EUROPEAN TURFGRASS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 01/2020 Via dell’Ambrogiana, 5 - 57127 Livorno (Italy) - CF: 95094240249 www.turfgrasssociety.eu etsoffice@turfgrasssociety.eu
IN THIS 01/2020 NUMBER: 7th ETS Conference 2020 cancelled ETP President at TPI’s 2020 ITS Conference in Copenhagen 2021 Barenbrug news Probes and Data DLF news Jobs Info on ETS
page 1 3 6 7 8 11 12
13
7th ETS CONFERENCE 2020:
CANCELLED
1
Dear ETS Friends, it is with deep regret that we inform you of the cancellation of the 2020 ETS Conference in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, due to the outbreak and spread of Corona-virus (Covid-19). Over the past few weeks, the ETS board have been monitoring worldwide developments related to COVID-19. With many countries and regions recommending self-quarantine and many institutions strongly advising staff, faculty and students to restrict travel, we know it is no longer practical nor ethical to continue with our conference. The original dates of June 29th - July 1st 2020 are simply not viable anymore for us to proceed. The ETS is committed to refunding the registration of all participants and sponsor fees. Articles on Agronomy Journal will be published in a special edition. While for the extended abstract we are trying to find out the best way to publish them, taking in consideration also the willing of authors. More information will be provided soon. To ensure the safety and health of all our delegates and friends in the "warm" atmosphere we have experienced in the past at our ETS events we are taking this decision. We trust you will understand the need for this and thank you all for your patience. The ETS Board
2
ETP President at TPI’s 2020 Education Conference & Field Day
International
By Albrecht F.J. Freiherr Knigge RASENLAND farms, Germany, ETP President The ETP (European Turfgrass Producers Association) President, Albrecht F.J. Freiherr Knigge, has been invited to give a presentation during the TPI’s 2020 International Education Conference & Field Day on February 17 th – 20th in Orlando, Florida, USA. It was an occasion for the American participants to have an overview of coolseason turfgrass production and marketing in Europe. The title of his presentation is “The Challences of cool-season turfgrass production and marketing in Europe” and below its summary. History: Probably the first sod in the world was cut near the coast and taken by horsecart to Wimbledon, England in the 17 th century for the first tennis courts. The first commercial turf farm started in Austria in 1906, Richter Rollrasen, it was the demand and development of the first motorised turf harvesters in North America which made turf production and availability possible on a larger scale. First in North America, and from the early 80 s and 90s of the last century in central, south and now eastern Europe. Climatic zones: Europes temperate zone lies a bit further north than the American temperate zone which is due to the Gulfstream. It lies between the northern Scandinavian countries and northern Italy. We also see a change of the transition zone moving up North, so now we get increased use of warm season grasses even in northern Italy. Due to changes in weather patterns we experienced the last two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019, as extremely dry and hot years, followed by a very warm winter with hardly any frosts in northern Germany . There still are water deficits now after winter rainfall from the previous years which have not been replenished by natural precipitation. Only 800 miles away it quite a different picture: it has been one of the wettest seasons in the United Kingdom, and many crops could not be established in the autumn. Population: not only the weather in Europe is very heterogeneous, after Brexit we are now 26 countries where about 20 different languages are spoken whereas in North America it is only a handful. Also the personal income of the inhabitants vary by region. Generally speaking the north-west has much higher incomes then the South and East of Europe which is still catching up in terms of GDP after the end of Communist influence in these countries 30 years ago. Even on a smaller scale there are usually great differences in household income depending on the region within the country and closeness to cities. Infrastructure: this is also reflected as probably anywhere in the world in land prices. Other than in most countries land prices are more and more decoupled from the possible interest to be derived from the investment, but are rather bought by institutional investors and private investors with no relation to agriculture for reasons of tax avoidance and due to negative interest on liquid capital held due to the low interest policy of the European Central Bank. The farms themselves are traditionally family operated which still makes up for 95% of all farms in Germany for example. The turf farms are generally of a smaller average size then you would see in the US. With the exception of the United Kingdom, to my knowledge you would find not one single turfgrass business exceeding a total production area of 1000 acres. This is due to the topography, land availability and the size of the markets. Markets: The German turf arms average in size at 130 acres production area, and to the knowledge of the German turfgrass producers Association is a total of 70 farms producing driven Germany. Of these only five exceed the size of 250 acres. Of all farms only 50% were able to grow in size over the last 10 years. That total area of land in turfgrass production lies at about 7500 acres. We have to take account of some imports from other European countries which can be estimated at 1300 acres per year. So the population of 82 million inhabitants currently uses 4400 acres of turfgrass in Germany.
