared to control [ 55 ]. Therefore, the stimulation of barley plant growth ( Table 1 ) shown here by date palm waste compost application could be explained by the supposed enhanced availability of amino acids used directly by the plant for growth [ 56 ].…”

Foliar biostimulant applications combined with low‐mineral nitrogen fertilization equal the quality of high‐input mineral fertilization programs on tall fescue turf

“…Another use for amino acid‐based biostimulants could be the reduction on N fertilization as their application could benefit root development and establishment like Merzt et al. (2020) reported on creeping bentgrass, but less information is available about the use of amino acids and N reduction by using them on tall fescue than on other turf species.…”