Virginia Turfgrass Journal - January/February 2022

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

January/February 2022

RESEARCH

UPDATES

FROM VIRGINIA TECH PLUS

Don’t Miss

M-A-T-E

FEBRUARY 1 – 3 AND

COME TO THE BAY

F E B R U A R Y 14 – 16

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INFIELD LASER GRADING

TOP DRESSING SERVICES, ATHLETIC FIELDS, GREENS, and FAIRWAYS

PRESCRIBED FERTILIZATION SERVICES

INFIELD RENOVATION

GREENS AERATION, SOLID and HOLLOW TINE

CUSTOM PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS

VERTICUTTING / DETHATCHING with CLEANUP

AERATION, ATHLETIC FIELDS / FAIRWAYS, SOLID and HOLLOW TINE

CONTRACT BERMUDA SPRIGGING

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | January/February 2022

12 18

22 12 Upcoming Event Come to the Bay

DEPARTMENTS 6 President’s Message from Mike Skelton

18 Upcoming Event Mid-Atlantic Turfgrass Expo (M-A-T-E)

7 Turfgrass Calendar 8 Director’s Corner

22 Cover Story Research Updates from Virginia Tech

from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

8 Virginia Tech Turf Team 9 Index of Advertisers 10 VTF Report

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) 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, Virginia Turfgrass Journal, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or VTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright © 2021 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to VTC, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Virginia Turfgrass Journal allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to VTC. 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 Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064-3394, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524. Deadlines are the first of the month prior to the following month’s publication. (Example: August 1 for the September issue.)

4 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

President’s Message Virginia Turfgrass Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Office: (757) 464-1004 Fax: (757) 282-2693 vaturf@verizon.net

RECHARGE AND

RECONNECT

Michael Skelton VTC President

As

we close out another year, I would like to express my thanks to all the members of your VTC Board. During this second year of uncharted obstacles, they were undeterred in the efforts put forth to ensure your education needs were met.

Three such events earlier this year were our first Road Show back in June, the 11th Annual HRAREC Turfgrass Field Day plus Pesticide Recertification also in June and the Landscape/ Turfgrass Short Course held December. Great work making all these happen… but it doesn’t stop there.

Upcoming are the Annual VTC Conference (M-A-T-E), February 1–3 at a new location this year: at Virginia Crossings just north of Richmond. Also Come to the Bay will be held February 15–16 in Virginia Beach Both events have must-attend education programs and an opportunity for Pesticide Recertification, Pesticide Core Training and Testing, Fertilizer Certification and Recertification.

An important part of the Come to the Bay is the service project that will be held the day before the conference (February 14th) to plant 15,000 American Beach Grass plants to protect the sand dunes in Virginia Beach. Last year this project planted 6,000 plants. A big thanks goes out to Wes Bray for making this happen both last year and this year.

The Environmental Institute has been very busy as well. They took on a project to mitigate erosion and sediment loss in Petersburg. Planning for this project began back in the summer and it was completed in November. Take time to go to our website under “Environmental Institute Service Project” to see photos. Another project they took on with a sponsorship from Truegreen was the distribution of 25,000 Flowering Pollinators Seed Packets across Virginia.

I would like to make everyone aware of another educational opportunity that is in its second year. This is the Virtual Virginia Tech School of Turfgrass Ecology and Management (VT-STEM). This replaces the Virginia Tech Short Course for Turf in-person course. If this is the first time you have heard about it, be sure to put it in your calendar for next year. The current class started the week of November 7th. The intended audience is anyone desiring a refresher in turfgrass science and/or turfgrass industry employees with little to no formal turfgrass science training. The training is intended for all segments of the turfgrass industry and in year one we had representatives from golf, sports turf, lawn care, sod production, and industry sales all represented. All students that become Certified Fertilizer Applicators and pass all 13 weeks of post‐training quizzes can sit for the Certified Turfgrass Professional Exams upon completion of VT‐STEM in mid-February. All this training is now offered online.

There are 45 students in this year’s class.

I will close with wishing everyone the best for the new year. Please take time to recharge yourself and reconnect with your family and friends. We all know how demanding this industry is and how much time you spend out in the field. I hope to see all of you at our upcoming events.

Michael Skelton VTC President

PUBLISHED BY Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com VTC OFFICERS President Michael Skelton (540) 718-4133 Vice President Phil Bailey, CGCS Isle of Wight County Parks & Recreation (757) 572-1981 Secretary / Treasurer Jimmy Viars, CGM Gloucester County Public Schools (804) 815-2779 Past President Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms (540) 727-0020 VTC DIRECTORS Wes Bray Sam Burris Ray Funkhouser Tony Montgomery Bruce Sheppard T.J. Skirsky Craig Zeigler ­ VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. David McCall Ph.D. Dan Sandor, Ph.D. Cynthia Smith, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 VIRGINIA TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Brandyn Baty (757) 585-3058

6 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Turfgrass Calendar MARK YOUR CALENDAR &

SAVE THESE DATES! FEBRUARY 1 – 3, 2022

MID ATLANTIC TURF EXPO GLEN ALLEN

FEBRUARY 2, 2022

LEGISLATIVE DAY GLEN ALLEN

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY WITH

FEBRUARY 14 – 16, 2022

COME TO THE BAY VIRGINIA BEACH

Neil Jones, Territory Manager – Virginia & Eastern NC njones@buysod.com • 910-975-0002

JANUARY 17 – 20, 2022

STMA CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW SAVANNAH, GA WWW.STMA.ORG

FEBRUARY 9 – 10, 2022

GCSAA CONFERENCE SAN DIEGO, CA WWW.GCSAA.ORG Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 7

Virginia Tech Turf Team

Director’s Corner

A GREAT MISSION

Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807 askew@vt.edu

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

I

did not ask Harris Wheeler’s permission before dedicating this column to him. Just as well. He would not have given it. In a lifetime we encounter only a handful of persons like Harris who are characterized by the unique combination of a driving passion to accomplish a great mission and an intense drive to give credit to others. Such persons self sacrificially work behind the scenes and are embarrassed when the spotlight of praise shines in their direction.