3
In the state of Florida alone with only 21 million inhabitants the total production area is tenfold that figure. But markets in Germany come from a lower level but are dynamic of production and increased by 40% over the past 12 years (Source DRV, 2019) Although a few companies are specialised just on sports turf the average farm sees their main customer as the landscaping contractor. Some especially smaller farms close to densely populated areas find a high percentage of the customers to be private customers, less than half of the turf producers are involved in installation services. The average price we get selling to landscaping business would be $0.35 per square foot for the standard mixture of fine fescue, bluegrass and Lolium. $0.45 for a premium mix including poa supina which will develop into the dominant species and is both shade tolerant and especially suitable for robotic mowing. We actually market this blend exclusively for the use with robotic lawn mowers. It has a very aggressive growth habit and is a good competitor against annual Bluegrass whilst having a very soft cell wall making it especially suitable for electric robotic mowers. In areas and times with strong overproduction of turfgrass sod saw prices of $.20 per square foot delivered, but on a European scale this is a negative exception. On the other hand prices of up to $.80 per square foot of premium turfgrass sold directly to private customers by turf farms shows the potential for local sales with a high input of customer care. Production Mechanisation: three quarters of the German turf farms are already use automatically stacking turf harvesters. Of these Trebro and Brouwer are imported through dealers, only one automatically stacking turf harvester is produced in Europe by Nannings van Vuuren in the Netherlands. The Trebro machines we use on our farms we had to convert from 24 to 23 inch cutting width, as our trucks have a narrower loading area due to European road laws. To operate imported machines legally in Europe they have to have EU type approval. In the past this was not available and with the smaller, hand-stacking machines most turf farms still got by somehow. Other than in the US most farms in central Europe lie within the villages where they have been set up in mediaeval times for protection. This now necessitates the use of public access roads to transfer machinery to the turf fields and back. Wide double row harvesters I'm not wrote legal due to their width exceeding European size limits ( an Autostack for example by 15 inches, which means they need extra approval by the local authorities or simply cannot be used. It is quite a limiting factor for the sale of machines in central europe. For mowing there are new trends in Europe: less reelmowers, more rotary mowers and electric powered rotary mowers up to working width of 45 feet. Irrigation due to the previously mentioned droughts in some parts of Europe the rights to take water out of surfers water and even farm owned Wells is being limited. On my farm for example it was denied by the authorities to increase my licence for water use or drill new wells. This is becoming a limiting factor for sod production in northern Europe. Some areas like Italy or Spain are still less regulated. For irrigation we use mainly reels, which is due to the availability of land and individual field size. Crop protection year by year we are losing more and more pesticides, glyphosate is being banned in 2023, and we are also losing many pesticides from the azol group and prochloraz. Even 2.4 D MCPP and MCPA are on their way out and not many replacements in sight. To prepare for this we have stopped using fungicides on one farm for the last four years. As there is complete ban for fungicides on turf in private gardens and probably in the future also for any surfaces with public access (football pitches) the turf grasses will have to perform without them. There are reductions for maximum use of nitrogen fertiliser in areas around larger cities for combinable crops, so far the German turfgrass Association has managed to convince the
4
authorities about the nitrate withholding traits of turfgrasses for groundwater nitrate pollution control. Therefore we are still free in our use of fertilisers in sod production. Labour: Labour costs in central Europe are very high and is increasingly difficult to find labour, even unqualified Labour, for farm operations. The total cost per hour for an employer of a tractor driver in Germany for example is $25 if you take into account paid holidays which is a legal requirement in most European countries therefore the trend is to use bigger and heavier machinery for turf care and harvesting which is not always ideal in terms of soil compaction. On our home farm near Hanover for example with a total production area of 180 acres turfgrass we would employ three full-time workers for cultivations, maintenance, harvesting and loading, and two sales staff in the office increasing numbers of orders reach us via our B to C and from this year B to B web shops. The data enters our combined CRM and warehousing software and will after approval, which is only the click of a button, automatically appear in an app on the harvester- drivers tablet computer. Thereby we are avoiding unnecessary phone calls from the office to the harvester and paperwork. The trial of an unmanned tractor to perform simple but repetitive and time-consuming