Pennsylvania Turfgrass - Spring 2019

Spring 2019 • Vol. 8/No. 2

Spikes of Death: Can Turfgrass Cultivation Effectively Control White Grubs?

Matt Neri Shares Sports Turf Insights

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Vol. 8 / No. 2 • Spring 2019

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 99 Boalsburg, PA 16827-0550 Phone: (814) 237-0767 Fax: (814) 414-3303 info@paturf.org www.paturf.org Publisher: Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge St. • Franklin, TN 37064 Phone: (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 info@leadingedge communications.com Pennsylvania Turfgrass Editor John Kaminski, Ph.D. Penn State • jek156@psu.edu

8

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Associate Editors Maria Landschoot maria.landschoot3@gmail.com Heather Welch Penn State • hgw1@psu.edu President Chase Rogan GCSAA Field Staff • Mid-Atlantic Region Allison Park, PA (614) 241-3037 Vice President Tom Fisher Wildwood Golf Club • Allison Park, PA (412) 518-8384 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Catalogna Walker Supply, Inc. (412) 897-0480

14 Features 8 Cover Story

Spikes of Death: Can Turfgrass Cultivation Effectively Control White Grubs?

14 Between the Lines

Five-Time NYPL Honoree Matt Neri Shares Sports Turf Insights

16 Research Summaries Updates on Research by Penn State’s Turf Team

4 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

Departments 6 President’s Update 6 Penn State Turf Team 7 Advertiser Index 18 Penn State News

Past President Pete Ramsey Messiah College • Mechanicsburg, PA (717) 577-5401 Directors Tom Bettle Penn State University Tanner Delvalle Penn State University Dan Douglas Reading Fightin Phils Elliott Dowling USGA Agronomist, Northeast Region Nick Huttie Muhlenberg College Shawn Kister Longwood Gardens Tim Wilk Scotch Valley Country Club Matt Wolf Penn State University

Spring 2019 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass

5

President’s Update

Penn State Turf Team

Off to a Great Start!

I

hope your 2019 is off to a great start. For those of us in PA, we have experienced a roller-coaster of winter weather, but before long we will be uplifted by the energy and burst of spring. Personally, I’m excited for the coming year and opportunity to lead the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council. The PTC is off to a great start in 2019 thanks to very successful Eastern, Northeastern and Western PA Turfgrass Conferences. Thank you to the PTC staff, volunteers and educators who have dedicated their time and expertise to ensure quality education seminars and active trade show floors.”

Secondly, thank you for being a member of the PTC. If you are not a member, I ask that you consider joining. Membership dues help sustain research, education and representation through Penn State’s Turfgrass Project – activities that are crucial to the success of the turf industry. Furthermore, the PTC distributes annual scholarships to Penn State turf students that help cultivate tomorrow’s leaders.

As a field staff representative for GCSAA, I have a front-row seat for proposed legislation and associated legal proceedings taking place all over the country surrounding pesticide and fertilizer use. It’s a hot topic. For most of us, we have used these products at some point in our careers and likely have some comfort level with their applications according to label directions. However, as opposing activism increases, please handle conversations surrounding these matters with grace and understanding. These conversations are emotionally charged for varying reasons and we will not earn any sympathy as an industry by acting aggressively in defense.

Rather, please stand up for your area of the turfgrass industry by talking about some positives – the recreational benefits, the oxygen-producing benefits, livingfilter benefits, erosion and nutrient-control benefits, and ecosystem benefits. The list goes on. If you need resources, please reach out.

As a member of the turf industry, I encourage and challenge all of us to be involved in reducing our environmental impact by adopting and employing Best Management Practices and Integrated Pest Management. Likewise, we can all do more in educating the broader public about how we use these strategies to protect the land we manage. Personally, I am involved in the turf industry because I love the game of golf. And it would really stink to lose golf because we didn’t do enough to stand up for the positives that golf and other turf applications bring to our communities at large.

