Alabama Turf Times - Fall 2023

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Randy Owens

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The Alabama Turfgrass Association serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Alabama Turf Times, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as Alabama Turfgrass Association members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this quarterly publication. Copyright © 2023 by the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Alabama Turf Times is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertion please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

MISSISSIPPI COAST CONVENTION CENTER – BILOXI, MS REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW. DEEPSOUTHTURFEXPO .ORG

Successful Seasons

Hello again to all ATA members and Turf Times readers! I am very excited at the change from hot, long days of summer into the cooler, shorter days of the fall season. The fight to hydrate and maintain healthy turfgrasses during the summer season eases, as well as the battle trying to stay cool with my crew and teammates. Also, I am counting the days left until Labor Day and the official start of college football. War Eagle! Speaking of War Eagle, I want to say a big thank you to all involved with the Auburn University Research Field Day. Thank you to Auburn University for hosting a great field day and thank you to all that attended this great event.

The ATA board met to discuss recent and upcoming events. I really appreciate the willingness to serve and the passion of board members as they represent our members and their segment of the industry. The slate for the 2024 Board is presented in this issue. Please take a look at those roles ahead of our vote at the Deep South Turf Expo. I encourage you to consider board service, if asked. If you are interested in the ATA and would like to become more involved, please reach out to me or any other board member.

A great event, the Lawn and Landscape Workshop was held in Gardendale Civic Center on August 22nd. The Lawn and Landscape Workshop is a very informative meeting with half of the day being educational and half the day being hands-on demonstrations. This event is held every two years in rotation with the Sports Turf Field Day.

In this issue we have the complete schedule for the Deep South Turf Expo. The dates for the EXPO are October 16th – 19th in Biloxi, Mississippi. Be sure to register and attend this great event. The DSTE is the one-stop shop for everything turfgrass: tradeshow, educational speakers, golf tournaments, and much more. One of my favorite parts of the expo is the down time scheduled to enjoy dinners with industry peers, blackjack with buddies, or sight-seeing along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

This issue of the Turf Times has some great articles including; “Weather Apps and Decisions” by Bradley Jakubowski of Penn State, and “Ground Pearls: Big Headaches with few Solutions” by Dr. Katelyn Kesheimer and Dr. Joshua Weaver, both of Auburn University. These are great articles about the turfgrass industry, and we appreciate the willingness of the authors to share their insight and knowledge. Also, our member spotlight article this issue is incoming President of the ATA, Dave White. We thank David for his willingness to serve our association, and we look forward to his great leadership in the coming year. We want to bring to light his accomplishments and highlight his career in this issue. Thank you, David!

Also, with regret the ATA Board accepted Dr. John Jacobi's resignation from his post on the ATA Board as Education Consultant. We thank him for his many years of service to ATA. We want to thank John Nabors for stepping up to fill this important post!

Finally, I wish everyone successful seasons, and God willing, a great year as we share our passion of the outdoors, favorable weather, and that lush green grass.

Ben Williams

2023 ATA

Ben

ANNUAL SPONSORS

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• Envu

• Harrell’s, Inc.

• Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation

SILVER ($3,000)

• Beard Equipment Company

• BWI

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• Simplot

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BRONZE ($1,600)

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• PBI Gordon

• Professional Turfgrass Services

• Regal Chemical Company

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2023 ATA President

Williams

Themembership of the Alabama Turfgrass Association will have the opportunity to vote on the following slate of officers and directors for the upcoming year at the ATA Annual Business Meeting to be held at the Deep South Turf Expo on Wednesday, October 18th at 1:00 p.m. at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. Please make every effort to attend this important meeting and vote on the future leadership of your association.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16

OCTOBER 16 – 19, 2023

MISSISSIPPI COAST CONVENTION CENTER – BILOXI, MS

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW. DEEPSOUTHTURFEXPO .ORG

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

GENERAL SESSION

How has the Resist Poa project improved Poa annua control and management? • Becky Grubbs Bowling, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

In 2018, a team of 16 university scientists spanning 15 institutions embarked on a $5.6 million project (‘ResistPoa’) to limit the impact of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) in athletic, golf, lawn, and sod farm turf. The team’s multifaceted approach, funded by USDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI), had several objectives including characterizing the nationwide distribution of herbicide-resistant P. annua populations, identifying potential weaknesses in the weed’s biology and growth characteristics in order develop non-chemical control strategies, identifying socio-economic constraints that may affect control strategies and stewardship of herbicide technologies, and developing and delivering best management practices (BMPs). This talk will provide an overview of key project findings and implications for the industry and future research.

The Future of Drones and Precision Application Technology for Pest Management • David McCall, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University

9 am

Rapidly evolving technologies are changing the ways we manage turfgrass systems. The incorporation of GPS technologies into sprayers improves application accuracy, which reduces overspray and misses, chemical inputs, and associated costs of each application. Drones can be used to map and predict pests and other stressors across turfgrass systems, and even for making targeted spray applications in hard-to-reach areas. The audience will learn ways to use GPS technology and drones for targeted pest management.

Contemporary issues around pesticide use • Travis Gannon, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

10 am

Herbicides are commonly and effectively used to manage weeds in various agronomic systems including turfgrass systems. However, devising and implementing comprehensive weed management programs is an intricate process. It is complicated by many agronomic and other issues. This seminar will highlight many of the contemporary issues around pesticide use in turfgrass systems today, including what’s involved in pesticide registration, off-target movement, and resistance.

11 am – 5 pm Tradeshow Grand Opening

11:30 am Lunch

Annual Business Meetings

12 pm Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation

12 pm – 3 pm

1 pm Alabama Turfgrass Association & Mississippi Turfgrass Association

2 pm Louisiana-Mississippi GCSA

3 pm – 5 pm General Session: Panel Discussions

3 pm

4 pm

Mississippi Coast Convention Center

Mississippi Coast Convention Center – Tradeshow Floor

Mississippi Coast Convention Center

Mississippi Coast Convention Center – Tradeshow Floor

TRADESHOW TALKS

Robotic and drone technology for turfgrass and landscape management • Bryan Unruh, Ph.D, Amy Wilber, David McCall, Ph.D.

Robotic and drone technology is rapidly evolving and its use in turfgrass and landscape management is increasing. A panel discussion will focus on how this technology can be adopted and will include the pros and cons of using it in the turfgrass and landscape management industry.

The reality of synthetic turf adoption and the limitations of natural surface fields • Barry Stewart, Ph.D, Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Mark Langner, David Han, Ph.D. Sooner or later a sports administrator is faced with a decision on the type of surface to be used at a new or renovated field. Synthetic surfaces are sold as being a panacea of unlimited use with minimal maintenance. This is not the case, and more maintenance is required on synthetic surfaces and use must be limited or the field will fail. It is accepted that natural grass surfaces will require use limitations and vigorous maintenance to maintain a quality playing surface. This discussion will cover the pitfalls that come with synthetic grass surfaces and provide insights into the limitations of natural grass surfaces.

5 pm Alabama Pesticide Sign-Out

5 – 6 pm Tradeshow Closing & Exhibitor Move Out

6 – 8 pm

DSTE Softball Game Gulfport Sports Complex Dinner on your own

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

7 am Continental Breakfast

8 am – 12 pm Breakout Sessions

Golf Sessions

Maximizing Spring Dead Spot Management

David McCall, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University

Sports Turf & Grounds Sessions

Annual Bluegrass Control – What Have We Learned?