tasks like mowing and rolling will commence this spring on my home farm near Hanover. Outlook turf production in Europe will continue to grow steadily and it will be most important in the future to transport the environmental benefits of turfgrass production and use to the public. we believe the socalled “Greta effect� to be an ongoing issue, rather than a short-term fashion in Europe. Plastic and hybrid turf should be on their way out if the turfgrass industry manages to use this environmental momentum in the right way. Being a very small industry in comparison to the United States this will still not be a simple task. Extreme weather occurrences will continue to challenge turfgrass production all over Europe. To address the labour shortage and high wages the automatization on the farms will continue to remain competitive. Strict safety regulations do not allow yet undermanned automated vehicles (UAV`s) to be used in turf production in the European Union, but within a few years this hopefully will be possible. Machinery imported from the US is now only be saleable in the EU if it fulfils the health and safety and road safety regulations (EU Type approval) The European Turfgrass producers Association will hold a large field day at machinery show on my farm near Hanover in Germany on the 10th and 11th of September 2020. On the first show we organized 2017 in the Netherlands, the show already had more than 400 attendees and we are expecting the number of exhibitors and attendees to reach more than 600 this year. We are expecting exhibitors from the US and Europe with machines to be seen in operation for the first time. It would be great to welcome you in Europe. There are many historic sites and turf farms to see.
5
International Turfgrass Conference in Copenhagen 2021
Event website at: https://itrc2021.org
Maria Strandberg, ITS President (maria.strandberg@golf.se) Trygve S. Aamlid, (leader or IRTC 2021 Program and publication committee) (trygve.aamlid@nibio.no)
6
Barenbrug news Monaco, the next generation seeded bermudagrass, now trending in Italy Only one year after introduction Monaco is already a big hit in Italy. Barenbrug introduced Monaco during the ETP Seminars & Turf Expo 2018 in Comporta in Portugal to the European market. Monaco is the next generation seeded bermudagrass: excellent quality and affordable prices. Immediately there was a big demand from the Italian turf professionals in golf, sport and landscaping. Mapei Stadium 40 days ready to kick off The Mapei Stadium - Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia (Italy), also used for the highest Italian Football league Serie A, hosted the European championships under 20 this summer. Mr. Stefanoni, involved in the Mapei stadium: “The new seeding of Monaco was in the beginning of July. Only 40 days later it was fully ready for the U20 competition! It is really a great variety!” Monaco superior for use on golf courses, sports turf, and lawns Exclusively from Barenbrug, Monaco is continuing the legacy founded by Riviera. Monaco is a superior seeded bermudagrass that is excellent for use on golf courses, sports turf, and higher quality lawns. It has excellent density and wear tolerance which are staples in Barenbrug’s product line. Bred for a genetically darker green colour, it also has quicker spring green-up, high fall colour retention, and winter hardiness to help further extend the growing season for transition-zone areas. Monaco is enhanced with Barenbrug’s exclusive Yellow Jacket - Seed Enhancement Technology. Watch the movie here for more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCHjV2kQaBs Movie Monaco
Logo Monaco bermudagrass
MAPEI Stadium - Città del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia (Italy)
7
PROBES AND DATA Q&A about measuring soil parameters by Filippo Lulli PhD, CSO Turf Europe \ Green-GO 1. Are all the soil sensors the same? Yes and no… While soil T° is always measured with the use of a thermocouple (we’ll get to that later), the measure of soil water content and salinity varies. Let’s forget about tensiometers for now and concentrate on the more common for turfgrass use: the volumetric sensors. These measure the volume of water in a volume of soil (so a percentage %) and come in 4 main kinds (and probably more in the future): -
Time Domain Refractometry (TDR) Time Domain Transmissiometry (TDT) Capacitance or Frequency Domain Refractometry (FDR) Coaxial Impedance Dielectric Reflectometry Sensors
I won’t bore you with the specifics but, in layman terms, they all work exploiting the property of a soil that transmits an electromagnetic impulse in a different way if it contains more or less water. 2. Which one works best? Opinions differ. The consensus is that TDR probes are the best but need some degree of data interpretation and soil calibration, while Coaxial Impedance Dielectric Reflectometry Sensors are excellent, but costly. We think the GreenGO’s Meter Group Teros 12 “FDR” sensor is pretty damn good, rugged, well calibrated for most soils and little influenced by salinity (see later, again…). And is also good value for money, thank you very much. Soil water volumetric sensing seems to be in a frenzy of innovation, and I don’t think we’ve seen the “ultimate” soil sensor yet. What’s important is that the GreenGO station is based on a state-of-the-art board, so switching to new even more advanced soil probes in the future won’t be a problem. So, stay tuned. 3. So, how do they work? You know those spikes on a typical soil sensor? Well, they emit and receive an electromagnetic signal. Dry soil returns the electromagnetic signal faster than wet soil. The spikes then report to the probe something called “Dielectric permittivity” (DP). Careful calibration by producers then enables you and me to get a readout that transforms DP into volumetric water content (%). 4. Where am I measuring my soil’s water content? The tip of the spikes, right? Nope. These sensors create a “virtual cylinder” of influence with their electromagnetic signals (see Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. Volume of influence of a Meter Group Teros 12 soil sensor