As the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council strives to serve members by representing the turfgrass industry in a positive light, I offer to you the same opportunity as our member to engage in shouldering this burden.

Yours truly,

Chase Rogan, PTC President 6 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

Jeffrey A. Borger Senior Instructor in Turfgrass Weed Management 814-865-3005 • jborger@psu.edu

Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D. Professor of Plant & Soil Science 610-396-6330 • maf100@psu.edu

David R. Huff, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Genetics 814-863-9805 • drh15@psu.edu

Brad Jakubowski Instructor of Plant Science 814-865-7118 • brj8@psu.edu

John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-865-3007 • jek156@psu.edu

Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-863-1017 • pjl1@psu.edu

Ben McGraw, Ph.D. Associate Professor of

Turfgrass Entomology 814-865-1138 • bam53@psu.edu

Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D. Professor of Soil Science 814-863-1368 • asm4@psu.edu

Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 • mjs38@psu.edu

Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Management aturgeon@psu.edu

Wakar Uddin, Ph.D. Professor of Plant Pathology 814-863-4498 • wxu2@psu.edu

Advertiser Index

Aer-Core, Inc.............................................. 5 www.aer-core.com

Coombs Sod Farms.................................. 7 www.coombsfarms.com

Native grass & wildflower seed

Covermaster, Inc..................................... 15 www.covermaster.com

CoverSports USA.................................... 17 www.coversports.com

East Coast Sod & Seed.......................... 19 www.eastcoastsod.com

Ernst Conservation Seeds........................ 7 www.ernstseed.com

Fisher & Son Company, Inc...................... 3 www.fisherandson.com

FM Brown’s & Sons................................. 13 www.fmbrown.com

Forse Design Incorporated..................... 19 George E. Ley Co.................................... 19 www.gelcogolf.com

Leading Edge Communications............. 11 www.LeadingEdgeCommunications.com

Beam Clay............................................... 13 www.BEAMCLAY.com • www.PARTAC.com

Pennsylvania State University.............Inside Front Cover www.psu.edu

Progressive Turf Equipment Inc............. 12

ernstseed.com sales@ernstseed.com 800-873-3321

www.progressiveturfequip.com

Seedway.................................................. 13 www.seedway.com

Shreiner Tree Care................................... 10 www.shreinertreecare.com

Smith Seed Services................................. 7 www.smithseed.com

Tomlinson Bomberger............................. 19 www.mytombom.com

Trimax Mowing Systems.......... Back Cover www.trimaxmowers.com

Walker Supply, Inc..................................... 5 www.walkersupplyinc.com

The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (PTC) 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, Pennsylvania Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or PTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Copyright © 2019 by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council. Pennsylvania Turfgrass, is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to PTC members. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Pennsylvania Turfgrass, allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to the PTC. 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 insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge St., Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Spring 2019 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass

7

Spikes of Deat h:

Cover Story

Can Turfgrass Cultivation Effectively Control White Grubs?

By Ben McGraw, Ph.D. and Kevin Trotta

W

hite grubs, or scarab beetle larvae, may be the one common pest that plague all turfgrass systems around the globe.

Larvae feed directly on roots, which impedes water and nutrient uptake. If left unchecked, grub feeding may cause a separation of root tissue from aboveground plant material (Figure 1). This is particularly problematic on athletic fields where large populations of actively feeding grubs can create footing and other safety issues. Additionally, the mere presence of the larvae can attract predators (e.g. skunks and raccoons), which in turn may cause even more severe damage.

To avoid these issues, many turfgrass managers choose to control white grubs with preventive (prior to egg laying) or curative insecticides. However, over the last decade many municipalities, several states and Canadian provinces have limited, if not banned the use of synthetic insecticides for “cosmetic” purposes on public or school grounds.