Lawn Care & Landscape Sessions

Landscape Fertilization Practices: Are We Missing the Mark?

Mississippi Coast Convention Center

Mississippi Coast Convention Center

Sod Production Sessions

8 am

Spring dead spot is among the most challenging diseases to manage on hybrid bermudagrasses that experience winter dormancy. Strategies for managing range from preventative suppression to recovery strategies, often with no one strategies being sufficient. This presentation outlines strategies to manage the disease and predict where outbreaks are most likely to occur.

Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., Mississippi State University and Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Auburn University

Our experts will share results of the USDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative being conducted by a national team of scientists. The “ResistPoa” project has set ambitious goals to characterize the nationwide distribution of herbicide-resistant annual bluegrass populations.

Annual bluegrass is not solely controlled with synthetic pesticides. Scientists are using the weed’s natural biology and growth characteristics to develop non-chemical control strategies. Those strategies include clipping removal during seed production, fraze-mowing, and alternative pesticides.

Bermudagrass Putting Greens: a Closer Look at Aerification Practices

Marco Schiavon, Ph.D., University of Florida

Optimizing Landscape Resilience for Weather Extremes

Becky Grubbs Bowling, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., University of Florida

The landscape industry is driven by routine applications of inputs including water, nutrients, and pesticides. However, these inputs may or may not be necessary and may negatively impact the environment. A review of landscape fertility practices will be provided along with an overview recommended changes in fertility practices.

Prepare to Answer: A Comprehensive List of Arguments Against Synthetic Turf

Barry Stewart, Ph.D., Mississippi State University

This talk will arm sod producers with information to use when talking with stakeholders in the synthetic plastic grass turf vs natural grass turf debate. Maintenance, water, surface heat, injuries, heavy metals, micro-plastics, will be addressed.

Doveweed, Torpedograss, and Other Growing Weed Problems

Scott McElroy, Ph.D., Auburn University

Changes in Bermudagrass Cultivar Selection for Sports Turf Management

David Han, Ph.D., Auburn University

9 am

Aerification may be the most important cultural practice for a golf green other than mowing, and it is used to ameliorate soil physical properties (e.g., air and water infiltration), manage thatch layer, relieve soil compaction, and overall improve long term turfgrass health. The presentation will cover different methods to aerify bermudagrass greens and their effect on turfgrass quality and soil characteristics.

It is more important than ever that landscapes are designed and maintained to withstand extreme heat, cold, drought, and rainfall events. To achieve this, practitioners must have the resources needed to make and justify informed decisions related to plant selection, site preparation, and management. Turfgrass is a major component of these greenspaces, capable of offering numerous social, environmental, and economic benefits when managed appropriately. This talk will explore key considerations for plant and turfgrass selection, the importance of appropriate soil preparation, and other best practices to encourage more resilient turfgrass capable of performing well under growing social and environmental pressure.

Water Budgeting and Drought Contingency Plans

Becky Grubbs Bowling, Ph.D., University of Tennessee

Torpedograss and doveweed have traditionally been coastal weeds, however in the past 20 years they have spread north into different turf environments, requiring updated management conditions. In this seminar, we will discuss these weeds and others that have increased as turf problems, as well as the management practices that can be used to control them.

Is the reign of Tifway finally over for Southern bermudagrass sports fields? The answer is, “it depends.” While new bermudagrasses offering a variety of improvements have become the norm at the pro and college levels over the past decade, many schools and parks still use good old “Tifway.” What is holding back wider adoption of new bermudagrasses, and what is the future of bermudagrasses for the masses?

10 am

Drought, whether short-term or long-term, is inevitable for most turfgrass systems. Good preparation is key. In this talk, we will explore the importance of developing a water budget to understand course water use patterns and watering requirements. We will then leverage this knowledge and other critical resources toward the development of thoughtful plan of action for those times when drought (and associated watering restrictions) may hit.

Optimizing Herbicide Applications on the Golf Course

Travis Gannon, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

The Uncommon Diseases You May be Overlooking

David McCall, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University

Despite the introduction of new, highly effective fungicides into the turfgrass industry, adequate disease management can still be challenging. While we have a grasp on managing many common diseases, there are a number of hidden pest stressors that are difficult to diagnose and complicate providing ideal playing surfaces. This presentation will provide an overview of some of the less common diseases and disorders that frustrate turfgrass professionals with solutions to increase management success.

Managing Bermudagrass Areas When Irrigating with Reclaimed Water

Marco Schiavon, Ph.D., University of Florida

Getting the Most Out of Preemergence Herbicides

Travis Gannon, Ph.D., North Carolina State University

Pre-emergence herbicides are commonly used to manage weeds in established turfgrass systems. While pre-emergence herbicides are one component of comprehensive weed control management programs, it’s imperative that turf managers understand various factors that influence pre herbicide efficacy. Product selection, application rates, and application timings, among other factors, will be discussed. Participants will have a better understanding of pre-emergence herbicide efficacy and will be able to devise more comprehensive weed management programs.

Soil Surfactants –What, Where, When?

Barry Stewart, Ph.D., Mississippi State University

New Cultivars are Making an Impact

Bryan Unruh, Ph.D., University of Florida

A number of new turfgrass cultivars are entering the marketplace. The merits and anticipated availability of the new grasses will be discussed.

11 am

Herbicides are commonly used to manage weeds on golf courses. While herbicides are one component of comprehensive weed management programs, it’s imperative for land managers to understand how to optimize herbicides without adversely affecting human or environmental health. Understanding biological and chemical attributes of herbicides and how they behave after application allows superintendents to optimize weed control while minimizing off-target movement and injury. Seminar discussions will focus on specific examples of off-target injury and failed herbicide applications. Overall, participants will have a better understanding of herbicide fate and behavior and will be able to devise best management practices to minimize offtarget herbicide injury and maximize efficacy.

Irrigation is the single most important maintenance practice to keep turfgrass alive. However, with water restrictions being progressively enforced and rising water costs, sufficient irrigation may not be available during the growing season. The presentation will discuss use of alternatives to potable water irrigation on bermudagrass fairways and will cover the challenges and advantages of using reclaimed water for turfgrass irrigation.

Soil surfactants are regularly used in golf and athletic fields to improve the uniformity of turf. Soil surfactants could do the same in lawn turf. What are soil surfactants? How and why should they be used? Where and when should they be used? This talk will provide insights into the use of soil surfactants in the home lawn setting.

Linking Diversified Lawn Care and Sod Production – Is There a Market?

Jay McCurdy, Ph.D., Mississippi State University

There is plenty of interest in biodiverse turfforb ground covers, but practical establishment techniques are scarce. For instance, seeded establishment of many native forbs is hindered by the availability of germinable seed, and even more troubling is that there has been very little work evaluating forbs for persistence and ecosystem services in maintained turfgrass. This presentation cannot solve all these problems, but it is the start of a conversation regarding how sod producers may enhance their product for certain market scenarios. Dr. McCurdy will discuss the rationale for biodiverse turf-forb lawns, the potential markets for product, and some of the challenges (and potential solutions) for production.