8
Surprised? Here are some thoughts on this: 1. So, you’re effectively measuring the average volumetric water content in this “virtual cylinder” that’s approximately 8 cm (depth) x 7 cm (radius) = 1.23 L. 2. Don’t worry, when the probe is planted into the soil the air suppresses the signal above the probe. Only if you fully bury it, then it will return the data including the area volume just above the probe. 3. Don’t half bury the probe thinking that you only want to measure the humidity in the very first layer of soil, because then you will be measuring a lot of air and your reading will be misleadingly low… I hope this clarifies what you are effectively measuring. Please take this into account if you have distinct substrate layers in your first 8 cm of soil, and especially if you have a lay-and-play hybrid (where hydraulic discontinuity can cause high water build up just above and just below the backing). If you have layering in the first 7-8 cm of your substrate, as can be the case in sports fields, it may well be that you have different water contents across the various layers, so bear in mind that you are reading an average water content across those layers. 5. What about soil temperature? The third spike on the probe (the closest to the cable in the Teros 12) is linked to a thermocouple which is drowned into the probe’s plastic head. It works much like a thermometer… So (1) you insert the probe in the soil, (2) the steel spike and the soil enter a thermal equilibrium (basically the spike will reach the same temperature as the soil), (3) the thermocouple reads and transmits the T° data (Fig. 2) So, again, you are measuring the average soil T° over the length of the spike. Not at the tip. This has some interesting and important consequences: 1. Don’t just bury the probe and expect to get a perfect reading after 2 seconds. Give the spike time to reach the soil T°. 2. If you don’t fully bury the spike, you will get a misleading figure. This is not an oven spike to measure the T° of the roast… 3. The Teros 12 has a reflective and specially conceived white plastic cover to minimize sun heat (and so do many other sensors, not all…). However, in the scorching heat of tropical summers, especially in the central hours of the day, the plastic can overheat and slightly deviate the T° reading with excessively high readouts. Take this into account.
Fig. 2. T° spike on Meter Group Teros 12.
9
6. What about salinity? In a similar way the probes measure something called “Electric conductivity” (EC). This is an electrical method of measuring salinity, since the positively and negatively charged salt ions conduct electricity. So, the more salt is in dissolved in a substrate, the better electricity passes through it. EC is measured in mS/cm or, more commonly, dS/m which is equivalent. 7. Is EC all the same? Certainly not. Most probes return something called “Bulk EC”, just telling you how much salt is present in the substrate. This is why, in normal conditions, you often get an extremely low EC reading from your soil probe (often even zero). The GreenGO station will give you the added bonus of calculating “Pore Water EC” for you. That is the amount of salt that is effectively dissolved in the water contained in your substrate. In order to do that an equation (Hilhorst, 2000) was embedded in the system that takes into account EC, water content and temperature. It is easy to see how “Pore Water EC” is much more relevant to the plants than “Bulk EC”. If a given amount of salt is present in the substrate, the plants will be more or less affected by it if this salt is dissolved in a lot of water or concentrated in very little water. Temperature enters the equation because salts are more active and better dissolved at higher temperatures, of course. Lastly, don’t forget that when you send a soil sample away to the lab for testing you get the results from an even different traditional lab testing method (the most accurate of all): “Saturation Extract EC”. It is measured by (1) taking a soil sample in the field, (2) making a saturated paste of soil and deionized water in the lab, (3) extracting the water, and then (4) measuring the EC of the extracted solution with a conductometer. Published EC values reported in the literature are almost always saturation extract EC. So, despite “Pore Water EC” being much more precise and realistic than “Bulk EC”, don’t be surprised if you send a sample away to the lab and you get slightly different results from the ones you usually get from your probe, as the lab uses a different method. 7. So, how can GreenGO’s constantly updated soil status readings help me? In more ways than you can probably imagine, but let’s leave some material for the next articles…!!
