SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/517437
FIELD SCIENCE 12 SportsTurf | June 2015 www.sportsturfonline.com Plant growth regulators, soil surfactants, and perhaps other turfgrass maintenance products also may be considered as bios- timulants due to their direct and indirect beneficial effects on plants and the soil rootzone environment. BACK TO THE QUESTION: DO BIOSTIMULANTS WORK FOR SPORTS TURF? The turf manager has to decide, what is the purpose of using biostimulants? Do you use biostimulants as a component of an overall turf nutrition or plant/soil health program? Do you use biostimu- lants to prevent and/or alleviate plant stress caused by adverse environmental conditions and excessive turf use and wear? Do you use biostimulants to enhance your current fertility program? Do you use biostimulants to help you sleep at night? Remember, there is no such product as "sunshine in bottle," at least not yet. Ask the distributor or man- ufacturer for research to support product claims. Recall that AAPFCO includes "any substance or compound … that can be demonstrated by scientific research to be beneficial" as part of their definition of biostimulants. Remember, some biostim- ulant products may include N and Fe and other traditional fertilizer components in addition to plant hormones and vari- ous other substances. Also, work closely with local cooperative extension and university researchers to see what has been tested that could provide insight on biostimulants and sports turf. Conventional wisdom says that the use of biostimulants on athletic fields starts with a sound turfgrass fertility program, and to address/correct any soil rootzone issues first. To really know if a biostimulant product, or any product, is working for you, you should leave a "check plot." For example, place a 4' x 4' piece of plywood within the area to be treated. After the product applica- tion is made, remove the plywood and observe the site over the next several days and weeks. That way, you can make a visual comparison between the treated and untreated turf and determine if your program produces the benefit you want. Monitor and observe your turf frequently, both above ground turf and below ground roots, especially during heat/drought stress times. Biostimulants can improve plant and soil health, but does this always translate to improved turf surface characteristics (i.e., visual quality and playability)? You may need to include biostimulants as part of an overall, season-long program. Don't expect to "squirt" once and get instant results. An alternative to treatment large areas would be to apply your chosen product or program to a small test area first and observe. In conclusion, if you are expecting miracles, then you may be asking a lot from a little bit of product. However, biostimulants may have a place in your turf management program. If you choose to use biostimulants, have a plan. Start with an objective like improved rooting, greater turf density, or healthier turf dur- ing heat/drought stress, then develop and turf management program to include a biostimulant product(s) that addresses your objective. Follow the program and make frequent observations for a period of time, which could be a least several months or a sea- son, and then make evaluation or changes. Did it work or not? Why? What adjust- ments are needed? If the program works then you have added a valuable tool to your turf management tool box. ■ ST Mike Fidanza is Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences, Penn State's Berks Campus, Reading, PA, maf100@psu.edu; John Cisar, Cisar Turfgrass Services, is retired Professor of Turfgrass Science, University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale, and turfgrass industry consultant, cisarturfdoc@gmail.com. Thomas Watschke, is Emeritus Professor of Turfgrass Science, Penn State, University Park, and currently Director of Research at Floratine Products Group, and turfgrass industry consultant; tlw3@psu.edu.