YOUR 2023 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Becky Grubbs Bowling, Ph.D.

Dr. Becky Grubbs Bowling is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) specializing in Turfgrass Science and Management. She completed her B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture at Texas Tech University in 2010 and 2013 respectively before completing her PhD in Crop and Soil Sciences at the University of Georgia in 2017. Bowling works in partnership with other faculty/scientists, professional organizations, county extension agents, and others to conduct applied research and provide resources and programmatic support to the Tennessee turfgrass industry and beyond. Dr. Bowling’s program focuses on environmental turfgrass science with an emphasis on optimizing resource-use efficiency to promote environmentally and economically sustainable management practices for the turfgrass industry.

Travis Gannon, Ph.D.

Travis Gannon, PhD, Professor North Carolina State University, received his Ph.D. in Crop Science in May 2011 from North Carolina State. He has worked at North Carolina State in several capacities since July 1999 and is currently a professor at that institution.

David Han, Ph.D.

Dr. David Han is an Associate Professor and Turfgrass Specialist for Auburn University in the Crop Soil & Environmental Science Department and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. He earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University and earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Cornell University. He also serves as the Educational Director for the Alabama Turfgrass Association.

Mark Langner

Mark Langner is the owner of Pro Turf Serv. A part of the turfgrass business for over thirty years, Mark is most notable for building Limestone Springs Golf Club in Oneonta, Alabama, serving as Head Superintendent at Farmlinks Golf Club in Sylacauga, Alabama, and as sales representative for Aqua Aid Solutions. He has been recognized as one of the top ten superintendents in the country.

Scott McElroy, Ph.D.

Dr. Scott McElroy is a Professor of Weed Science at Auburn University’s Crop Soil and Environmental Science Department. Scott serves as the educational advisor for the Alabama Golf Course Superintendents Association as well as the Education Committee Chairman for the Deep South Turf Expo.

John Nabors

John Nabors has a B.S. degree in Horticulture and M.Ed. degree in Adult Education from Auburn University along with state certifications in Ornamental & Turf Pest Control Supervisor, Setting of Landscape Plants, and Landscape Design. He is also an instructor for the National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving courses and an authorized OSHA trainer for General Industry. In addition, he holds the Alabama Certified Landscape Professional credential.

Marco Schiavon, Ph.D.

Marco Schiavon, Ph.D., is an assistant professor, at UF/IFAS, Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida. He earned his bachelors in agronomical sciences and masters in agronomy from University of Padua, Italy, and Ph.D. in agronomy from New Mexico State University. Upon completion of his doctoral dissertation, he moved to the University of California, Riverside where he worked as an assistant researcher in botany and plant sciences. He has published more than 30 refereed journal articles. His primary research interests include potable water conservation for irrigating turfgrass areas, salinity management, and physiology of turfgrass in response to drought stress. Dr. Schiavon has published more than 40 journal articles.

Barry Stewart, Ph.D.

Dr. Barry Stewart is an Associate Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. He teaches courses in Turfgrass management and plant science. The focus of his research has been on Turfgrass and soil interactions. He received his Ph.D. in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences from Virginia Tech in 1996 and has been a faculty member at Mississippi State since 2000.

David McCall, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at Virginia Tech in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. His primary responsibilities as Turfgrass Pathologist are applied research (50%) and Extension (45%), with a 5% appointment in teaching. Dr. McCall’s research program currently focuses on remote sensing with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones.)

Jay McCurdy, Ph.D.

Dr. Jay McCurdy is an Assistant Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Mississippi State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Martin, a Master’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and a Doctorate in Agronomy and Soils from Auburn University. He serves as academic liaison for the Louisiana-Mississippi Golf Course Superintendent’s Association, the Mississippi Turfgrass Association, and the Deep South Turf Expo.

Dr. J. Bryan Unruh is a Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida, IFAS, West Florida Research and Education Center, where he has held a faculty position since 1996. Dr. Unruh received his Ph.D. in 1995 from Iowa State University and his M.S. and B.S. degrees from Kansas State University in 1991 and 1989, respectively. Dr. Unruh’s integrated turfgrass science research and extension program focuses on water quality (nutrient impairment) and quantity (drought), pest management, and new cultivar development. Results from his team’s work are included in all three Florida turf industry Best Management Practice (BMP) manuals.

Amy holds a B.S. in turfgrass science from The Ohio State University and a M.S. in weed science from Mississippi State University. She is currently an Extension Associate and Ph.D. student at Mississippi State University. Her research focuses on the evaluation of new herbicides, practical applications of herbicides for turfgrass producers, and remote sensing for turfgrass and weed detection.

David McCall, Ph.D.

J. Bryan Unruh, Ph.D.

Amy Wilber

ACTIVITIES & ACCOMMODATIONS

TAILGATE CELEBRATION

Kick off the Expo with your peers at Tailgate Celebration at The Preserve Golf Club, opening night, Tuesday, October 17th. Sponsors will be cooking up some tailgate favorites for you to enjoy while mingling and networking with attendees from all over the southeast. This event is free and open to all attendees, exhibitors, and guests. Preregistration is required to help plan food.

DIRECTIONS: 8901 Highway 57, Vancleave, MS 39565. Just 17 miles from Biloxi, travel east on I-10 and take exit 57 / MS-57. Turn north and the golf club will be two miles on the left.

SCRAMBLE GOLF TOURNAMENT

The scramble golf tournament will be held on Tuesday, October 17th at The Preserve Golf Club. The Preserve is an 18-hole course which has been integrated within an 1800-acre native preserve full of live oaks, cypress swamps, long leaf pines and native grass prairies and designed by Jerry Pate. Bring your clubs and prepare yourself for a wonderful afternoon of golf with your peers. Lunch and two drinks will be included in your registration (and the Tailgate Celebration will follow immediately after play). Pre-registration is required.

DIRECTIONS: 8901 Highway 57, Vancleave, MS 39565. Just 17 miles from Biloxi, travel east on I-10 and take exit 57 / MS-57. Turn north and the golf club will be two miles on the left.

SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT NEW FOR 2023!

Interested in a friendly game of softball with your peers?

We are hosting a softball game where anyone who registers (free) can play a fun game of softball at the Gulfport Sports Complex on Wednesday evening, October 18th after the Expo closes. Teams will be randomly assigned and provided with team T-shirts. Must register in advance by September 25th. Bring your gloves and get ready to play!

DIRECTIONS: 17200 16th Street, Gulfport, MS 39503. From the MCCC, travel west on Highway 90 for 3.2 miles and turn right on Cowan Road (MS 605). Travel 4.4 miles to I-10 and travel west for 3.5 miles. Take exit 34B onto US49N for .6 miles. Turn left onto Landon Road for 1.3 miles and turn left into 16th Street. Travel .4 miles, the complex will be on the left.

ACCOMMODATIONS Our host hotel is the BEAU RIVAGE , a Four-Diamond development by MGM Resorts International that sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico in Biloxi. The Deep South Turf Expo has secured a room rate of $107 for Expo attendees. Call the hotel directly at 1-888-567-6667 to make your reservations or go to www.DeepSouthTurfExpo. org to make them online. Be sure to mention you are with Deep South Turf Expo to get the discounted room rate. Don’t delay—our room rate is only available until September 15, 2023.