Given the increasing public demand for less-toxic alternatives to chemical controls and the tighter governmental scrutiny placed on pesticides used in turf, the Turfgrass Entomology Laboratory at Penn State has conducted studies over the last decade to determine whether turfgrass cultivation is a viable alternative to controlling white grubs with insecticides. Grubs are present near the soil for much of the year and likely to be affected by cultivation

8 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

practices. Here we report findings from multiple field and simulation studies aimed at determining the expected levels of control provided by cultivation.

Equipment evaluation:

Preliminary field trials were initiated to determine which cultivation equipment/practices were most effective in controlling white grubs. Treatments consisted of plots cultivated with a hollow-tine aerifier (Toro ProCore® 648; 0.5" tine, 2" forward spacing; Figure 2a), a solid-tine, vibratory cultivator (First Products UA-60 Aera-vator®; Figure 2b), and a below-ground injection system (Cambridge® Liquid/Air Injection

Figure

1

System; Figure 2c). Plots were roughmown (> 1.5 inches) Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass/fine fescue mixes and arranged in a randomized complete block design. Hollow- and solid, vibratory-tine treatments were applied as either one or two passes over the replicate plot. In treatments with two passes, the second pass was conducted perpendicular to the first pass, immediately following the initial application. Cambridge injection treatments consisted of six injections per plot of either pressurized air (125– 150 PSI) or air plus a solid material (Turface®). Each treatment was replicated eight times. Grub control was

White grub larvae feeding near the soil surface

assessed by removing eight golf course cup cutter samples from plots and manually examining the soil for larvae.

Control was determined by comparing grub densities in treatments with those in the untreated controls.

All treatments caused grub mortality (as determined by visual examination following treatment prior to the trial), yet control in the trial ranged between 0 to 30% with the greatest reductions observed in hollow-tine treatments with two passes. Multiple passes with both hollow- and solid, vibratory-tine aerators resulted in slightly greater, but nonsignificant reductions compared to one pass. Both Aera-vator and injection treatments were incapable of reducing white grub densities compared to the untreated checks. Therefore, future studies were conducted solely with the Toro ProCore (solid and hollow tines).

Figure

2a

Hollow-tine aerifier (Toro ProCore 648)

Cultivator variables Tine diameter, spacing, and type The effects of tine diameter, forward spacing of tines, and tine type on white grub control was examined over a twoyear period (2009–2010). In 2009, 10 treatments, consisting of two tine types (solid, hollow), two tine diameters (3/8", 1/2"), three forward tine spacings (1.5, 2, and 3"), and their interactions were examined. In 2010, 13 treatments were examined to include larger diameter tines (1/2" solid tines, and 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4" hollow tines) in an effort to improve control.

Grub reductions in aerified plots ranged from 6 to 53% in 2009, with the greatest reductions observed in the largest diameter tine treatment (53% with a 1/2" tine). When all tine spacing treatments were pooled by tine diameter, the larger tines resulted in the greatest reductions (21 – 53%).

Though control was higher with the closer forward spacing of tines (28% – 1.5", 30% – 2", and 13% – 3"), no significant differences were found between treatments. Additionally, no significant interactions were found between tine spacing and diameter, despite the numerical trends for improved control with larger diameter

Figure

2B

Solid/vibratory-tine aerifier (First Products UA 60)

Figure

Cambridge® Liquid/Air Injection System

2C

Cover Story • continued

Figure

3

Effect of multiple passes with hollow-tine (0.5") aerifier on average white grub density (± SE). Numbers inside bars represent percent control relative to the untreated checks. Treatments with same letters over bars are not significantly different from one another

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334 South Henderson Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 610·527·3637 610·265·6004 steve@shreinertreecare.com www.shreinertreecare.com 10 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

tines and closer forward spacing. In the following trial, reductions ranged between 0 and 43%, though given the low grub densities in controls (2.2 larvae per ft2) statistical differences were not found. The combined 3/4" tine treatments resulted in the greatest reductions (19%), followed by 5/8" (6%) and 1/2" (0%). Similarly, tine spacing trended towards greater control with more surface area disruption (0% and 8% reduction, for pooled 3" and 1.5" forward spacings respectively).

