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
www.stma.org October 2016 | SportsTurf 9 very effective method of establishing perennial ryegrass. The one large concern with this method is that it takes a full week for the perennial ryegrass to germinate and begin to fill in so the only situation where fraze mowing would work as a pre- plant method is when there is an off week between games. The bermudagrass conversion work is being conducted with Mississippi State University and looks promising when glyphosate is applied prior to fraze mowing. 'Riviera' bermudagrass was seeded into each plot and the least amount of common bermudagrass regrowth occurred on plots where deeper cuts were made that were preceded by an herbicide application. Joint study on establishing Latitude 36. We have also completed a joint study with Louisiana State, Oklahoma State, and Mississippi State, looking at sprigging and nitrogen rates for optimum establishment of Latitude 36 bermudagrass. Higher sprig rates with judicious or even no nitrogen during the establishment period resulted in the quickest time to 100% cover. I frequently get the question from sports turf managers managing bermudagrass, "How do I seed bermudagrass in the spring without annual grassy weeds taking over the stand?" We are working with a chemical company on this problem and are seeing very promising results using a pre-emergent herbicide at seeding that is selective towards the grassy weeds, but not bermudagrass. This study will continue next year as well but currently we are seeing about a 60-80% reduction in crabgrass and goosegrass in treated versus untreated plots. Maximizing turf cover in all seasons. Lastly, we are working with Brian Winka, CSFM, Chesterfield, MO Parks and Rec, on mixing bermudagrass and Kentucky bluegrass to maximize turf cover during all seasons. Early results show excellent color and cover. This is exciting work that could change the face of sports turf management in the transition zone. Compiled by Dr. Gregg Munshaw, Turf Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky Sports Turf Research. University of Georgia, Athens S everal research trials that may be of interest to sports turf managers are currently being conducted at the University of Georgia. The following projects are at various stages of completion: Comparison of Handheld vs. Mobile Devices to Assess Athletic Fields. Performance testing of natural turfgrass sports fields requires sampling to obtain information on surface properties (e.g. soil moisture, soil compaction, surface hardness, and turfgrass vigor). Researchers and field managers may conduct performance testing in order to evaluate or develop standards for these properties to improve player safety and field playability. Although handheld devices are more abundant, mobile devices are available for field assessment. Results from this research will be appearing in an upcoming issue of the academic journal HortScience. Creating Site Specific Management Units for Athletic Fields. Sports turf managers often apply cultural practices to entire fields or complexes without taking into consideration the variability that may exist with respect to soil moisture, soil compaction, etc. Performance testing provides the end user with maps that depict the variability of a given attribute within and across fields. These maps can be used to break areas up into smaller site specific management units, allowing the manager to better focus input application and foster uniform turfgrass growth/health. Results from this research are currently being evaluated and written for publication. Spatial Interaction between Field Surface Properties and Rooting Dynamics. Field surface properties such as soil moisture, soil compaction, surface hardness, etc. can influence one another; therefore, having a profound impact on the rooting dynamics of sports fields. Mapping the agronomic conditions of athletic fields while simultaneously taking soil samples at various depths may further the understanding of these interactions. Results from this research are currently being evaluated and written for publication. Correlation between Athletic Field Surface Properties and Player Injuries. Sports fields play a greater role in athlete performance than most people believe. Performance testing on a regular basis along with techniques to simultaneously track player injuries and severity may provide insight into the specific field conditions or field locations that may increase potential for athlete injuries. Our group, in conjunction with several kinesiologists, is in the second year of evaluating such research across men and women's rugby and ultimate Frisbee. Pre-planting techniques for establishing perennial ryegrass overseeding. Image on the left is day of planting and image on the right is 3 weeks after planting. Treatments on both images from right to left are: 1" deep fraze mow, ½" deep fraze mow, ¼" deep fraze mow, vertical mow, no pre-plant treatment.