Harris’ lifetime of achievements, his work with underserved youth, his plans for future ministries, and his fantastic attitude in the midst of hardships demand this dedication.

I first met Harris while he was still the Horticulture instructor at Richmond Technical Center. As a teacher, he went beyond the textbook and focused his attention and energies on encouraging inner city youth to break out of traditional ways of thinking. He led them to aspire to great futures that built on – and were not limited by – their backgrounds. Harris asked me, a stranger, permission to bring about 25 students to our Annual Conference. I do not recall any other teacher asking to bring an entire class to one of our events. Of course, I gave permission and totally enjoyed seeing Harris interacting with his students.

After retirement from Richmond Public Schools, Harris volunteered with Groundwork RVA. “Volunteer” is far too simple a term for his efforts. He founded the Richmond division of the existing national organization and served on its Board of Directors for many years.

Groundwork RVA works with inner city youth and seeks to instill in them the vision for making positive changes in Richmond and in their lives. When the need was there, Harris volunteered his own equipment for persons to use in their projects.

During the past few years, he has worked with Robert Argabright (“Mr. Bob”) at Bellemeade Park which is an outdoor educational outreach public park attached to an inner city elementary school. The purpose of the park is summed up with this statement: “Through playing in the stream and woodland, digging in the gardens, walking and biking on the trails, or just taking in the wonders of nature, our Bellemeade children and their families are becoming engaged and energized stewards of their community.”

Many of you know about the Environmental Institute’s Petersburg Service Project. That project was a fantastic partnership between Virginia State University, Emmanuel Apostolic Temple, City of Petersburg, James River Association, Keep Virginia Green, and others. A stormwater mitigation project had the unintended consequence of allowing sediment to flow from the church property into the James River. The Service Project installed a low maintenance landscape that stopped the pollution. Harris Wheeler was the person who made the project possible!

I am very privileged and honored to know and work with Mr. Harris Wheeler. And I am proud to call him a friend.

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

8 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3900 adelpozo@vt.edu Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3912 jderr@vt.edu Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D. Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-2951 goatley@vt.edu David McCall, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu Dan Sandor, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 170 Drillfield Dr. 411 Price Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9775 dsandor@vt.edu WITH SUPPORT FROM: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Agronomic Lawn Management................ 11

More than quality products, it’s partnership.

Aqua Aid Solutions................................... 13

From purchase through performance

www.FertilizerWithALM.com www.aquaaid.com

Beam Clay................................................. 33 www.beamclay.com

Buy Sod, Inc.................................................7 www.buysod.com

Rootzone, Topdressing & Specialty Sand

Carolina Green Corp............................... 25 www.cgcfields.com

Collins Wharf Sod Farm........................... 33 www.collinswharfsod.com

East Coast Sod & Seed............................. 27 www.eastcoastsod.com

Ball Field Mix & Warning Track Media

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

Golf Preservations, Inc.............................. 17 www.golfpreservations.com

Greene County Fertilizer Co.................... 25 www.greenecountyfert.com

Premium Topsoil & Structural Soil

Home Field Fertilizer / Meadowspring Turf Farm......................... 33 www.meadowspringturf.com

KWMI / K & W Products, Inc.................. 19 www.KWMIequipment.com

Landmark Turf & Native Seed.................. 21 landmarkturfandnativeseed.com

Luck Ecosystems...........................................9 www.luckecosystems.com

McGill Premium Compost............................9 www.mcgillsoilbuilder.com

Whether it’s inventory and logistics or product and application expertise, we are ready to partner with you on your next project. See why our innovative approach to engineered soils, course media, and ball field mix is the preferred choice of superintendents, sports field managers and landscape professionals in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.

Modern Turf, Inc....................................... 32 www.modernturf.com

See how we can deliver for you.

(877) 904-5825

Progressive Turf Equipment Inc................. 11

www.luckecosystems.com

www.progressiveturfequip.com

Revels Tractor Co. Inc............................... 15 www.revelstractor.com

Rock Haven Turf Specialties................. Inside Front Cover www.Facebook.com/RockHavenTurf

Scott Turf Equipment................................. 23 scottturfequipment.com

Smith Turf & Irrigation................. Back Cover www.smithturf.com

Sod Solutions...............................................5 www.sodsolutions.com

The Turf Zone............................................ 29 theturfzone.com

Weed Man................................................ 27 www.weedmanfranchise.com

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For more information go to www.mcgillsoilbuilder.com or call 919-362-1161 634 Christian Chapel Church Rd. • New Hill, NC 27562.

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 9

VTF Report

10 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 11

UPCOMING EVENT INDUSTRY SUCCESS IN VIRGINIA’S CUL-DE-SAC at

COME TO THE BAY Presented by Agronomic Landscape Management, Lawns and Gardens Plus, TruGreen and the VTC Environmental Institute

F E B R U A R Y 1 4 – 16, 2022 • O C E A N F R O N T S H E R A T O N • V I R G I N I A B E A C H For details, visit: vaturf.org/come-to-the-bay/ MONDAY, February 14

TUESDAY, February 15

The Service Project is expanding in three areas: PARTNERS, ACTIVITIES, and NUMBER OF PLANTS.

