What is 'basal' and 'top dressing' in a fertilizer application?

Basal in terms of fertilizer can only refer to the amount of nutrients needed in the soil to sustain normal plant health, it is not an agronomy term per se but that is what it would mean when applied. Top dressing is the application of a product in an even manner to the surface of the soil or turf, in golf that means applying sand to make the surface smoother, to fill in holes from aeration, and to promote upward growth in golf greens.