The MISSISSIPPI COAST CONVENTION CENTER is our home for the educational sessions and tradeshow at the Deep South Turf Expo. It is a multi-purpose, state-of-the-art facility that sits directly across the Gulf of Mexico just 5 miles west of The Beau Rivage at 2350 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, MS 39531.

With over 20 educational sessions to choose from, plus a tradeshow with more than 100 exhibitors, this regional event is designed to benefit every turfgrass manager. Learn the latest and greatest research and management practices for growing the best southern turf. We welcome all sod producers, lawn care operators, landscapers, golf course superintendents and sports field managers to Biloxi, Mississippi for our seventh annual Deep South Turf Expo. Look inside for more details and registration information.

2023 SPONSORS

Spotlight on Incoming ATA President

DAVID WHITE

David White is looking forward to his upcoming time as President of the Alabama Turfgrass Association. A member for many years, he has long recognized the great wealth of turf knowledge and resources available in our state. “Our association is blessed to have a lot of ‘great turfgrass minds’, and I think that is why our industry is so successful in Alabama!”

David’s father, a career employee at IBM, always held down a desk job as David was growing up. He instinctively knew that he would not enjoy a future career behind a desk. One day, David saw a news clip about turfgrass management, and it intrigued him. Upon learning that Auburn University had a turfgrass program, there was no looking back!

Working at then Green Valley Country Club, (Now Hoover Country Club) allowed David to learn on-the-job. “My first day of employment, I was dropped off in the creek that runs the length of the course and supplied with water, mixed gas, weedeater string and a weedeater, and was told to work until lunch. I loved it from day one, and turfgrass management has become a very rewarding career.”

Earning a Bachelor of Agronomy and Soils from Auburn University, he was privileged to learn from some of the great turfgrass professors at that institution: Drs. Beth Guertal, Jeff Higgins and Harold Ponder. Among others who made a great impression throughout the years, providing encouragement and advice, include Lee McLemore, CGCS, Philip Hindman, Todd Rogers and Mark Langner.

There will always be challenges in the world of growing grass, and in the current market, it is economics. According to David, “Labor is higher, and workers are fewer. There are so many in the workforce that are not willing to do what we do. Cost of goods is higher for supplies and materials. It makes our jobs challenging, but you must forge ahead and try to make the best of your budget.”

At his first superintendent’s position at Terry Walker Country Club, David was surprised at how quickly he and his staff could turn around the greens which were in bad shape. “The members were excited and appreciative to see the transformation take place.” Whether it is on the golf course, or in the landscape industry, David says, “I enjoy the interaction with golfers and customers. There is a great sense of satisfaction when a big project is completed, or your course just looks great after putting in a lot of hard work.”

The key to making positive change is in large part due to education and networking with the “great grass minds.” David shares one trick he learned when employed at Tannehill National Golf Course. “On Dwarf Bermuda greens, give them a little bit of iron in the growing season when spraying. It always gave them better green color for a couple of weeks.”

David is married to Joy, who works at The Westminster School at Oak Mountain. They have two daughters, Morgan, who is a junior at UAB, and plays on the Women’s Soccer team, and Emily, an incoming freshman at Auburn University. David and his family love spending time on the lake. He has a great love of all sports played by his teams. “Everyone knows that I am a huge proponent and fan of The University of Alabama in Birmingham. I love Auburn too, but any Auburn or UAB sporting event is greatly enjoyable.”

Looking towards the future, David says, “I hope to continue to use my agronomic skills to benefit others. I would like to see the younger generation in our industry continue to grow. What we do can be a very fun and exciting career. I am honored to serve as the President of the Alabama Turfgrass Association in 2024. Thank you for the opportunity to serve this great Association!”

David and his wife, Joy at right.

October 16 – 19, 2023

DEEP SOUTH TURF EXPO

Mississippi Coast Convention Center Biloxi, MS

2024

January 10

LOXLEY Loxley Civic Center

January 17

DOTHAN Troy University at Dothan

February 7

MONTGOMERY Arrowhead Country Club

February 21

GARDENDALE Gardendale Civic Center

February 28

HUNTSVILLE City of Huntsville — Jaycee Building

Register online at www.DeepSouthTurfExpo.org Register online at alabamaturf.org

ATA ROADSHOW SCHEDULE

WEATHER APPS and WEATHER DECISIONS

Let’s Make the Most of Both!

By Brad Jakubowski, Assistant Teaching Professor, Center for Turfgrass Science, Penn State University

Keeping an eye on the weather is something professional turfgrass managers have ingrained into our systems. Can I mow today? We check our phones for the most recent forecast. Should I spray today? We monitor dewpoints, humidity and temperatures. Will I pull the tarp prior to today’s game? We study the weather radar. There is a tremendous amount of weather information out there and nearly all of us have some form of a weather app on our phones, or a link to our favorite weather website, to help us make day-to-day management decisions. Let’s take a journey, to see what is out there and what information will help us make the best weather-based decisions possible.

Which app is the best?

Honestly, there is no one best app. It is important to find an app or a number of apps that provide you the most reliable and quickly available information. Basic Information that is important to have available with the least number of clicks would be: High and Low Temperatures (including overnight lows), Dewpoint, Relative Humidity, and Short-Term Weather forecasts. Intermediate information includes: Radar (Base and Composite Reflectivity), Satellite Imagery, and Severe Weather (especially lightning). Advanced information would be: Echo Tops, Vertically Integrated Liquid, Digital Storm Accumulation and Forecast Discussion.

Basic Information

When looking for basic information, it is best to have most or all important data on the first screen, or within one or two clicks from the first screen. That is often a good way to judge how well your app will benefit you over time. As an example, The National Weather Service includes much of the basic data ( Figure 1 ). At a glance, you can get a good idea of what is happening now and what will happen in the immediate future. High and low temperatures provide a quick mental image of how the day (and night) may influence your maintenance plans. Winds, dewpoint and relative humidity provide a quick insight on irrigation requirements, disease potential, and infield skin management requirements.

It is beneficial to see both relative humidity and dewpoint together. Viewing only either limits your view of the big picture. For example, a relative humidity of 95% with dewpoints near 70 degrees indicate that less time may be spent scouting for wilt and instead used scouting for diseases. The same relative humidity with dewpoints under 30 may indicate a majority of the day may be dedicated for scouting wilt or watering an infield skin.

The Hourly Forecast – The Turf Manager’s Secret Weapon!

The Hourly Forecast on Weather.gov (Figure 2) is the turf manager’s secret weapon. In one image, a turf manager can make plans for multiple issues and tasks. For Example, The Heat Index: potential high heat indexes aids in planning for employee safety; Temperature and Dewpoint: Matched high overnight dewpoints and temperatures means extended leaf wetness and high disease potential. They also indicate heavy dew until at least 8am, which may require a syringe cycle to limit mower clumping, or to make sure greens are whipped post-cut; Wind Speed and Direction (Surface Wind): predicted light southerly winds meaning even higher probability for disease potential and dew, as well as for good spraying conditions in the early morning, but gusts in the teens starting around 11am; Relative Humidity: indicates conditions will be wet early, but dry quickly throughout the day; Sky Cover: indicates it will be partly cloudy throughout the day providing some relief, while Precipitation Potential indicate a 50% chance of rain throughout the day.