MODERATOR: Guy Mussey, Virginia Cooperative Extension INDUSTRY SUCCESS IN VIRGINIA’S CUL-DE-SAC

PARTNERS: We are working with the City of Virginia Beach, Tidewater Community College, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and others.

ACTIVITIES: After the planting, attendees will travel to the Brock Center for lunch and for presentations (by students).

PLANTS: We provided and planted 6,000 plants last year.

This year we are doing 15,000!

DATE: Monday, February 14 (yes, this is Valentine’s Day – we will be finished by early afternoon) SITE: Lynnhaven Boat Ramp and Lesner Bridge (Shore Drive in Virginia Beach)

8:00 AM

Welcome (David Trimmer, City of Virginia Beach) and VTC-EI (Wes Bray, Lawns and Gardens Plus, Ray Funkhouser, PBI Gordon, Retired)

8:30 AM

Recognizing the Good Insects (Alejandro Del Pozo, Virginia Tech)

9:00 AM

State of the Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

9:30 AM

Trees and Water: The Use of Shrubs and Trees for Riparian Purposes. Keep Waterways Free of Run Off (Joel Koci, VCE)

10:15 AM

BREAK

10:30 AM

The Elizabeth River, Its Importance to Virginia, Its Current Status, and Industry Partnerships (Barbara Gavin, Elizabeth River Project)

SCHEDULE:

8:30 AM

Gather at Lynnhaven Boat Ramp Program (Moderator – Wes Bray) Mayor Dyer, Michael Moore, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

8:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Plant 11:00 AM

We Are in This Together (Tom Tracy, VTC)

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Lunch and Program at the Brock Environmental Center

11:15 AM

Ticks (Holly Gaff, Old Dominion University)

End

12:00 PM

LUNCH

1:00 PM

CONTINUED

12 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Rochester, NY

Excalibur™ Competing Surfactant Firmness (TrueFirm)

TUESDAY, February 15 |

CONTINUED

2:15 PM

BREAK

1:00 PM

Riparian buffer maintenance needs and business Opportunities for the turfgrass and landscape industries (Sherren Hughes, CBLP and Wetlands Watch)

2:30 PM

Professional & Personal Branding for the Industry (Julie Holt, Leading Edge Communications)

1:30 PM

Identify Snakes You Encounter in Eastern VA (Meredith King, Virginia Aquarium)

3:15 PM

Legislative Issues (Tom Tracy, VTC)

3:45 PM

SOCIAL

WEDNESDAY, February 16 |

WEDNESDAY IS FREE FOR VTC MEMBERS: TWO OPTIONS

OPTION ONE

OPTION TWO

PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM)*

INDUSTRY SUCCESS IN VIRGINIA’S CUL-DE-SAC MODERATOR: Wes Bray, Lawns and Gardens Plus

ALEJANDRO DEL POZO Virginia Tech Protecting Pollinators

JEFF DERR Virginia Tech Aquatic Weeds

JEFF DERR Virginia Tech Weed Control

FRANK WALKER Master Beekeeper Honeybees

MIKE GOATLEY Virginia Tech Turfgrass Pests

BARBARA GAVIN Elizabeth River Project Pesticides out of Water

* SOME CATEGORIES STAY LONGER

PESTICIDE CERTIFICATION (8:00 AM – 2:00 PM) A letter from VDACS is needed to take pesticide exams.

CORE TRAINING TESTING

(Local VCE Agents) VDACS

(Rodney Knight) FERTILIZER RECERTIFICATION (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) KAREN CARTER, VCE – Retired

8:00 AM

Welcome

8:05 AM

The VTC Environmental Institute: A Game Changer (Wes Bray, Lawns and Gardens Plus, Ray Funkhouser, PBI Gordon, Retired)

8:15 AM

We Are in This Together (Tom Tracy, VTC)

8:30 AM

National Issues that Affect Us All (Frank Wong, Bayer)

9:15 AM

Good Housekeeping (Tara Copeland, City of Virginia Beach)

9:45 AM

Stormwater Systems (Tara Copeland, City of Virginia Beach)

10:15 AM

BREAK

10:30 AM

Special Needs – Grass Selection / Fertilizers / Mowing (Mike Goatley, Virginia Tech)

11:15 AM

Elizabeth River Project: Its History, Accomplishments, and Future (Joe Rieger, Elizabeth River Project)

11:45 AM

Incorporating Wetlands into Your BMP Systems (Shereen Hughes, CBLP and Wetlands Watch)

12:15 PM

LUNCH

1:15 PM

Turfgrass Diseases in the Cul-de-Sac (David McCall, Virginia Tech)

2:00 PM

Fertilizing Non-Turfgrass Areas (Laurie Fox, Virginia Tech)

2:30 PM

Turfgrass and Water (Adam Nichols, Virginia Tech)

3:15 PM

Are You a Beekeeper?

(Frank Walker, Master Beekeeper)

4:00 PM

END

FERTILIZER CERTIFICATION (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM) KAREN CARTER, VCE – Retired OCEANFRONT SHERATON Virginia Beach

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VATURF.ORG/EVENTS 14 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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16 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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Upcoming Event

FEBRUARY 1 – 3, 2022 VIRGINIA CROSSINGS (just north of Richmond) • 1000 Virginia Center Parkway • Glen Allen 23059 FOR HOTEL RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION, VISIT https://vaturf.org/annual-conference/

SCHEDULE NEW – Day Two is “Legislative Day” and focuses on Industry Regulatory Issues

Tuesday, February 1, 2022 EXTENSIVE VENDOR TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY • WS Connelly and Sons Innovative Research Contest • VTC Annual Business Meeting • Keynote: Brad Jakubowski, Pennsylvania State University (“Putting Weather in Your Tool Box. A Great Investment!” and “Getting the Most Out of Your Granular Fertilizers”) • Updates from Virginia Tech (Shawn Askew, Alejandro Del Pozo, Jeff Derr, David McCall) Wednesday, February 2, 2022 LEGISLATIVE DAY

• S od Growers Track (Open to All Conference Attendees)

1:00 PM – or when the rest of the classes start after lunch.