No significant differences were detected between hollow- and solid-tine treatments in any of the trials.

Effects of aerification frequency Fourteen treatments were examined, consisting of three forward tine spacings (1.5, 2, and 3") at four frequencies (1, 2, 3, or 4 passes) using a 1/2" diameter hollow tine. Significant reductions were observed in both years of the study in plots that were aerified more than once (Figure 3). Low mortality was observed in 2009 trials with only one pass in (0 – 17%), yet eight of nine multiple pass treatments provided between 53 and 90% control. Two (pooled average = 65%), three (65%), or four passes (56%) significantly improved control compared to one pass and the untreated check. Spacing did not have a statistically significant effect on grub reductions, though numerical reductions were greatest with closer forward tine spacing (1.5" = 57% control, 2" = 34%, 3" = 22%).

In 2010, similar results were observed in grub reductions with two or more passes. Moderate, yet more consistent reductions were observed with one pass (37 – 46% control) when compared to the same treatments in the 2009 trial.

Four passes over the same plot significantly reduced grub densities (87% control, all forward tine spacing combined) when compared to one pass and the untreated control. However, four was not significantly different from two or three passes (64 and 63%, respectively). Over the two-year observation period, reductions ranged between 0 – 46% for one pass, 64 – 81% for two passes, 56 – 90% for three passes and 53 – 89% control for four passes.

Cover Story • continued

Table

1

Results from in-field simulation modelling of white grub control with hollow-tine cultivation machinery (0.5" tine) with different forward spacing patterns

Tine Spacing – in (cm)

Surface Area Affected (%)

Holes ft -1

Simulated Control (% ± SE) 1

Actual Control (% ± SE) 2

1.5" × 2" (3.81 × 5.08)

6.54 %

48

7.31 ± 1.38

18.51 ± 3.09

2" × 2" (5.08 × 5.08)

4.91 %

36

5.34 ± 1.27

13.53 ± 2.99

3" × 2" (7.62 × 5.08)

3.27 %

24

4.6 ± 1.22

11.66 ± 2.93

1 2

Control estimated in the 200 plots/simulations.

Control estimated in only the plots that contain grubs (79 of the 200 simulations).

12 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

In-field modeling We sought to model white grub mechanical control through in-field simulations of aerification to overcome variability associated with working with inherently patchy and low-density populations. Simulations were conducted on mixed Japanese beetle-northern masked chafer populations in roughmown turf. A 50 ft transect of turf was sod cut 1 – 2" deep and the turf was rolled back to expose grubs. Each run of the simulation involved placing one of three 1 ft2 tine templates (1/2" tine at 2" lateral × 1.5, 2 and 3" forward spacings) over the ground. Grubs were recorded as killed if any part of the insect could be seen through the holes from above. After grub mortality was recorded, the template was exchanged, and the process repeated for each 1 ft2 area in the transect. The experiment was repeated four times for a total of

200 simulations for each tine spacing pattern.

Simulated control was low when averaged across the 200 observations and closely mirrored the amount of surface area impacted by each pattern (4.6, 5.3, and 7.3% control for 3, 2 and 1.5" forward spacings) (Table 1). No significant differences were detected between the three tine patterns. A high percentage of plots did not contain grubs (60%). Removing these plots from the analysis revealed that actual control was three to four times greater (11.7, 13.5, and 18.5% control for 3, 2 and 1.5" forward spacing, respectively) which is closer to the estimated level of control observed in single aerification events in our field trials.

Conclusion Mechanical controls do not have any of the inherent issues that chemical and biological controls have, including sensitivity to timing, grub species-specific susceptibility, and inconsistency with weather and site conditions. However, controls must be efficacious and act reliably to be a viable replacement for insecticides in an aesthetic cropping system like turfgrass. We were able to demonstrate that several cultivation techniques can cause white grub mortality. However, the impact was often minimal (and variable) with single events. Common sense would dictate that increasing the amount of surface disrupted (e.g. larger tines, closer spacing) would provide greater control.

