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/64785
FieldScience | ByMary Owen >> HEALTHY ROOTS are white, substantial, and vigorous. These St. Augustinegrass roots are particularly thick, much wider than most cool season grass roots. As roots mature they are able to branch and so become more efficient in absorbing water and nutrients. meristem (growing point) right behind it as the root bores through soil. The meris- tem replenishes the root tip and provides for growth of new cells in the root. As more new cells are created, the older cells behind the meristem stretch and lengthen. This enlarging and elongating action pushes against the root cap and is what helps to make the root grow longer and wider. ROOTS 101: R ROOT SYSTEMS Turfgrasses have two different root sys- tems during their lives. The primary system develops from the embryo and emerges di- rectly from the germinating seed. This root system provides for water and nutrient up- take for the tiny seedling and functions ac- tively for 6 to 8 weeks. Shortly after the first leaf emerges, a secondary, adventitious root system begins to form. This root system originates from buds at nodes on the lower part of the crown. It will become the main functioning root system for the plant. Ad- ventitious roots will also form from buds at nodes on the new crowns of the lateral 12 SportsTurf | May 2012 building tough turf from the bottom up oots are the foundation of a turf. They perform functions vital for plant growth. This article will discuss the structure and func- tion of roots, the effects of the environment and cultural practices on root growth, and strategies for increasing rooting. stems: stolons, rhizomes and tillers. These root systems support the new plants and are critical to increasing and maintaining a dense turf shoot system. Turfgrass roots are fibrous and multi- As a root matures some of its cells be- come specialized. The cells of the endo- dermis (the outer layer of the root) behind the area of cell elongation are able to de- velop the long, slender, almost micro- scopic extensions called root hairs. These hairs greatly increase the root surface area that is able to actively absorb water and nutrients. While the roots of most cool season grasses can only form root hairs from specialized cells in the epidermis called trichoblasts, warm season grasses have the advantage of being able to de- velop root hairs from almost all cells in the epidermis. Healthy turfgrass roots are well branched. In fact, the ability of a turfgrass plant to effectively compete for water and nutrients is directly related to the extent of branching. Just as different grasses vary in their branched. The tip of each root is covered by a thickened cap which protects the tender leaf texture or color or growth habit, so too do they vary in the size, depth and distribution potential of their root sys- tems. Warm season grass root systems have the potential to grow more deeply and more extensively than the finer, shal- lower systems of cool season grasses. A new root is white and slender. As it Continued on page 16 Healthy turfgrass roots are well branched. In fact, the ability of a turfgrass plant to effectively compete for water and nutrients is directly related to the extent of branching. www.sportsturfonline.com