Sod Growers Keynote Speaker open to all conference attendees

Mike Baker – New Seed/Combs Ag Consultant

“Seed Money: Volatility, Costs, and Availability of Grass Seed Explained”

2:00 PM – Q&A with Mike Baker open to all conference attendees

2:30 PM – Break

3:00 PM – Virginia Sod Growers Annual Meeting VSG Members only

• Regulatory Challenges to Our Industry A Look at National Issues and the Experiences of Other States (Bob Mann, NALP and Jeff Fedorchak, TruGreen) • EPA Regulatory Update (Cameron Douglass, Office of Pest Mgt Policy)

(Visits to General Assembly will begin around 9AM, but COVID restrictions may be in place that will not allow those visits to happen)

• H-2B Status – (Karla Segundo, NALP)

• VDACS’ New Online Pesticide System (Liza Fleeson Trossbach, VDACS) • Virginia’s General Assembly Update (Virginia Agribusiness Council) • New Rules for Certified Fertilizer Applicators (Larry Nichols, VDACS) • Developing Partnerships in a Challenging Regulatory Climate (Lindsay Thompson, 24d.org ) • Partnering With Environmental Groups: Lessons from the Field (Cindy Smith)

18 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Thursday, February 3, 2022: PESTICIDE AND FERTILIZER CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION DAY

20 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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R E S E A R C H U P D AT E S F R O M

FIG. 1. Weekly number of annual bluegrass weevil adults (blue solid line) per ft2 and total number of immatures (orange dotted line) from three 2.5-inch soil core plugs recorded from a golf course in central VA during several collection dates (X-axis) in 2021.

Detecting Annual Bluegrass Weevil in Virginia Golf Courses

By Alejandro Del-Pozo Ph.D., David McCall Ph.D. and Tom Kuhar Ph.D.

A

nnual bluegrass weevil, Listonotrus maculicollis or ABW, is one of the key pests affecting short-cut bluegrass and creeping bentgrass turf on golf courses, especially at greens and tees. Previous research at Virginia Tech has already showed that ABW is present and widespread in VA. Scouting efforts during 2021 added golf course locations with ABW infestations, including sites in Virginia Beach. In fact, an active scouting program is still highly recommended for superintendents. To detect the presence of this weevil, it is suggested to use flushes with soapy water, and also collect soil core plugs to extract immatures using the salt float method.

These two videos made by Syngenta Turf, www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Zds1Z1_pYmc for soap flushes and www.youtube.com/ watch?v=4M1rEMYP388 for salt floats, provide information on how to get started and perform these two sampling procedures.

Using these traditional methods, the Turf Entomology team at VT continued to document the phenology of this pest across VA in 2021. The main commonality found from our scouting efforts indicates that adults, coming from overwintering, are highly active during the first two weeks of April, with a subsequent peak of immatures during early May (Fig. 1). However, the highest adult densities are usually found during late July to mid-August in western VA, meanwhile the peak of adult activity in central VA can be recorded during mid-July. It is imperative to know when ABW adults are present in the golf course, where local factors among areas in the Commonwealth such as weather and resident ABW population might influence its phenology. Additionally, if managing immatures, it is also important to know when small larvae will be documented. The information provided by an active scouting program in a golf course will aid to properly time insecticide applications targeting either adults, immature of both.

Since scouting with these two methods might end up being time consuming, the Turf Entomology team is exploring additional techniques for detecting ABW and its early signs for damage.

The team is using light reflectance as a proxy to determine how stressed turf could be while having an active ABW infestation under golf course conditions. Graduate student Shannon Bradley has already started collecting this spectral data from two ABW-infested golf courses in VA. So far, there is a clear and consistent difference between signatures from good-health [GH] turf plots when compared to poor-health / ABW-infested [PH] plots (Fig. 2).

From our data, stressed turf by ABW was not reflecting as much light as its healthy counterpart in the 530–570 nm range (green section of the visible light spectrum) as expected. In contrast, ABWinfested turf reflected more light in the 660–690 nm bands (red section) when compared to healthy turf. The team will be exploring up to 12 different spectral indexes, looking for one or a set of them that will highly correlate with ABW visual counts and damage scale. From the data collected in July and August 2021, there were

FIG. 2. Light reflectance profiles from good-health [GH] turf plots (black solid line) and from poor-health / ABW-infested [PH] plots (gray dotted line) collected from a golf course in central VA on July 20th, 2021.

significant differences between the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) calculated from GH vs PH plots (GH = 0.78 ± 0.01, PH = 0.70 ± 0.02; df = 9.24, t = 3.28, P = 0.0092), indicating that this index might aid to accurately discern between healthy and ABW-infested turf. The main goal for this research is to create a library of light reflectance signatures for both healthy and ABWinfested turf, targeting to detect any issue related to this pest by remote sensing and the use of drones. Ultimately, one flight of a drone could potentially provide information on the effects of multiple stressors in a golf course, including insect infestations, disease outbreaks, or water and nutrient management status.

