Results Trial 1 At trial initiation, turfgrass was dormant, and creeping bentgrass cover ranged from 15% to 19%. Turfgrass cover increased approximately 5% across all treatments each week for the next three weeks. Fertility was applied beginning on April 14, when turfgrass green cover was between 50% to 60%. One week after the initiation of cultural treatments, biostimulanttreated plots were significantly greener than increased fertility alone and the untreated plot, but not more than the treatment of increased fertility plus Primo. By six weeks after initial treatment (WAIT), all increased fertility treatments were significantly greener than the untreated, but not different from one another. At the conclusion of the trial, cover in treated plots ranged from 95% to 96%, and 90% in the untreated. Trial 2 At trial initiation, turfgrass was dormant, and percent green cover ranged from 11% to 20% across the trial area. One week after initiation of fertility, percent green tissue on treated plots ranged from 72% to 78%, whereas the untreated plot was 54%. The green was aerated to remove roughly 30% of the turfgrass canopy and topdressed heavily with sand. At 2 weeks after aeration (WAA), biostimulant plots recovered more than all other treatments. Increased fertility alone was equivalent to increased fertility plus Primo. At the conclusion of the study, approximately 8 WAA, there were no significant differences between treatments.
Trial 1. Effect of Fertility, Biostimulant & PGR on Bentgrass Recovery Following Rapid Poa Removal.
Trial 2. Bentgrass Cover as Affected by Methiozolin.
Trial 2. Bentgrass cover as affected by methiozolin.
Conclusions
The results from both of these studies suggest that increasing the fertility of a putting green to recover from rapid annual bluegrass loss or aeration is not influenced by methiozolin, and that either biostimulants or commercial fertilizers can be used to effectively speed recovery. Biostimulant programs may be advantageous compared to fertilizer in the first two to three weeks of recovery. c Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council
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