Plasma-fixated nitrogen as fertilizer for turf grass

Abstract

We investigated the use of plasma-fixated nitrogen, which produces nitrates (NO₃⁻) in water, as a possible nitrogen fertilizer for recreational turf such as rye grass and bent grass. Experiments were carried out to study the effects of nitrate concentration on growth, the further effects of adding phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) to the plasma nitrated solution to make an N–P–K complete fertilizer, and to compare the efficacy of plasma-fixated nitrogen to sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) and potassium nitrate (KNO₃). The results indicate that the growth and biomass of the plants were strongly dependent on the concentration of the plasma-fixated nitrogen. Adding P–K to the plasma-fixated nitrogen improved grass growth. Grass that was supplied plasma-fixated nitrogen had improved growth compared to those supplied with equal amounts of NaNO₃ and KNO₃. This work highlights the potential use of plasma-fixated nitrogen as a fertilizer source for commonly used turf grass.