22 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Evaluating the Interaction of Plant Growth Regulators and Lance Nematodes on Creeping Bentgrass Putting Green Health

By M. Aaron Tucker, Jon D. Eisenback, and David S. McCall, Ph.D.

The

FIGURE 1. The male (left) and female (right) lance nematode (Hoplolaimus galeatus) under magnification.

Photo credit: Jon D. Eisenback.

FIGURE 2. Suspected lance nematode damage often shows up in the clean-up lab of many creeping bentgrass putting greens. Photo credit: Aaron Tucker

lance nematode, Hopolaimus galeatus, is a plantparasitic nematode (PPN) that is commonly identified as problematic in warm-season golf course putting green samples. We have noticed an increase of high lance populations in Virginia’s cool-season putting greens with limited options of control. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are commonly used in putting green management for greater surface consistency and reduced mechanical stress. Numerous golf course superintendents who have used PGRs either currently or in the past have suggested to us that creeping bentgrass damage associated with high counts of PPN may be related. To date, there is no information available to validate or refute this relationship.

Finally, the product fluopyram is a great management option for most PPN but has little to no efficacy against lance nematodes.

Exclusive use of this product may lead to problematic populations of lance nematodes in putting greens. The objectives of this work were to determine whether the addition of fluopyram to PGR applications impact creeping bentgrass quality and how fluopyram combined with PGRs impact lance nematode populations.

A 5x2 factorial study was conducted at five locations across Virginia for 16 weeks to assess the impact of fluopyram, PGRs, and their interaction on putting green quality and nematode populations over time. The five locations consisted of Heron Ridge Golf Club (Virginia Beach), Golden Horseshoe Golf Club Gold Course (Williamsburg), The Club at Viniterra (New Kent), The Foundry Golf Club (Powhatan), and The Club at Glenmore (Keswick).

Five PGR treatments consisted of Primo Maxx (trinexapacethyl, 0.125 fl oz/1000 ft2, 14 days), Anuew (prohexadione calcium, 8 oz/acre, 14 days), Cutless (flurprimidol, 24.6 fl oz/acre, 28 days), Trimmit (paclobutrazol, 10 fl oz/acre, 42 days) and a no PGR control. Fluopyram was applied every 28 days at 0.2925 fl oz/ 1000ft2 and compared against a non-treated control. Assessments were collected every 14 days and consisted of visual estimations of creeping bentgrass quality, % phytotoxicity, and % visual damage, along with aerial image analysis. Percent phytotoxicity was

FIGURE 3. Field testing location in mid-summer immediately after core removal for nematode and root sampling. Photo credit: Travis Roberson

24 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022

measured as uniform damage across a treatment plot associated with chemical applications, and % visual damage was measured as non-uniform damage associated with plant stress or potential nematode damage. Root samples were also collected for nematode populations and root length at initiation, midseason, and final ratings.

Differences in % phytotoxicity for all treatments were significant at four of five locations on some assessment dates but were well below the acceptable damage threshold of 30%. The most commonly rated phytotoxicity was a mild regulation that many associate with improved overall quality by PGR applications. Visual damage associated with lance thinning was highly sparse in 2021 across all locations and were not different at any location.

Differences in creeping bentgrass quality were significant at one location for PGRs and fluopyram, with relative root length reduced by fluopyram at one location.

Relative change in lance populations were not different at any location from initiation to mid-season sampling.

To date, there is little evidence to suggest that applications of fluopyram with PGRs has an impact on creeping bentgrass quality or lance nematode populations. While temperatures across Virginia were roughly 3°F warmer than average in 2021, there was also adequate and timely rainfall for much of the state. Overall, the summer was relatively mild with limited reports of creeping bentgrass damage during peak stress and may have been a factor in not seeing many treatment differences in our studies. Damage caused by lance nematodes is most severe in conjunction with environmental or mechanical stress. While our data did not show an impact of the PGR/fluopyram interaction, it is worth noting that this may not always be the case with other stressors involved.

Future work will consist of more field work across years as well as greenhouse studies to validate the current work by reducing variability of lance populations through controlled experiments. We also plan to conduct a survey among Virginia golf course superintendents to understand more information about historical lance populations and PGR use on creeping bentgrass putting greens at their respective facilities. These studies are part of a larger focus within the Virginia Tech turfgrass pathology and nematology labs to gain a better understanding about the role of lance nematodes on creeping bentgrass putting green health. Please reach out to us with any feedback that you think may benefit our studies.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 25

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Evaluation of Blue Grama Cultivars as a Warm-season Option for Low Input Turfgrasses in Virginia

By Kevin Hensler, David McCall, Ph.D., Wendell Hutchens, and Mike Goatley, Ph.D.

L

arge areas of seldom used green space have been regularly maintained across recreational fields and out-of-play golf course roughs. Many have begun managing these spaces as low-input areas that are non-irrigated and rarely mowed to reduce labor costs and minimize resource inputs. Various fine fescues, cool-season cultivated turfgrasses, are the most common species used in these areas because of their growth habit. However, these grasses can struggle during prolonged periods of heat and drought stress that are common in many parts of Virginia and the MidAtlantic region. Blue grama, a warm-season, short-prairie grass native to the western U.S. ranging from Mexico to Canada has become acclimated to the western parts of Virginia.

Blue grama seedlings emerge and establish quickly, in as little as four to five days, and mature populations can survive under drought conditions more effectively than several more commonly used grasses. Growth characteristics vary widely by cultivar but some may prove to fill an important niche as a low-input alternative.