www.greengosystem.com info@turfeurope.eu
10
DLF news
4turf® saves you the trouble DLF offers you a durable, healthy and beautiful lawn all year round with 4turf®. 4turf® is a range of perennial ryegrass varieties, developed to be strong, deep-rooting, and tolerant of stress. The strength of 4turf® plants is obvious right from the start; Seeds kick off faster, even at lower temperatures. They grow into stronger seedlings that help to cover the ground faster without competing with the other strong species in your turf mixture. 4turf® is a tetraploid perennial ryegrass that is enhanced to perform better than standard perennial ryegrass. 4turf® blend well with other grasses. They can be mixed with diploid ryegrasses, fescues and Smooth-stalked meadow-grass for a beautiful hard-wearing turf that’s easier and cheaper to maintain. With their natural disease tolerance, they also help you in maintaining a sustainable turf management. DLF is introducing a new pallet of 4turf® varieties, breed to meet the demand we hear in the professional turf industry: wear tolerance, drought tolerance, low input performance, deeper dark green look and outstanding visual performance. Please welcome the 4turf® family:
Let us take a look at one of the new varieties that stands out in particular. It’s the variety TETRADRY, which as the name indicates, is made for extreme conditions. Picture was taken in 2018 during a sun beating period with extended drought. As it appears from the image below (Tetradry to the right) this variety is close to having same drought resistance as tall fescue, which is significantly more rough and commonly used in Mediterranean areas.
The general benefits of 4turf® include:
Rapid establishment Increased drought tolerance and recovery Superior cold performance Excellent disease resistance Good wear tolerance Darker green colour Good performance in low input situations Persistent and durable lawn that looks beautiful
Get this valuable addition to your turf and let DLF help you grow your business. Contact your local sales representative here.
11
JOBS, JOBS, JOBS ______________________________________________ Extension Educator – Horticulture (Turf) University of Minnesota Title: Extension Educator – Horticulture (Turf) Appointment: Full-time, Assistant Extension Professor, Job Code 9623 Extension Center: Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Location: Regional Extension Office (To Be Determined) Application Review: January 30, 2020; Position is open until filled. ABOUT THIS POSITION This Extension Educator (EE) position will provide statewide technical assistance and educational programming leadership for professional turfgrass personnel as well as homeowners in urban areas. Turf systems comprise a significant area of Minnesota and have a strong impact on water usage as well as fertilizer use, which can impact Minnesota’s water quality concerns. Turf serves as a common buffer between agricultural land and water systems. Turf is a vital part of the urban garden/farming landscape, and education about turf’s role in greenspace management is important for all Minnesotans. The EE will design, develop, implement and evaluate research-based educational programming via online and technology tools, seminars, workshops, field days, or non-credit courses with an emphasis on online tools. The EE will collaborate closely with Extension and research state faculty, regional and local EEs, industry representatives and other stakeholders from both horticulture and agronomy to extend research into the community. This position will report to the Program Leader in Horticulture for program direction, performance evaluation and personnel actions. More information here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uyo4Lhs0eijQV4IixtdWo0h11gCRFYCJ/view?usp=sharing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graduate assistantship available at North Carolina State University The Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics Program is looking for a PhD student to work on genetic control of large patch resistance in zoysiagrass. Specific objectives of the research project include: 1) map QTL associated with large patch resistance, 2) assess components of resistance, and 3) evaluate the effect of genotype by isolate interactions on disease development. The position is based in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at NC State. It involves lab work in Williams Hall, close collaboration with the NC State University Turf Pathology Lab for large patch evaluations under controlled environmental conditions, field work at the Lake Wheeler Turfgrass Field lab (Raleigh, NC) and the Upper Mountain Research station (Laurel Springs, NC), and interaction with the NCSU Genomics Sciences Lab in Centennial campus. The expected start date is spring/summer of 2020. If interested please contact Dr. Susana Milla-Lewis (susana_milla-lewis@ncsu.edu).