Figure 2: The Hourly Forecast from www.weather.gov

Figure 1: Weather.gov basic data

Intermediate Information

When making game-time decisions such as tarp pulls, or field evacuations, due to severe weather, radar becomes an important tool. There are numerous good weather radar apps available. Many are free, some require an annual fee of $US 10 to 50. Many of the fee-based apps offer expanded functionality, precision and overall quality of information. Regardless of cost, radar app selection should prioritize the type of reflectivity the radar images are based upon. There are two types: Base Reflectivity and Composite Reflectivity. Each time a radar transmitter spins, it sends out a microwave ‘sweep’ at different elevations to get a complete picture of all atmosphere elevations. A Base Reflectivity image represents only a single sweep of the radar transmitter. This means that near the transmitter the radar ‘sees’ is low in the storms and as distance increases the beam rises and can overshoot the core of heavier precipitation. Many High-Resolution (Hi-Res) radar images feature only Base Reflectivity sweeps.

Composite Reflectivity stitches together all elevation scans, in order, to create an image that represents a more complete picture of an incoming storm. These are often lower-resolution images and may be more pixelated. Figures 3 and 4 are of the same storm with the former being a Base Reflectivity image and the latter a Composite Reflectivity image.

Figure 5 shows the different reflectivity options you may have within a radar app, and again illustrates not all radar imagery is the same. So, when trying to make critical game-time decisions, a radar image using Base Reflectivity may grossly underestimate the significance of an incoming storm. When selecting a radar app, be sure investigate the types of radar images it provides, and be prepared to spend a few dollars for radar that will prove worthwhile in the future.

Satellite Imagery

There are numerous Satellite Imagery options as well. They provide visible cloud cover; infrared (the most common that we see), moisture content; and all-in-one maps that include a combination of radar, infrared, and weather station models to tell a complete weather story. Satellite images can give you a broader perspective of how the weather is behaving on a wider, more continental, scale. The images and loops illustrate air flow, cloud and moisture movement and overall dynamics of frontal systems. These large-scale images and video loops can help in longer-term planning. They can aid in project preparation and used as a tool to help protect fields when communicating with administrators that may be considering additional unexpected events during non-use days. It is useful to compare these images with regular weather maps to get a good working knowledge of fronts and changing weather systems.

Figure 5

Figure 4: Composite Reflectivity

Figure 3: Base Reflectivity

Your Strategy for Success

Severe Weather

Lightning is the most critical facet of severe weather for sport turf managers. In 2022, one in five people struck by lightning were engaged in an outdoor sporting activity. Having an app that can provide you lightning information instantly or within a click on your phone is important. The lightning information from the WeatherBug app for Figure 6 only required a short scroll down and a single click. An old AM radio is also good to have on-hand as a back up lightning detector. Significant increase in crackles and static transmitted across AM radio bands are dependable indicators of lightning activity in the area. Old School!

Advanced Information

As we work towards becoming more proficient with understanding weather and being able to make better weatherbased decisions, we find more advanced tools to help us. Echo Tops or Cloud Height is another function to help us assess the intensity of an oncoming storm. An Echo Top measures the overall height of a storm, which is an indicator of the strength of storm updrafts. Stronger updrafts make convective wind gusts and large hail more likely.

When several storms are on radar, the Echo Tops tool can point out the more severe storms and the direction they are travelling (Figure 7). This can be valuable information to

report to the front office when asked about making a call on a game or whether the conditions will be safe to conduct a last-minute tarp pull. Another tool to assess the strength of a storm is Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL). The VIL index measures how much water is being transported vertically throughout a storm cloud and is another indicator of a storm’s updraft strength. Taller updrafts tend to have higher values of VIL and are more likely to produce hail.

One more tool that can be used to help determine the total accumulation of a precipitation event is Digital Storm Accumulation. By allowing you to assess discrete accumulations over short periods of time, this tool may help you determine whether or not to pull a field cover for a particular rain event. Saving time and energy that could be used elsewhere and avoid unnecessary delays. This tool may also aid in determining the potential of a flash flood event in your area.

Summary

Technological advancements afford us incredibly convenient tools and information apps that support worker and clientele safety while improving our maintenance, irrigation, pest management, and playability decision-making. Take advantage of this opportunity by investigating these different apps and functions. Poll your colleagues, service providers, and blogs/forums to best experiment and discover what works best for you and your facility.

Figure 6 Figure 7

GROUND PEARLS

Big Headaches with Few Solutions

By Katelyn Kesheimer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor

University

Many turf managers and homeowners are familiar with the frustration of trying to control insect pests in turf. There is, however, a special type of frustration that comes with trying to control ground pearls. These small, soil-dwelling pests present unique challenges that often result in major headaches and dead grass.

Background

Ground pearls are scale insects that belong to the order Hemiptera. These are true bugs characterized by their piercingsucking mouthparts. This is a large and diverse group of insects that can use their straw-like mouthparts for good or evil. On the good side, we have predatory assassin bugs that contribute to biological control by sucking the guts out of pest insects. And on the evil side we have blood-sucking bed bugs, which, while fascinating, are traumatizing and expensive to control.

Scale insects, the group ground pearls belong to, fall somewhere in the middle of good and evil. For example, lac scales produce shellac, a natural glue with a variety of uses; cochineal scales produce a red dye that is commonly used in foods and fabrics. But there is also the crape myrtle bark scale, which has spread across the southeastern U.S. in recent years. Like aphids, crape myrtle bark scales excrete honeydew,

a substance that may lead to sooty mold, reducing plant health and appearance.

There are thousands of species of scale insects with lots of variation, but all have straw-like mouthparts and grow underneath a waxy coating. These mouthparts are what enables scales to suck nutrients from different plant parts, and the waxy coating protects them from many control measures. Ground pearls live underground and suck on grass roots, slowly weakening the grass over time; these are added layers of difficulty when it comes to both identification and control.

Damage

Worldwide, ground pearls infest a wide range of grasses and other plants. Here in the United States, ground pearls will infest bahiagrass, bermudagrass, carpetgrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, and zoysiagrass. The biggest problems occur in centipedegrass, but we still see serious damage in other grasses.

Initial damage from ground pearls can be difficult to diagnose, as it first appears as yellow patches in the grass. Without additional information, the yellowing can be misdiagnosed as drought stress, nutrient deficiencies, disease, or other insect pests such as grubs. Yellowing from ground pearls is caused by the nymphs (immature form of the insect)

and Extension Specialist, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn

Joshua Weaver, Ph.D., Lecturer, Department of Horticulture, Auburn University

Figure 1. Ground pearl nymphs feeding on grass roots. (Photo: Callie Freeman, Parker BioLabs LLC)

sucking juices from the plants. These yellow patches will turn brown as the summer progresses and may even die off at the end of the year. Infested patches may fail to green up in the spring. Symptoms may be subtle in the early days of an infestation but will gradually get bigger as the population grows and continues to feed.

Ground pearls remain underground their whole lives, so accurate diagnoses are not always easy. But there are some common symptoms to clue you in to this pest. The yellowbrownish area of weakened grass will sometimes take on a circular shape, like fairy ring. Narrow, serpentine lines of declining grass are also common with ground pearl infestations. As the grass continues to decline, weeds may invade these areas. Year after year, the damaged area will continue to expand. Other stressors, such as drought or improper fertilization, can exacerbate the damage and make it more obvious.

