www.stma.org April 2015 | SportsTurf 23
provide recommended mowing practices
so that devastating consequences do not
occur on your field.
Plant's resPonse
to each mowing
Simply cutting a leaf blade is stressful
for a grass plant. Botanically, mowing
is harmful, but it's needed for aesthetics
and function. Although turf-type grasses
adapt well to mowing, they still have to
recover from a wound and a reduction
in the plant's energy-making factory,
the leaves. Below are some of the plant's
physiological (not visible) responses to
being cut.
Fluid exudes from cut leaf
Stored energy (carbohydrates) is
used to help repair the wound
Carbohydrate production and stor-
age reduced
Temporary increase in water loss
from cut leaves
Root growth stops temporarily
Reduced water absorption by roots
Creates entry points for pathogens
Plant's resPonse
to regular mowing
What makes a grass a turfgrass is that it
persists under regular mowing which
may range from daily to once per month.
Regular mowing causes additional plant
responses which are morphological (out-
wardly visible) and take more time for
the plant to do. Here are these responses:
Dwarfism of plant
Increase tillering which increases
density
Lowering of the budline (crowns)
Decrease in seedhead production
When grass leaves are cut, the most
photosynthetically active portion of the
leaf is removed and the total leaf surface
area for photosynthesis is reduced. The
plant uses stored energy to repair the
wounds and to regrow the leaves that were
lost. Under regular mowing at a consis-
tent height of cut the plant will not only
regrow the leaves but will also increase
leaf surface area by growing more tillers
(shoots). More tillers increases turf den-
sity which in most sports turf situations
leads to improved playability and wear
tolerance. Under regular mowing turf
plants can adjust the size of their parts so
critical parts like the crown are not cut.
More tillers
increases turf
density which in
most sports turf
situations leads to
improved playability
and wear tolerance.
