greenhouse study was conducted at Texas Tech University in 1970. Sea oats plants were 

 obtained from the Padre Island nursery and bitter panicum from wild harvest material on 

 Mustang Island. Major objectives were to determine the best fertilizer levels for increasing 

 shoot, root, and tiller production. Because plant response is different in pot versus field 

 studies, results from pot studies should be viewed as an indication only of what can occur in 

 the field. 



Because potting mediums were different for sea oats and bitter panicum , and were grown 

 in separate facilities, valid species comparisons are difficult. Yet, differences in response 

 were large enough to conclude that their basic nutritional needs are different. This was also 

 noted in the field, where bitter panicum from the Padre Island nursery grow as well without 

 added nutrients as sea oats with fertilizer. 



In the greenhouse, maximum sea oats root, shoot, and tiller production resulted from 

 different fertilizer treatments (Table 47). High nitrogen rates boosted shoot weight while 

 lower nitrogen rates were better for root and tiller production. Nitrogen applications 



Table 47. Yield of shoots and roots, and tiller production of sea oats 

 for various fertilizer treatments in greenhouse. 



Fertilizer treatment 



Yield 



Tiller production 

 (per 10 culms) 



Nitrogen 



Phosphorus 



Potassium 



Shoot ! Root 





(pounds per acre) 





(grams per 10 plants) 

















20.8 



9.5 



15.0 



60 











20.7 



9.9 



20.0 



120 











27.2 



13.0 



16.0 



180 











35.7 



19.0 



28.9 



60 



60 



60 



32.8 



19.3 



36.7 



60 



120 



60 



36.2 



36.0 



28.0 



60 



60 



120 



40.6 



17.0 



29.0 



60 



120 



120 



39.8 



21.7 



47.5 



120 



60 



60 



46.2 



22.9 



43.3 



120 



120 



60 



43.2 



17.0 



35.6 



120 



60 



120 



32.8 



14.8 



33.8 



120 



120 



120 



49.4 



18.8 



38.8 



180 



60 



60 



35.6 



15.1 



23.0 



180 



120 



60 



44.6 



17.4 



36.0 



180 



60 



120 



37.7 



14.5 



39.1 



180 



120 



120 



49.2 



18.1 



35,0 



136 