Biology

There are two species of ground pearls that attack warmseason grasses: Margarodes meridionalis and Eumargaraoides laingi. Additional species of ground pearls within the family Margarodidae are pests of grape vineyards and sugarcane in the U.S. and Australia. Ground pearls have a unique adaptation where the nymphs cover their bodies in a protective wax

coating, resembling a pearl. This resemblance gives us the family name Margarodidae, as ‘pearl’ in Latin is margarita. The waxy coating provides protection against extreme weather and other environmental conditions, natural enemies, and even insecticides. Water-based or water-activated insecticides are unable to penetrate the wax layer, making the ground pearl cysts completely protected.

Ground pearls have only one generation per year and overwinter as cysts attached to the turf roots with their piercing-sucking mouthparts (Figure 1). The cysts can be found in the top couple of centimeters of the soil, or as far as 30 centimeters deep. The adult females emerge from the cysts in late April to August, but timing may be influenced by soil moisture and temperature. The adult females are the dispersal stage of ground pearls; male ground pearls are rare and not thought to be pests of turf.

Female ground pearls are pinkish red with a pear-shaped body, measuring about 1.6 millimeters long (Figure 2). They have three distinct pairs of legs, with the first pair modified for digging. These digging legs allow the females to move around and find feeding and egg-laying sites. Once she finds an oviposition site, she makes an egg chamber by secreting a waxy filament that she then fills with pinkish-white eggs. Females do not require mating to produce eggs and over the course of one to two weeks will lay about 100 eggs.

Figure 2. Adult female ground pearl.

(Photo: David Held, Auburn University)

Egg chambers are found 5–8 centimeters deep in the soil where eggs will hatch into nymphs, called ‘crawlers.’ Crawlers move to a nearby root, attach with their mouthparts, and coat themselves with a protective wax layer. Following the transition into cysts, ground pearls can remain over the winter until emergence next spring.

Control Options?

This is the section where we typically summarize efficacy tests and provide research-based recommendations to control the pest in question. However, ground pearls are especially obnoxious in that they do not currently allow us to do that. Despite years of research and trials, entomologists and turf specialists have not found a chemical treatment that can completely control ground pearls. Further, we have not found any other organism (arthropod, nematode, even vertebrates) that can provide biological control.

While ground pearls spend much of their life as protected cysts, they are vulnerable to insecticides as adult females and crawlers. There are limited products registered for ground pearl control on home lawns, and no products registered for ground pearls on turf. Products registered on home lawns are typically pyrethroids or combination products with diamides and pyrethroids. Chemical applications applied when females

are present and laying eggs may help reduce the infestation but will not completely control it.

Management

Like chinch bugs, ground pearls are often found at the boundary between the infested turf and healthy turf. This is where you have the highest probability of finding ground pearls when diagnosing an infestation. Once diagnosed, the best recommendation is to keep the turf as healthy as possible to prolong the life of the grass. This includes watering as needed rather on a schedule and improving water penetration. Appropriate fertilization will hide some damage, but the turf will ultimately succumb to the infestation.

Eventually severe infestations will take over and kill entire areas of turf. As all warm-season grass species are susceptible to ground pearls, simply replacing with another grass is not a viable option. Further, since cysts can survive for years in the soil without a host, killing the grass and replanting with warm season turfgrass is also not a viable option. Replacement options include ornamental plants, low-growing ground covers, or flowering plants. My favorite option remains flowering plants, which provide food and shelter for pollinators and natural enemies. Most insects are in fact good, so why not grow plants that harbor the good ones rather than the bad ones.

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Auburn College of Agriculture selects

STEVEN HAGUE

as head of Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences

By Kristen Bowman, College of Agriculture

An

internationally recognized cotton breeder has been selected as the next head of the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences in the Auburn University College of Agriculture.

Steven Hague, most recently a professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University, joined the department effective July 17.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Hague joining our faculty as head of the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences,” said Paul Patterson, dean of the College of Agriculture and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. “His research, teaching and outreach experience show his dedication to the land-grant mission, and I am confident he will direct the department well in all three areas.”

Hague’s research has covered a wide variety of cotton breeding topics, including enhancement of germplasm diversity, drought tolerance, Fusarium resistance, remote sensing with UAVs, yield components, fiber quality and insect resistance. He has published 58 peer-reviewed journal articles.

His research program has been supported through active grantsmanship, including securing $7.5 million in funding as primary investigator or co-primary investigator. The impact of his work can be seen in his development of better resistance to an emerging race of Fusarium — a large genus of fungi — that is more aggressive than historically established races.

In addition to his strong research record, Hague has extensive experience as a teacher and has been recognized with teaching awards from Texas A&M and professional societies. He served on his department’s curriculum committee and has been serving as the associate director for the university’s undergraduate research program. He has been an active mentor to graduate students, having completed 19 doctoral students and 58 master’s degree students as chair or committee member.

Hague is recognized as a respected scientist by the agribusiness sector, and he has engaged in considerable outreach, including international service, during his tenure at Texas A&M. His outstanding scholarly record and professional service have resulted in him being named a fellow in the American Society of Agronomy and the Crop Science Society of America.

Hague said he is excited to be part of the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department at Auburn University at what he considers a critical time.

“We want a department that serves the needs of Alabama,” he said. “We are at an inflection point, I think, in our world history. Agriculture has an extraordinary responsibility to feed and clothe more than eight billion people while protecting our scarce and fragile land and water resources. Our department is at the nexus of that challenge. And by fulfilling the land-grant mission — which means a balance of teaching, research and extension — we will discover and help implement sustainable solutions.”

Hague earned his Bachelor of Science in agricultural sciences from Texas A&M University at Commerce, Master of Science in agronomy from Texas Tech University and doctorate in plant breeding from Texas A&M University. He said he is eager to join the faculty at Auburn.

“I am looking forward to working with the people at Auburn University,” he said. “Everyone I have met there has been fantastic. Auburn alumni are strong supporters of their university, and that says so much about the place.”

Since August 2022, Kira Bowen has served as interim department head for Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences.

“I would like to thank Dr. Bowen for her excellent service as interim department head,” Patterson said. “She has helped lead this department through a valuable strategic planning process, setting the stage for the next department head.”

Highlights from the 2023 AUBURN TURFGRASS RESEARCH DAY

Research Field Days play an important role in our industry, benefiting both the turfgrass industry and the academic researchers. We are fortunate to have a strong program at Auburn. This year’s Research Day was held on July 20th. The heat was tolerable—hey, it is summer in Alabama! Many thanks to Drs. Scott McElroy and David Han as well as the graduate students and all the researchers for their hard work on this project. Also, many thanks to Alan Hill, Director of the Sports Surface Resource Lab. See below for a list of topics that were covered:

Summer Weed Control in Alabama Turfgrass –Scott McElroy, PhD, Bridgette Johnson, Claudia Ann Rutland

Presentations were made on doveweed, sedge, crabgrass, goosegrass, torpedograss, and various broadleaf weed control. Demonstrations of all major herbicide options were presented with discussion on when to apply, how to apply, limitations for control, reducing application amounts, and longevity of control options.