12
The EUROPEAN TURFGRASS SOCIETY The objectives of the ETS include the spread of innovative applications and encouragement of a holistic view of turf, particularly with respect to its influence on urban and environmental quality. This approach is significant as the founding members are representatives of a large industry that has global importance. We aim to: a) Provide a forum for scientists, consultants, companies and practitioners to discuss technical issues related to the provision of turf surfaces. b) Spread innovative applications for the benefit of the turfgrass industry, national and local government, and the European public. Encourage a systemsbased approach to the study of turfgrass through multi-disciplinary groups working at different levels. c) ETS considers turfgrass knowledge in the broadest sense, including its use in sport and leisure, its role in improving urban quality and its importance in the mitigation of environmental effects such as soil erosion. d) Develop a strong ethos to promote sustainable, low input systems and solutions based on the conscious use of non-renewable resources.
Current ETS Board of Directors Stewart Brown Myerscough College (GBR) ETS President I have been working in the sports turf and amenity horticulture industry for over 30 years’ and during this have managed many sports turf and landscape areas and facilities for several local authorities and government agencies. Since entering education I have taught hundreds of students in a range of sports turf and management subjects. I am currently, Senior Lecturer in Sports turf Agronomy at Myerscough College, an associate college of the University of Central Lancashire. I am the Course Leader for the BSc Sports turf Science & Management and the MA Sustainable Golf Course Management ONLINE degrees. I am a member of BIGGA, the GCSAA, and a Fellow of the IOG. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. As an author I have published two books on sports turf subjects and numerous articles for professional and trade literature. My main areas of interest include golf course design and management, sustainability and resource management. I have Masters qualifications in both Horticulture and Parks & Green space Management. I am just completing a Professional Doctorate (DProf) with Anglia Ruskin University researching the efficacy of resource management and its impact on sustainability for golf greens.
Bernd Leinauer New Mexico State University (USA) ETS Board Member Dr. Bernd Leinauer is a Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist in the Extension Plant Sciences Department at New Mexico State University. He received his degrees (Master and Ph.D.) in Crop and Soil Science from Hohenheim University in Stuttgart, Germany. Before joining the faculty at New Mexico State University in 2000, he worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. His extension and research program at New Mexico State University focuses on developing water management strategies for turf areas aimed at reducing the amount of (potable) water used for irrigation. These strategies include the screening for low water use, cold and salt tolerant turf species and cultivars, irrigation with recycled and/or high saline water, modification of turfgrass root zones, mitigation of water repellency in root zones, and subsurface irrigation. The program has led to a successful international research collaboration with University of Padova, Italy that includes projects in both turfgrass and forage. Dr. Leinauer has authored and co-authored a book, a book chapter, nearly 70 scientific peer reviewed research papers, and almost 200 reports and abstracts. He was part of a group of NMSU researchers that received the United States Department of Agriculture’s Outstanding Integrated Program Water Resources Team Award. In 2012, Dr. Leinauer received the College’s Distinguished Research Award and in 2013 he was awarded New Mexico State University’s Distinguished Career Award.
13
Claudia de Bertoldi Turf Europe Srl (ITA) ETS Secretary and Treasurer I received my BA in 2003, after an internship at North Carolina State University (USA) and I have completed my M.Sc (Progettazione e Pianificazione delle Aree Verdi e del Paesaggio) at University of Pisa (Italy) in 2006. My PhD (Allelopathic interferences of plants) was from S. Anna School of Advanced Studies/Université de Fribourg (CH) in 2007-2010. I have been working as consultant at Pacini Company (Pisa – IT) for turfgrass production made in Tunisia during 2010-2012. Since 2013 I am employed by Turf Europe (Livorno – IT). I am actively engaged in landscaping and realization of gardens and turfgrasses for ornamental and sport use. Management of high-quality sport fields also through precision agriculture. Consultant for turf seeding in difficult zones (dumps and caves). Botanical censuses and visual tree assessment. Participation in R&D projects financed at European level. More than 15 publications, posters and presentations on conferences and meetings on turfgrass.