Aerification frequency was the most consistent factor in providing improved control in field trials, though these estimates were based on presence (no control)-absence (control) sampling.

Simulated aerification trials demonstrated grubs are patchy or aggregated in natural populations which likely leads to the variability in control between trials and an overestimation of control in low-density populations. Population densities were below thresholds for damage (< 10 larvae/ft2) and therefore more simulations are needed to determine not only the effect of multiple passes, but also increasing grub densities on observed control. 7 Spring 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Pennsylvania Turfgrass 13

Between the Lines

Between the Lines Five-Time NYPL Honoree Matt Neri Shares Sports Turf Insights

P

rofessional baseball sports turf management has been Matt Neri’s profession and his passion since 2002. Neri has received multiple honors in his 17-year career: he is a five-time winner of the New York-Penn League’s Groundskeeper of the Year Award for his work on Medlar Field at Lubrano Park (2006, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2018) and before that he was part of the team which achieved two Field of the Year awards with the Altoona Curve of the Eastern League at Blair County Ballpark. We asked him to share some of his professional experiences and insight on what goes into maintaining an outstanding field.

According to Neri, creating and maintaining a great field depends on three things: dedicated staff, excellent communication, and the ability to focus a strong work ethic on every detail of the job. He especially credits the great mentors he had early in his own career for giving him the tools for his success in the field of turf management. “They taught me that attention to detail is key, they helped to instill the work ethic that it takes to be great,” he says.

our continued success,” Neri acknowledges. The crew is 100% student run and works year-round. Students gain knowledge in a wide range of baseballrelated tasks, such as mound/plate maintenance, infield skin maintenance, mowing, edging, fertilization, etc.

During the spring semester, students work around their class schedules throughout the day. During the summer months, there are two fulltime internships available. Each intern is expected to learn everything that a sports turf manager does on a daily basis. The goal is to have interns prepared for life after school by the end of the summer. During the fall semester, Neri likes to put a student in charge of the turf for Penn State’s weekend practices and scrimmages. This gives him a welcome break, but more importantly, it gives the students valuable management skills that will help them moving forward. “Overall, I believe this set-up has been beneficial for the students.

It is also rewarding for me to watch them grow and move on in their own careers.”

Excellent Communications

Dedicated Staff “I am extremely fortunate to be located on the campus of one of the world’s premier turf programs. We have had some great student employees over the years, which has been the main factor in

As far as Neri is concerned, great communication skills are a must to achieve a great result. Every person involved in field maintenance must know what needs to be done and when. To ensure this, the turf manager works closely

Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization 1451 Peter’s Mountain Road Dauphin, PA 17018-9504 www.KAFMO.org Email: KAFMO@aol.com 14 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

with the coaching staff, front office staff, umpires, and players so that everything runs smoothly.

Strong Work Ethic Neri identifies two distinct traits that he feels every turf manager must have in order to excel: extreme attention to detail and extraordinary work ethic.

The long baseball season is a grind, he points out. It’s important to set daily goals and work hard each and every day to achieve them.

Because Medlar Field hosts both college and minor league baseball, there are two seasons, each with their own unique goals and challenges, to deal with. For the college season, the number one challenge is getting the field playable for the first home game in mid-March. Often during the first weeks of the season the goal is just to get the games played while also making sure the field is as safe as possible in less than ideal conditions. Once the weather starts to cooperate in April, Neri and his crew can then fine-tune their operation and get the field back up to professional standards. “We really don’t change too much for the pro season. In fact, our goals remain the same for both: always put forth the best field possible each and every day.

Of course, weather and other events can throw a wrench in those plans, but that is our ultimate goal.”