Turf-adjacent Pollinator Plantings to Conserve Alabama Bees – Zachary Beneduci

Bees are the most important pollinators worldwide, pollinating nearly 80% of the world’s flowering plants. They exhibit an immense diversity of over 500+ species in Alabama; however, this diversity is threatened by urbanization and agricultural expansion. Areas adjacent to turf are uniquely positioned to circumvent bee population declines by supporting pollinator-friendly wildflowers. Successful planting establishment and persistence is contingent on proper wildflower species selection, site preparation, sowing methods, and longterm management practice.

Selective Control of Fall Armyworm in Turfgrass – Janiyah Cotton

Selective control may be possible using PGPR as beneficial endophytes in bermudagrass. This USGA funded study investigates engineering PGPR endophytes to express Cry proteins, or through screening various AU libraries of PGPR for strains that have insecticidal activity against FAW larvae. The result of lab and greenhouse experiments was discussed.

Turfgrass Nematicide Classes and Rotations for Resistance Management – Billy Crow, Ph.D.

The discovery of resistance to SDHI nematicides in plantparasitic nematodes in golf course turf has highlighted the need to rotate nematicide classes. The chemical classes of currently and soon-to-be available nematicides and their efficacy against the most common plantparasitic nematodes impacting turf in the southeast was presented. Proposed rotations of nematicide classes targeting each kind of nematode will allow turfgrass managers to effectively manage nematode problems while reducing the likelihood of resistance.

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Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria as a Potential Biocontrol Agent of Rhizoctonia solani in Turfgrass – Kayla Sullins

Large patch is one of the most common diseases of warm season turfgrass in the US. The research presented focused on utilization of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biofertilizer, and potential biocontrol against the causal agent, Rhizoctonia solani, in zoysia and bermudagrass. Data presented included in vitro and greenhouse screenings of PGPR strains and plans for fall field evaluations.

The Continued Success and Future Use

of AU Victory – Adam Russell

MVP Genetics AU Victory is a creeping bentgrass cultivar developed by Dr. Edzard van Santen for use in putting greens. It has superior heat and drought tolerance compared to other cultivars. The use of AU Victory is expanding due to these reasons and is being adopted at an impressive rate. The benefits of AU Victory and the continued need for turfgrass breeding was discussed.

Water Retention and Drought Tolerance Study and Bentgrass NTEP's – David Han, Ph.D.

This study displayed findings on water retention and tolerance in the leaching bins. As well as a small evaluation of an organic soil amendment on part of the TifEagle green, Dr. Han also discussed the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). NTEP is designed to develop and coordinate uniform evaluation trials of turfgrass varieties and promising selections in the United States and Canada. Dr. Han presented how NTEP's new Test Results format can be used to determine the broad picture of the adaptation of the many warm season cultivars members encounter. In addition, he spoke on which cultivars are well adapted to their local area or level of turf maintenance.

Refuge Lawn Project – Casey O'Neal

This talk included how integrating different low flowering forbs into lawns can help to promote beneficial insects and reduce lawn inputs. Plots were be shown with different forbs that have been planted and are currently assessing insect visitors.

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Turfgrass Origins of

By Jay McCurdy Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences Mississippi State University

This is the first article of a multi-part series detailing the origins and future of turfgrass.

Turf consists of a layer of various plants cultivated to form a uniform ground cover, typically one that can tolerate foot traffic and routine mowing. The first known use of the word turf occurs before the 12th century and refers to the “upper stratum of soil bound by grass” (Merriam-Webster, 2022). Objectively, turf only exists in human-maintained systems; however, the species comprising various turf scenarios long predate human interference.

Those turfgrass species most frequently selected for turf scenarios have been subject to environmental pressures (notably, frequent grazing) that have selected for traits that enhance their value as turfgrasses. Valuable traits include color, texture, uniformity, growth habit, and durability under stress. Plant breeding, the introduction of non-native and exotic species, and recurrent selection for desirable traits have led to modern cultivars and varieties of turfgrass that predominate in maintained turf settings such as lawns, sports fields, golf courses, sod farms, and roadside rights-of-way.

Figure 1. Turfgrasses, such as the Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass) and perennial ryegrass pictured here, evolved under frequent grazing.

Turfgrasses are typically narrow-leaved species of relatively short stature that are somewhat regularly mown at heights of approximately four inches or less (Thompson and Kao-Kniffin, 2017). By convention, all grasses, including turfgrasses, belong to the Poaceae family of monocotyledonous flowering plants. The monocotyledonous (monocot) clade includes grasses and grass-like flowering plants with seeds that contain only one embryonic leaf (also known as a “cotyledon”). Monocots offer few obvious advantages for turf applications, as other flowering plants in the dicotyledonous clade (having two embryonic leaves) also persist under typical mowing heights as weeds or amenity forbs within various turf scenarios.

NOT JUST GRASS

Turfgrasses are broadly classified as cool- or warm-season plants. Cool-season species are the predominant turfgrass species in climates with cold winters and mild summers, as well as adequate soil moisture. Warm-season species predominate in climates with mild winters and hot summers. The overlapping area between the two is termed the transition zone, where cool- and warm-season species grow equally successfully.

Cool-season species have evolved a C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. They use an enzyme (called RuBisCO) to fix CO2. That carbon from CO2 forms a threecarbon sugar and then goes on to fuel plant growth and metabolism. Alternatively, warm-season species have evolved a C4 photosynthetic pathway that produces a four-carbon sugar. Plants with the C4 pathway have improved metabolism and a competitive advantage over C3 plants under conditions of drought, high temperatures, and limited nitrogen or CO2 Cool- and warm-season species have different optimal temperatures for growth and metabolism. Warm-season species grow best when temperatures are above approximately 80°F and enter dormancy below their “base growth temperature” of around 50°F. Alternatively, cool-season species grow best when temperatures range from 60–75°F. Cool-season species enter a state of winter dormancy at temperatures below freezing and are often considered dormant during summer conditions that exceed their ideal growing temperatures, especially when soil moisture is limited. Growth models to predict the suitability and phenology of these species are largely based upon these parameters and estimates.

There are approximately 40 million acres of turfgrass in the United States (2% of the total U.S. land cover) (Milesi et al. 2005). Several estimates suggest that residential lawns represent roughly 75% of U.S. cultivated turf (an area of approximately 30 million acres) (Roberts and Roberts, 1987; Vinlove and Torla, 1994).

LAWNGRASS ZONES of the UNITED STATES

Cold Winter Humid Zone

Cold Winter Arid Zone

Mild Winter Humid Zone

Transition Zone

Hot Summer Humid Zone

Hot Summer Arid Zone

Semitropical Zone

Figure 2. A traditional hay meadow where human interaction has selected for a complex ecosystem of grasses and forbs that can persist with very few inputs.

Figure 3. Lawngrass zones of the United States (Freeze, 2022). Photo Credit: Tim Freeze, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

WINSTEAD TURF MATRIX

1. What is Matrix?

• Reinforced product grown at bottom of sand based profile

• Sprigged field to insure highest percolation rates

• Ready to Play product

2. Where is it used?

• High demand athletic fields: football, soccer, baseball, softball, and rugby.