Tatsiana Espevig Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NOR) ETS Board Member Born in 1976. Moved to Norway from Belarus in 2005. MSc from Byelorussian State Pedagogical Maxim Tank University, Minsk, Belarus in 1999. PhD from National Academy of Sciences of Belarusin 2004 (resistance to downy mildew in cucumber) and Norwegian University of Life Sciencesin 2011 (winter hardiness and management of velvet bentgrass). Internship at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA in 2009. Since 2006 employed by Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO, former Bioforsk). Her research focuses on turfgrass pest management, winter stress and cultural practices. She also runs Disease diagnostic laboratory. Lecturer on several meetings and courses held by the national golf unions and greenkeeper assosiations in the Nordic countries. Supervisor for two MSc students. More than 100 reports, scientific and popular publications, posters and presentations on conferences and meetings on turf grass science.
Alessandro De Luca Italian Golf Federation (ITA) ETS Board Member Degree in Agricultural Science at the University of Bologna (Italy). Diploma in Turfgrass Science at the Texas A & M University (USA). Head of the Green Section of the Italian Golf Federation, for which he also directs experimental activity and environmental projects. Teaching activity for Technical Centre of Italian Golf Federation, for CONI (Italian Olympic Committee) and for some Universities (Catania, Viterbo, Turin, Rome). Consultant for private companies on planning, construction and maintenance of golf courses and sport fields. Author of books on turfgrass construction and management. Collaboration with several turf and golf magazines. related to the environment. Fritz Lord COMPO Expert (GER) ETS Board Member Study of horticultural science at Rhein University Geisenheim, M.sc. in soil science/entomology. Study of Agricultural Science at Humboldt University Berlin; M.Sc. in crop science, plant diseases; Ph.D at Humboldt University Berlin in phytopathology, antagonistic rhizobacteria (PGPR), soil borne pathogens (Fusarium). Since 2008 working for one of Europe`s leading fertilizer manufacturer COMPO Expert in Münster, Germany. Responsible for the segment turf and public green, vegetation-technical consultation, research and development, product management and education. Specialties/ experiences: soil-plant-microorganism interactions, bio stimulants, microbial fertilizer, turf nutrition and maintenance. Various publications regarding turf fertilization and maintenance (e.g. European Journal of Turfgrass Science, New Landscape). Teaching turf seminars for greenkeepers and groundsmen in Germany and abroad. ETS member since 2008, board member of the International Turf Grass Society (ITS) since 2014. Further memberships: German Turfgrass Society (DRG), Greenkeeper Association of Germany (GVD) , Austrian Greenkeeper Association (AGA), Förderkreis Landschafts- und Sportplatzbauliche Forschung (FLSF), Forschungsgesellschaft Landschaftsbau e.V. (FLL).
14
Wolfgang Praemassing DEULA (GER) ETS Board Member Study of Agricultural Biology (University Diploma) at University of Hohenheim, 1991 Doctoral Dissertation (PhD) Promotion with Prof. Dr. H. Franken, University of Bonn, subject: Soil physical Effects of Aeration on Turfgrass Soils, 2008. Occupation and activities: Professor for Sustainable Turfgrass Management at University of Applied Sciences Osnabrueck, Agronomist and lecturer in Greenkeeper Education and Training for golf and sport sites at DEULA Rheinland GmbH, Education Center, Kempen. Member of editorial staff of "European Journal of Turfgrass Science". Member of Turf expert committee of German Soccer League (DFL). Member of working group "Water" at German Golf Federation. Member of examination boards of Chamber of Agriculture Nordrhein-Westfalen Golf Course Greenkeeper and HeadGreenkeeper, Greekeeper/Groundsmen Sport Sites, Competence of Pesticide application.
Carlos Guerrero University of Algarve (POR) ETS Board Member Carlos Guerrero is graduated in Horticulture Engineering at the University of Algarve (Portugal). Has a M.Sc. in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition at the Agronomy Superior Institute, of the Technical University of Lisbon (Portugal) and a PhD in Environmental Agronomy at the University of Algarve (Portugal). Assistant Professor at the University of Algarve(Faculty of Sciences and Technology), is actually the Director of the Degree Program in Agronomy and was the Director of the Master Program in Management and Maintenance of Golf Courses between 2008-2010. Teaches Soil Science in Landscape Architecture and Soil Science and Agriculture Machinery in the Agronomy. Is also specialized in groundwater and soil nitrate pollution and has experience on organic and compost uses in agriculture and turfgrass. Actually is working on remote sensing for turfgrass maintenance purposes with unmanned aerial vehicles and multispectral sensors.
Š European Turfgrass Society 2019 Edited by Claudia de Bertoldi PhD, etsoffice@turfgrasssociety.eu Deadline for submission of material for 02/2020 edition: June 20th
15