Foliar Fertilizer on Improved Bermudagrass

With high input fertilizer costs associated with hay and forage production, growers are always looking for new more cost-effective options. Recent products such as foliar fertilizers have been marketed as cheaper alternatives but have no university-based research to assert claims. UGA Cooperative Extension agents from three northeast Georgia counties, along with University of Georgia researchers, conducted a one-year preliminary study on three sites comparing one foliar fertilizer to other conventional fertilizers and university recommendations. Initial results show that yields were reduced by almost half when fertilized with the new product at recommended rates when compared to conventional fertilizers at university recommended rates while cost was similar to conventional fertilizers. Results also showed that the cost of using the new product at equivalent university recommendations resulted in a much higher cost to producers. This is critical information that is important for producers who operate on extremely tight margins.