TABLE 2 



Growth Response 



of Saltmeadow Cordgt 



"ass to 



Ferti 



1 izers 



- Ocracoke 



1 s land 









T 



reatmenf 



s 









Yield, 

 (dry 



1 b/act 

 weight' 





Plot 

 No. 



Ni 



itrogen, 



1 b/acre 



P2O5 

 1 b/acre 



K 2 

 1 b/acre 



~e 

 ) 





Apr 



Jun 



Aug 



Sep 



1962 



1963 



1964 



1965 



1 . 













— 





454 



604 



757 



608 



2. 



33 



33 



33 



50 



— 



— 





2030 



4047 



6675 



6594 



3. 



33 



33 



33 



50 



50 



— 





2757 



3858 



7055 



7426 



4. 



33 



33 



33 



50 



50 



50 





2842 



4161 



5942 



5994 



Least Significant Difference - .05 1559 



Least Significant Difference - .01 2186 



Coefficient of Variability - 38% 



Both experiments, one on American beachgrass and the other on cordgrass, 

 were on stands that had been established 1% to 2 years earlier. 



In both of these experiments, the response to nitrogen (N) was very 

 pronounced and was of the same general order. There appeared to be some 

 indication of a benefit from the application of phosphorus (P) the first 

 year with this being questionable in later years. The addition of potassium 

 (K) was of doubtful value throughout. Growth on the nitrogen and nitrogen- 

 phosphorus treatments seemed to reach a maximum by the third year on both 

 species. 



These are the only experiments in this study that have been carried 

 through four full growing seasons. The data seem to indicate that maximum 

 cover can be produced under this kind of fertilization regime in two to 

 three years. 



The pattern exhibited in these experiments is fairly representative 

 of the results of most tests conducted so far. Nitrogen is the principal 

 limiting factor, with perhaps some response to phosphorus and none to 

 potassium. However, there have been a few locations where the application 

 of phosphorus was definitely beneficial. Two of these locations are shown 

 in Tables 3 and 4 . 