However, little is known about the survivability and growth characteristics of blue grama in Virginia, as most available literature focuses on adaptation to its native climate. Research is currently ongoing in our lab and is partially funded by the Virginia Agricultural Council (VAC#789) with support from the Virginia Turfgrass Foundation. Blue grama was chosen for further study because of its strong performance in previous studies at Virginia Tech in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

To date, our research has included field, laboratory, and controlled environment studies mostly on campus in Blacksburg but also supplemented at the Virginia Tech Research Short Course of Independence Golf Club (IGC) in Midlothian. Objectives have included cultivar evaluation, optimal seeding rate and timing, and minimal moisture needs for seedling germination.

We have evaluated five cultivars of blue grama, including ‘Alma’, ‘Bad River’, ‘BirdsEye’, ‘Hachita’, and ‘Lovington’. From what we have seen so far, we lump the varieties tested into two categories: 1) shorter grasses that could be used in seldomly trafficked in-play areas such as golf course secondary or tertiary roughs and 2) outof-play areas that receive essentially no traffic (Fig. 1). The second group of varieties could be used in recreational areas such as park and recreational facility surrounds, out-of-play areas on golf courses, and along roadsides. Each group could serve an important niche in our area with little to no inputs.

All five cultivars listed above were seeded in May, 2021 at both the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center (TRC) and at IGC. Irrigation was applied at seeding only with no additional inputs.

FIGURE 1. Above: Growth habit of Lovington (left) and BirdsEye blue grama on 09 July 2021, six weeks after planting date.

Below: Aerial view of growth habit of Lovington and BirdsEye blue grama on 20 August 2021, 12 weeks after planting date

26 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

Both groups of cultivars have fairly similar establishment timelines, with quick germination and adequate coverage within 4–6 weeks after seeding (Fig. 2). The taller varieties generally reach acceptable coverage more rapidly because of the longer leaves, though these differences are relatively minor.

At this point, blue grama seed is quite expensive to the tune of $18–20 per pound when we purchased earlier in 2021, depending on supplier and cultivar. One of our next studies was to address seeding rate requirements to reach acceptable coverage, using a representative from our two growth types. Lovington and BirdsEye were each seeded at rates of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 lbs/1000ft2 (Fig. 3).

As expected, higher seeding rates equated to more rapid establishment. Plots of Lovington seeded at 4 lbs/1000ft2 exceeded acceptable coverage (70%) within four weeks, while plots seeded at 2 and 1 lbs/1000ft2 exceeded this level within five weeks. A seeding rate of 0.5 lbs/1000ft2 took six weeks to reach acceptable coverage. Even the lowest seeding rate of 0.1 lbs/1000ft2 eventually got there, though it took 14 weeks. As with the cultivar screening, the shorter BirdsEye variety had similar establishment rates as Lovington but slightly slower.

As a warm-season grass, the logical timeframe for planting is during the summer when soil temperatures are warm. However, there is plenty of evidence to support spring and even dormant sprigging/seeding of more common grass species like bermudagrass and zoysiagrass. We conducted additional studies to determine the germination window for blue grama, with the first being under controlled conditions on a gradient table at a temperature range from 42°F to 103°F. Essentially no seed germinated at the temperature extremes, but we did see adequate germination of BirdsEye between 53°F and 92°F and of Lovington between 60°F and 92°F. We saw similar results in the field but also found that soil moisture after seeding was a limiting factor under natural conditions. Additionally, we found that planting earlier in the spring will work better than in the fall (Fig. 4). While initial germination was similar with May and September plantings, blue grama thrived as temperatures increased into summer while coverage rapidly declined in the fall as temperatures cooled.

We have learned a lot about blue grama in a short amount of time, but understand that there are many questions still unanswered. We will continue with both validation and new studies in the coming year to gain a better understanding of the uses and limitations of blue grama as a low-input, warm-season grass in Virginia.

D I G I TA L M A R K E T P L AC E

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FIG 3.

FIG 4.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 27

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Land Application of Exceptional Quality (EQ) Biosolids for Improved Soil Health and Drought Resistance of Tall Fescue Lawn

PHOTO 1. Biosolids and compost application on tall fescue.

By Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D., Mike Goatley, Ph.D., and Jon Dickerson School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

S

hortage of fresh water for turfgrass irrigation and frequent drought stress are major limiting factors for home lawns in Virginia. Exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids are engineered to be used safely in urban landscapes due to being rich in organic matter and biostimulants. This research project was to assess the effects of long-term land application of exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids on soil health and drought resistance of tall fescue lawn, and examine the quality and physiological responses of turfgrass to EQ biosolids under drought stress and post drought conditions.

The field plots for this research were initiated at the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research center in 2013 and EQ biosolids treatments were applied from 2013 through 2015 using Alexandria Renew Enterprises Biosolids, and 2016–2018 by DC Water biosolids.

Spotsylvania biosolids compost was from Spotsylvania County compost facility. We continued the research in 2021 using these same plots so that the effects of long-term EQ biosolids treatment responses in turfgrass growth, and quality, and soil health could be assessed. There were two irrigation regimes (0 evapotranspiration (ET) replacement and 80% ET replacement) and 5 biosolids-based treatments including (1) Synthetic fertilizer control, urea applied at 152 lb N/A; (2) ‘Bloom’ Biosolids blended with sand and saw dust (1.5:1:1) to supply 80% of annual plant available nitrogen (PAN) rate of 152 lb/A (BBN), 20% of PAN supplied with urea (BBN); (3) ‘Bloom’ biosolids blended with sand and sawdust to supply an annual P rate (57 lb P/A) plus supplemental urea fertilizer to also provide 152 lb PAN/A annually for the entire treatment (BBP); (4) ‘Bloom’ biosolids to supply 80% of annual PAN at 152 lb/A, and 20% of PAN supplied with urea (BLM); and (5) Spotsylvania compost to supply 80% of an annual PAN rate of 152 lb/A (SCN) and 20% PAN provided with urea (SCN).