• High traffic areas: Horsetracks, goalmouths, and tournament crosswalks.

EARLY LAWNS

A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses or forbs that are maintained at a short height by mowing or grazing. Lawns may be situated in residential areas or commercial or shared public spaces. The word lawn originates from an ancient Celtic language, possibly Welsh. The Welsh word llan (pronounced ɬan, where ɬ has a slight sh sound), which is often used in compound words to describe a local place named for a saint, such as Llanbedr or St. Peter, has come to mean a cleared or enclosed area of land—perhaps around a church, business, or settlement. The common Brittonic word llan or laun came to mean an enclosure, most likely around a place of worship. Early lawns would have been used for communal gatherings and possibly grazing, although the area would have been distinct from agricultural fields. Lawns would have been composed of mixed grasses and forbs that were endemic to the area.

Lawns are frequently attributed to European origins, but their purposes (e.g., communal gatherings, periodic grazing, aesthetics, etc.) and the ingredients to manage them (low-growing species and a suitable environment) have often coincided throughout global human history. For at least many thousands of years, humans have felled trees, grazed, and gardened their immediate surroundings. This behavior partly arose from the advent of agriculture, but also serves for defense—modern gardeners can easily relate to the struggle to keep deer or rabbits from ravaging gardens. An aesthetic preference for stately grounds certainly would have developed, but could only occur when safety, time, and labor were available. Grazing would have prevented cleared land from reverting to forest, and other, previously intangible benefits of a cultivated lawn would have been noticed.

Though they may not fit neatly within the contemporary definition of a lawn, early examples of maintained open spaces as “yards” or “lawns” are fairly commonplace the world over. They include examples like the plaza between mounds at the Cahokia complex in Illinois, where the stick-and-ball sport chunkey was played 900 years ago, and Japanese gardens that incorporated manicured grasses, mosses, and even trimmed bamboo. While not unique to Europe, most scholars agree that the modern American lawn aesthetic owes much to European origins.

Lawns existed in Europe from the Middle Ages (in the 5th through the 15th century) onward. They were rudimentary by contemporary standards, with very practical purposes—line-ofsight for defense and communication, ease of movement, production of grain crops and vegetables, grazing, and fire prevention. Those early lawns must also have created vistas and an aesthetic that evolved with European civilization.

The European lawn of the 17th and 18th centuries was a demonstration of wealth and power at some of the continent’s finest estates. The palace of Versailles’s tapis vert or green carpet—one of Europe’s first and finest garden lawns—was expanded by André Le Nôtre to two acres in the 1660s. A century later, the lawn had been cemented as an exemplar of Western Europe’s idealized built landscape. The architect Capability Brown refined the English lawn with natural or “romantic” estate settings for wealthy clientele. His landscapes featured smooth, undulating lawns running from “house to horizon,” sometimes with dammed rivers or creeks, serpentine lakes, clumps of vegetation and scatterings of trees, and a visible horizon line. These gardens often used grazed grass lawns or pastures to supplement the perception of scale within the landscape. In some instances, they used lines and texture to deceive the eye— employing concepts like false horizons using “ha-ha walls” or cleared land that sloped uphill and decreased in width as it reached a ridge.

During the late 18th century, wealthy families of the Americas began maintaining lawns. In 1780, a Shaker community near Philadelphia began commercializing lawn seed. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the first English-style garden in the United States, circa 1806.

MOWING LEADS TO MODERN LAWNS

Before the advent of mechanical mowers, manicured turfgrass required animal grazing or human-powered scythes. The term “mower” dates to the 14th century, referring to one who cuts grass with a scythe. The term may have multiple origins—Old English mawan and the Greek term amao both mean “to reap a crop.” In 1830, Edward Beard Budding based his mowing machine on a cloth-cutting cylinder used to trim the irregular nap of wool cloth. Thus, modern mowing equipment was born.

Figure 4. A reconstructed Anglo-Saxon lodging. Lawns would have been places for work, gathering, and grazing.

Figure 5: Turfgrass has transformed the aesthetic and ecology of the U.S. suburban landscape.

The Victorian era’s penchant for sport spurred revolutionary new mower designs to maintain sporting venues for golf, football, lawn bowls, lawn tennis, and cricket. In fact, the term “lawn-tennis” was coined in the 1880s.

Mowing is the most common practice performed on maintained turfgrass and is by most accounts the most important and defining maintenance operation. The obvious purpose of mowing is to reduce the height of the turf, but it also serves other purposes, including the control of undesirable vegetation (i.e., weeds) and the production of a desirable sports surface (e.g., a “true” putting surface or a target surface firmness).

The ability to mow large areas without tending livestock or toiling over a scythe revolutionized the grounds maintenance industry and sparked a revolution in landscape design. Modern lawns look far different from their early predecessors. Lawns have been a mainstay of the U.S. built environment since the mid-20th century, during which large tracts of land were converted into suburban housing, recreational areas, and commercial real estate. This trend, spurred by population growth, technological advancements, and other socioeconomic factors, led to a reliance on turfgrass as a ground cover for newly constructed outdoor spaces.

This is to say almost nothing of the parallel and synergistic developments of the golf industry, which we will explore in a future article. It also says little about the historical changes in schools of thought regarding urban infrastructure and the development of parks and neighborhoods that were spurred by successive waves of soldiers returning from overseas wars, the effects of the Spanish flu pandemic and city dwellers’ migration to the suburbs, or Depression-era spending on public projects that transformed the U.S. landscape and natural spaces in ways that are evident to this day.

In a future article, we will explore the concepts of landscape sustainability and “future-proofing” for the modern turfgrass economy. In much of the U.S. and around the world, rooftops, parking lots, busy city streets, and home lawns are replacing natural habitats. These systems have, for better and worse, changed how we interact with, build, and perceive our environment. Turf is just one result of these changes.

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Turf. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turf

Milesi, C., Running, S.W., Elvidge, C.D., Dietz, J.B., Tuttle, B.T., & Nemani, R.R. (2005). Mapping and modeling the biogeochemical cycling of turf grasses in the United States. Environmental Management. 36(3), 426-38.

Roberts, E.C., and Roberts, B.C. (1987). Lawn and Sports Turf Benefits. Pleasant Hill, TN: The Lawn Institute. 31.

Thompson, G. L., & Kao-Kniffin, J. (2017). Applying biodiversity and ecosystem function theory to turfgrass management. Crop Science, 57(S1), S-238.

Vinlove, F. K., & Torla, R. F. (1994). Comparative estimations of US home lawn area. Journal of Turfgrass Management, 1(1), 83-97.

Figure 8. 1920s and ’30s-era walking mowers on display.

Figure 7. A horse drawn reel mower.

Figure 6. An early push propelled mower with an eight-inch blade width.

If reel mowing on steep slopes is a concern, the Ventrac MR770 trim and surrounds reel mower is the right choice. With a 77” width of cut, variable speed hydraulics, standard back lapping valves, and optional roller brush kit, the Ventrac MR770 includes many features to ensure a superior finish.

Powered by the all-wheel drive Ventrac 4520 tractor equipped with dual wheels, this reel mower can be operated on hills and slopes up to 30 degrees. Go where no other reel mower can go, and leave a beautiful cut with the Ventrac MR770 reel mower.