Contact: Linda Kulp, Executive Secretary Phone: 717-497-4154 kulp1451@gmail.com

Contact: Dan Douglas, President Phone: 610-375-8469 x 212 KAFMO@aol.com

Challenges When asked to go into detail on what such a “wrench in the plans” might look like, Neri immediately recalled last season’s terrible weather: “Probably the worst year I can remember in my 17 years of doing this!” His number one job above all else is to make sure that the games can take place. For a smaller-market, short-season team, it is imperative that as many games as possible are played as scheduled. There is only a small window to make a profit and each game is extremely important to the Spikes’ bottom line, so Neri is proud that his hard work and that of his crew made every Spikes game but one possible last season, in spite of ongoing adverse weather conditions.

“It was not easy, most days started and ended with pulling the tarp, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work, we overcame the wettest summer on record with only one rainout.”

Matt Neri is Sports Turf Manager for Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, where he maintains a Major League quality playing surface for the Spikes and oversees the sports turf operations for all Penn State University baseball games.

Mentorship Just as Matt Neri recalls the great mentors he had early on, he tries to pass on the same qualities to future turf managers just starting out in their careers.

“It takes attention to detail and an excellent work ethic to be great,” he emphasizes. He also urges up-and-coming

turf professionals not to become complacent. “The best advice I can give to someone starting out is to always be learning. There is only so much that can be taught in a classroom. Learn from your mistakes, learn from others.

The industry is constantly evolving — don’t get left behind!” 7

Spring 2019 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 15

Research Summaries Eggs October – June Egg Laying September – December

Spotted Lanternfly Invades Pennsylvania

Hatch and First Instar May – June

Adults July – December

Spotted Lanternfly Life Cycle

Fourth Instar July – September

By Mike Fidanza, Ph.D.

Second Instar June – July

Third Instar June – July

Illustrations by Colleen Witkowski. Source: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly

The

spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) has become an unwelcome invasive pest in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was first discovered in Berks County in 2014, and its population has increased to become a threat to agriculture, including grapes, tree-fruit, hardwoods and nurseries. This insect particularly likes the tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), which initially was planted in the U.S. as an urban street tree.

At the Center for the Agricultural Sciences and A Sustainable Environment at Penn State Berks Campus, during the

summer of 2018, entomologists from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences conducted field trials on various commercially available insecticides that could potentially control this pest on grapes and peaches. A few insecticide products may help manage this pest, but more research is planned.

For more information, refer to https://extension.psu.edu/ updated-insecticide-recommendations-for-spotted-lanternfly- on-grape. Of note, the spotted lanternfly was observed walking on creeping bentgrass test plots at Penn State Berks, but it seems they are not interested in turfgrass. 7

A National Team of Scientists Embark on a $5.7 Million Award from USDA to Address Annual Bluegrass Epidemic in Turfgrass

By John Kaminski, Ph.D.

The

most widely grown irrigated crop in the U.S. — turfgrass — is being threatened, and a team of 16 scientists across 15 universities will be finding solutions to the problem. Annual bluegrass, known as Poa annua, is the most troublesome weed of turf systems, according to a recent Weed Science Society of America survey, and this weed has grown to epidemic proportions, causing severe economic losses. Scientists across the nation will address the threat with a four-year, $5.7 million

16 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

project designed to limit the impact of annual bluegrass, the most troublesome weed of athletic, golf, lawn and sod turf.

The project is being led by Dr. Muthu Bagavathiannan at Texas A&M University. Our lab at Penn State will focus on various biological aspects of annual bluegrass and take the lead on the development of educational materials. Funding is from a Specialty Crops Research Initiative Coordinated Agricultural Project grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 7

Does phosphorus in starter fertilizer enhance tall fescue ground cover during establishment?