A split plot design was used with irrigation as main plots and biosolids as subplots and 4 replications of each treatment. The treatments were applied to the mature tall fescue in June 7, 2021 at ½ loading rate (76 lb N/A) and the other ½ in September 23 (photo 1). The same treatments will be applied in 2022. Irrigation was withheld from June 15 to August 15 to induce drought stress for the grass. Irrigation resumed for grass recovery from 16 August to September 15. Soil samples were collected before the treatments were applied each year for analysis of soil nutrient levels and organic matter. In addition, soil samples were collected at the beginning, during drought stress, and at the end of turf recovery to measure soil hormone auxin levels. Turf quality and photochemical efficiency were determined biweekly from the time of drought initiation through end of recovery period each year. Leaf tissue samples were collected monthly from initiation of drought to the end of recovery period for analysis of leaf chlorophyll content, leaf proline, leaf sugar, leaf antioxidant enzymes and leaf hormone content.

PHOTO 2. Treatments effects as observed on July 13, 2021

PHOTO 3. Synthetic fertilizer control (top) and Spotsylvania compost under drought stress condition (July 13, 2021)

We observed beneficial effects of the biosolids and compost application on turf visual quality and photochemical efficiency during drought and recovery periods (photo 2). As measured at end of drought treatment (August 10), all four treatments improved turf quality relative to the control under 80% ET irrigation regime.

Under drought stress conditions (0 ET), ‘Bloom’ biosolids and Spotsylvania compost increased turf quality ratings relative to the control.

We acknowledge the Virginia Agricultural Council, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority, Lovingston Blend Compost Facility in Spotsylvania County, and the Virginia Agriculture Experiment Station for their support of this research.

28 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Using Ethylene Inhibitor and Polyamine to Extend Turf-type Tall Fescue Sod Shelf Life

By Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D., J. Michael Goatley, Ph.D. and Jon Dickerson School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

O

ne of the major concerns sod growers have is sod quality decline after harvest and during transportation. Heat accumulation due to respiration and ethylene production during sod storage cause heat injury of sod and accelerate leaf senescence, especially during summer months. A standard practice in the floriculture industry for lengthening the life of cut flowers and potted plants is postharvest treatment with the ethylene inhibitor 1-MCP; EthylBloc). However, to our knowledge, no study has been conducted to investigate the effects of 1-MCP and other compounds with ethylene inhibiting function on ethylene production, heat injury and shelf life of tall fescue sod. This study was to investigate effects of three ethylene inhibitors on extending shelf life of turf-type tall fescue sod.

The trial was conducted at Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center during summer 2020. There were eight treatments (control, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), spermidine (SPE), EthylBloc alone or in all possible combinations). A randomized block design was used with four replications. Foliar application of AVG (25 µM) and SPE (0.25 mM) alone or in combination to turf took place on June 30, 2020, 48 hours before sod harvest. Immediately prior to harvest, all individual and combination treatments containing EthylBloc were initiated by placing two bags (wetted) of EthylBloc sachet with active ingredient being the ethylene inhibitor 1-methycyclo-propene (1-MCP) (provided by Oasis Grower Solutions) in each piece of sod. The treated sod was harvested (photo 1) and placed under rainout shelter for 72 hrs and temperature and ethylene production inside each sod roll were monitored from 0 to 72 hrs (photo 2), and then the sod was transplanted into the prepared field plots for recovery test (photo 3). Turf visual quality was rated weekly on a visual scale of 1 to 9 with 9 indicating the best quality. Photochemical efficiency was measured with a chlorophyll fluorometer weekly for a period of six weeks.

At the end of the trial, the root strength was measured. The results showed that application of ethylene inhibitors reduced ethylene production in the sod roll during 72 h period from July 2 through July 5. At the end of sod storage (July 5), all ethylene inhibitor treatments except for SPE reduced ethylene concentration.

The transplanted sod experienced so called “post-transplant shock” and a reduction in turf quality in the first week after transplanting, but gradually recovered in the following weeks. We found all inhibitor treatments except for AVG, and AVG+SPE+EthylBloc improved turf quality rating when compared to the control as measured on July 20 (two weeks after transplanting). On August 5, all ethylene inhibitor treatments had higher turf quality rating than the control. The ethylene inhibitor treatments consistently improved photochemical efficiency. Application of AVG, EthylBloc, and AVG+SPE increased root strength of transplanted sod as

30 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022

PHOTO 1. The harvest of the treated sod occurred on July 2, 2020.

PHOTO 2. Temperature sensors and tubing for ethylene sample collection were placed in the center of sod roll.

PHOTO 3. Sod was transplanted on July 6, 2020.

measured on August 10. Th preliminary results of this study suggest the ethylene inhibitors could be used to extend shelf life of tall fescue sod and further study is warranted to investigate the mode of action and confirm the results.

We acknowledge the Virginia Agricultural Council, Turfgrass Producer’s International, and the Virginia Agriculture Experiment Station for their support of this research.

Non-chemical Approaches for Annual Bluegrass Control in Turf

field research trials that were conducted during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. We sought to access the efficacy for annual bluegrass control and turfgrass response from several control options that don’t rely on synthetic chemicals compared to synthetic standards (Fig. 1). Data on annual bluegrass control and turfgrass injury were collected and analyzed.

