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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/60100
FieldScience | Alec Kowalewski, Aaron Hathaway, Alfredo Martinez-Espinoza and Kris Braman Integrated Pest Management for sports fields IPM program. Integrated pest management will not only provide effective pest prevention and control, but it will also reduce mainte- nance costs and management impacts on the surround environment. This article will highlight some of the warm and cool sea- son turfgrass species and cultivars available for sports turf management, the cultivation practices necessary to sustain these grasses at a competitive level, and finally proper pest monitoring, detection and control methods. S SPECIES AND CULTIVAR SELECTION Field managers in the cool season zone typically use Kentucky bluegrass because of its rhizomatous growth habit, which stabi- lizes the soil and allows for vegetative recov- ery after traffic. National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) research con- ducted from 2006 to 2010 determined that 'Bewitched', 'Avid', 'Diva', 'Everest', and 'Nuchicago' provide improved wear toler- ance. Results also determined that 'Belis- simo', 'Empire' and 'Mystere' provided improved dollar spot tolerance, while 'Hampton', 'Juliet', 'Madison' and 'STR 2485' produced increased resistance to rust. Field managers in the warm season and transition zone will likely use hybrid bermudagrass, which is known for its ag- gressive stoloniferous and rhizomatous growth habit when temperatures reach and exceed 80° F (Image 1). Some tried and true bermudagrass hybrids include 'Tifway,' the industry standard and oldest hybrid 8 SportsTurf | April 2012 USTAINING A HIGH QUALITY TURFGRASS STAND requires a well integrated pest management bermudagrass, 'TifSport,' known for its spring green-up, resistance to mole crickets and improved cold tolerance, 'Celebration,' an aggressive hybrid with improved wear tolerance, and 'Patriot,' which has excellent cold tolerance and improved resistance to spring dead spot. Some recently released stresses such as drought, insects and pathogens. Field managers should increase their mowing heights during the summer months, when the potential for heat stress is high and field use is minimal, and then gradually decrease the height prior to the fall sports season. Some general seasonal mowing height recommendations for Ken- tucky bluegrass are 3 inches during the summer, gradually reduced to 1.5 inches before the start of the athletic season (Image 2). Hybrid bermudagrass on the >> IMAGE 1: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College baseball field, Tifton, GA. Photo courtesy of Jeff Kilgore. hybrids include 'NorthBridge' and 'TifGrand' bermudagrass. NorthBridge was selected for its exceptional cold tolerance and excellent establishment rates. TifGrand provides improved fall color retention and relatively low nitrogen requirements. MOWING Increasing your mowing height and fre- quency are important aspects when design- ing a well integrated pest management program. Increasing your mowing height will minimize the encroachment of invasive weeds such as crabgrass, dandelion and white clover. Increasing mowing heights will also increase rooting depth and, subse- quently, increase turfgrass tolerance to >> IMAGE 2: Mowing (top) and irrigating (bot- tom) Kentucky bluegrass before the start of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Photos courtesy of Alec Kowalewski. www.sportsturfonline.com By