By Bohan Liu and Pete Landschoot, Ph.D., Dept. of Plant Science

P

hosphorus (P)-containing starter fertilizer is often recommended for establishing new turf, regardless of P levels indicated by the soil test. However, very little research has been conducted to determine the effect of P in starter fertilizer on the rate of turf establishment. Recently, we conducted a field study to determine if P in starter fertilizer enhances tall fescue ground cover and growth during establishment. Four separate experiments were conducted in late summer/fall on silt loam soil tilled with a rototiller or core aerated and vertically sliced, with soil test P levels ranging from 38 to 270 ppm. Comparisons between treatments with 1.0 lb nitrogen/1000 ft2

with no P and treatments of 1.0 lb nitrogen/1000 ft2 with P at rates typically found in starter fertilizers revealed few significant ground cover and growth improvements due to P additions.

Of 12 ground cover assessments in four experiments, we found only one instance where P additions resulted in greater tall fescue ground cover. This occurred in a rototilled soil having a low soil-test P level (38 ppm Mehlich-3 P). Results of this study indicate that groundcover and growth responses of tall fescue due to P in starter fertilizers do not appear to be solely related to soil test P levels, and other factors such as the method of establishment (tilling soil vs. core-aerating and slicing the soil surface), environmental conditions, and the N content of soil may be involved.

For more details see: Liu, B. and P. Landschoot, P.J. 2018.

Influence of phosphorus in starter fertilizer on tall fescue establishment. HortScience 53(12):1897-1906. 7

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Spring 2019 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 17

Penn State News

From left to right, Nicholas Chamberlin, Michael Roth, John Bradshaw, and Darek Eckley

Congratulations to the Fall 2018 Turf Graduates!

Congratulations to the 2018 Turf Scholarship Recipients!

Associate Degree in Turfgrass Science and Management Michael Adkins Matthew Coburn Jeffery Dorn Scott Ellsworth Aaron Fink Bruce Langston Nick O’Brien Steven Perkowski Riley Wales

Boyd Scholarship Kyle Roach

Bachelor’s Degree in Turfgrass Science Rocky Ray Braden John Bradshaw Collin Breidinger Nicholas Chamberlin Keith Ciferni Darek Eckley Carolyn Kaveney-Demartino Madison Mahute Michael Roth Christopher Sanborn Dylan Shaffer Eric Swenson Cody Trunkle John Vaughn Austin Zientek Masters of Professional Studies in Turfgrass Management Gregory Dassell 18 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Spring 2019

EH Griffith Turfgrass Management Award Billy Covert Joe Kopania Evan Vanyo George W. Hamilton Sr. Memorial Scholarship in Turfgrass Science Douglas Apple

Students Earn First Place at the STMA

C

ongratulations to the Penn State turf students who finished in first place in the 2-year division and second place in the 4-year division at the Sports Turf Managers Association Student Challenge.

The winning 2-year team included Aaron Cabanaw, Raul Iurk, Marcus Lounello and Alex Panzenhagen.

The 4-year team was made up of Nicholas Chamberlin, Alex Hendler, Ian Patterson and Seth Re.” The Challenge is held annually at the STMA Conference. Photo Credit: Alex Panzenhagen 7

Forest Randolph Memorial Scholarship in Plant Science Stephen Campbell Sam Lobaugh Alec Ratchford Jason Reinert Michael Roth Dr. James R. Watson Jr. Memorial Turfgrass Scholarship John Shupp Forest Randolph & William F. Randolph Trustee Scholarship Charles Goode Jonathan Kaschak Steven Miller Riley Morgan 7

Team #61 from Penn State wins 2019 Turf Bowl

P

enn State University’s Team #61 took first place in GCSAA’s Collegiate Turf Bowl Competition, presented in partnership with John Deere Golf. The winning team includes Ian Patterson, David Hendler, Seth Re, Nicholas Chamberlin and advisor Ben McGraw, Ph.D. 7

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www.gelcogolf.com • Irrigation Systems • Golf Course Alterations • Field Drainage

130 Devereux Road • Glenmoore, PA 19343 610-942-3809 • Fax: 610-942-9556 • Pump Stations • Vibratory Plowing • Pond Cleanout

• Trenching • Stream Bank Stabilization • Drainage on Existing Greens

Spring 2019 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass 19