Which element in fertilizer governs the growth rate and the green color of grass?

• A. Sulfur
• B. Nitrogen
• C. Chlorophyll
• D. Phosphorus

Answer: (B)

Nitrogen is the element that governs both how fast grass grows and how green it appears. It’s a core part of chlorophyll, the pigment that gives leaves their green color, and it’s also a building block for amino acids and proteins that drive vegetative growth. When turf has adequate nitrogen, you’ll see quicker growth and a deeper, more vibrant green; nitrogen deficiency makes grass pale and slow to grow. Sulfur and phosphorus are important nutrients, but they don’t control growth rate and leaf greenness as directly, and chlorophyll is a pigment, not an elemental nutrient.