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/726375
12 SportsTurf | October 2016 www.sportsturfonline.com FIELD SCIENCE turfgrasses that are well adapted to fewer irrigation, fertilization and pesticide inputs, particularly for general grounds and sports fields where few resources are allocated, both turfs that sports turf managers are frequently required to maintain. A research trial was established at in autumn 2011 with the objective of evaluating the performance of cool-season turfgrass blends and mixtures under moderate fertilization and limited irrigation and pesticide inputs. During 2013-15, the test was mowed approximately once per week with a rotary mower at 2.5 inches; mowing was withheld from the test whenever the trial exhibited drought stress. Irrigation was applied once to the trial during 2013, withheld completely from the trial in 2014, and during 2015 was withheld until September. The trial was thoroughly irrigated in September 2015 to encourage recovery from severe drought stress. Annual nitrogen quantities were 1.7, 2.1, and 1.8 lbs. N per 1000 ft2 during 2013, 2014, and 2015, respectively. Entries containing perennial ryegrass exhibited better than expected turf quality during 2014; however, many of these entries exhibited a dramatic decline in turf quality during above average air temperatures and below average rainfall in July and August 2015. Better turf quality was exhibited by entries containing tall fescue during this stress period in 2015. In large part, this was due to the ability of these plots to maintain greater and more uniform turf cover compared to other plots. Tall fescue has long been recognized for its very good high-temperature and drought tolerance, better insect tolerance, and ability to persist under low fertility. Full research results can be found in the Rutgers Turfgrass Proceedings (http://turf.rutgers.edu/research/reports/). Fine Fescue Research. Fine fescues (hard fescue, strong creeping red fescue, slender creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue, sheep fescue, and blue x hard fescue) can provide quality surfaces for general grounds where limited water, fertilizer, and mowing inputs are provided. Traditionally, fine fescues are considered to have minimal traffic tolerance. Research at Rutgers University is assessing the wear and traffic tolerance of these fine fescue species. The goal is to improve the ability of fine fescues to tolerate and recover from traffic. Ten fine fescue entries were seeded in September 2012 for the purpose of comparing the effects of RWS and CTS operation on fine fescues during spring, summer, and autumn beginning in autumn 2013 and concluding in summer 2016. Year 1 and 2 results indicated that fine fescue were more tolerant the trampling traffic imparted by the CTS compared to abrasive traffic caused by the RWS. The abrasive traffic caused more severe leaf bruising during autumn and summer compared to traffic during spring. The same ten fine fescue entries were established in September 2012 to assess the effects of the RWS in spring, summer, and autumn. The RWS was applied in separate seasonal strips during spring (April to June), summer (July to August) and autumn (September to November) during autumn 2013 through spring 2016. Results indicate that wear was more damaging to 1-yr-old (autumn 2013) fine fescues compared to more mature plots. 2014 NTEP FINE FESCUE TEST Seeded in 2014, the 2014 NTEP Fine Fescue Test was established to assess the tolerance of sixteen strong creeping red fescue entries, twelve hard fescues, ten Chewings fescue entries, three slender creeping red fescues, and one sheep fescue entry. Wear will be applied using the RWS and commencing in autumn 2016 (September to November) with a seasonal wear schedule to follow: spring (April to June) and summer (July to August). Plots will be evaluated similar to other NTEP wear/traffic tests at Rutgers University Hort. Farm No. 2. Using herbicides and perennial ryegrass to renovate turf dominated by annual bluegrass. Annual bluegrass is a highly opportunistic weed that frequently invades sports turfs. Among cool-season turfgrasses, perennial ryegrass is effective when overseeded into existing turfs given its rapid germination and aggressive establishment. A research study was initiated on a mature stand of annual bluegrass in September 2015 to assess the effectiveness of herbicide programs designed to suppress annual bluegrass in turf overseeded with perennial ryegrass. Programs involved applications of glyphosate (Roundup PRO), amicarbazone (Xonerate), mesotrione (Tenacity), and ethofumesate (Prograss) applied during September through December 2015. 'Manhattan 5 GLR' perennial ryegrass was slit-seeded on September 14, 2015. All herbicide programs increased the establishment of perennial ryegrass. Glyphosate (applied September 4, 2015) followed by application of ethofumesate on October 3, November 3, and December 4, 2015 resulted in the greatest perennial ryegrass population (91.3%) when evaluated on December 22, 2015. Plot evaluation continued during spring and summer 2016. The trial will be repeated during autumn 2016 and will be evaluated though autumn 2017. Compiled by Bradley S. Park, Sports Turf Research & Education Coordinator; personnel responsible for conducting sports field and grounds research at Rutgers Hort. Farm #2 include: Eric Chen, Graduate Student; Joe Clark, Research Farm Supervisor; Dr. James Murphy, Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Management; Dr. William A. Meyer, Associate Director, Center for Turfgrass Science; and Dr. Bruce Clarke, Director, Center for Turfgrass Science. Research is sponsored by: Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science; New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station; National Turfgrass Evaluation Program; United States Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative; and the Sports Field Managers Association of New Jersey. For additional information, please contact Brad Park at park@aesop.rutgers.edu or Dr. James Murphy at murphy@ aesop.rutgers.edu.