By Clebson G. Gonçalves, Postdoctoral Researcher and Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D., Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science, Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science

RESULTS

Annual bluegrass can be controlled by alternative methods such as hand removal, solarization, shading, sod replacement, flame, and boiling water. Mature annual bluegrass plants sometimes recovered from flame treatments (Fig. 2). Flame and boiling-water treatments killed all vegetation greater than or equal to the nonselective herbicide glufosinate (Fig. 3), however, tall fescue and bermudagrass recovered from flame and boiling water treatments quickly with acceptable turf cover reestablished in under four weeks. Solarization also controlled annual bluegrass, but injured perennial ryegrass and tall fescue turf greater than 95% in Virginia (Fig. 4 A and B). In Mississippi, collaborator Dr. James McCurdy noted excellent annual bluegrass control as was seen in Virginia, but little to no bermudagrass injury from solarization (Fig. 4 C).

Thus, turfgrass response to alternative methods may be speciesdependent. Hand removal and sod replacement injured all turf species the least, but solarization was also among the least injurious to bermudagrass.

In

recent years, the search for weed control options in turfgrass systems managed organically or pesticide-free has been an increasing focus of turfgrass research. For annual bluegrass (Poa annua), the problem has intensified because of resistance to many once-effective synthetic herbicides. Although there are few products and strategies that are labeled as organic options, the viability, practicality, and efficiency of these alternative strategies for weed control in turfgrass system is poorly understood.

RESEARCH

From a meta-analysis of 500 search returns via google and google scholar, we found that hand weeding, boiling water, flaming, solarization, and shading had a high likelihood of occurring in consumer searches for organic weed control options in ornamental turf. Successful demonstrations of these methods at Virginia Tech and their occurrence on the internet-search meta-analysis led to

FIG. 1. Aerial photo of the alternative weed control research trial (A), boiling-water being applied to weedy tall fescue turf (B), and flame weed control being implemented on perennial ryegrass turf (C).

FIG. 2. Effect of flaming treatment on annual bluegrass mature plants (A) and smaller plants (B).

A

A

B

B

C

FIG. 3. Tall fescue (A and B) and perennial ryegrass (C and D), subjected to flaming and boiling water treatments.

BOILING WATER A

FLAMING

B

C

D

FIG. 4. Perennial ryegrass (A), tall fescue (B), and bermudagrass (C), subjected to 8000 watts per square meter solar radiation intensified by clear plastic (“solarization treatment”) immediately after plastic has been removed. Note the light green smooth crabgrass seedlings, brown patches of controlled annual bluegrass, and dark green bermudagrass observed after plastic was removed from bermudagrass treatments.

A – Perennial Ryegrass

B – Tall Fescue

C – Bermudagrass

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 31

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Evaluating Effects of Silicon on Summer Stress Resistance in Creeping Bentgrass

2

By Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D., Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Isabel Brown, and Kelly Kosiarski School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 1

PHOTO 1. The turf quality as affected by Si treatment in creeping bentgrass under drought and heat stress conditions at the end of the trial (June 9, 2021) PHOTO 2. The root growth and viability as affected by Si treatment in creeping bentgrass under drought and heat stress condition at the end of the trial (June 9, 2021)

S

ilicon (Si) is naturally absorbed by plants from soil as monosilicic acid, Si(OH)4. Although Si is not considered to be an essential macronutrient, the content of Si in some plants can be in the range of certain macronutrients. These Si deposits are commonly found where their presence acts as a surface-area defense system (on leaf and stem hairs, and on the outer epidermal walls) which benefits plant tolerance to drought. Silicon is also considered as a biostimulant, influencing plant physiological fitness under abiotic stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate potassium silicate (provided by Harrell’s LLC, Lakeland, FL) on physiological fitness and quality of creeping bentgrass under heat and drought stress conditions.

32 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org

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Mature ‘A4’ creeping bentgrass plugs from field plots were transplanted into pots filled with a USGA sand. After one month of non-stressed growth with optimum temperature, water, fertilizer, and light, the pots were placed in a controlled environment growth chamber at 95 F day (12 h)/77 F night, light intensity at 400 µmol m-2 s-1, 12 h photoperiod, and 65% relative humidity. Drought stress was induced by deficit irrigation based on evapotranspiration (ET) replacement.

These conditions simulated summer putting green stress. The treatments included 1). Control; 2). Potassium silicate at 3 fl oz/1000 ft2; and 3). Potassium silicate at 6 fl oz/1000 ft2. A randomized block design was used with four replications. The solutions of potassium silicate product were applied to the canopy biweekly. All treatments received identical nitrogen fertilization. The trial lasted for 8 weeks.

Leaf color was rated on a visual 1-9 scale with 9 indicating dark green color and 1 indicating brown color. Photochemical efficiency (PE) was measured with a chlorophyll fluorometer (OS-50II). Leaf samples were collected biweekly for analysis of chlorophyll and antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity.

At the end of the trial, root viability was determined.

We found foliar application of potassium silicate at the highest rate (6 fl oz/ 1000 ft2) significantly improved leaf color rating. The product improved photochemical efficiency and chlorophyll content at both low and high rates. The potassium silicate increased antioxidant SOD activity relative to the control from day 28 through day 56. When measured at 56 days of stress treatment, application of potassium silicate at 6 fl oz/1000 ft2 increased leaf color rating by 7.8%, total chlorophyll content by 20.8%, and SOD activity by 42.6% relative to the fertilized control.

Application of the potassium silicate at high rate also improved root viability. The preliminary results of this study suggest the potassium silicate product may improve turfgrass persistence during summer stress by enhancing antioxidant activity, photosynthetic function, and root viability.

We acknowledge Harrell’s LLC and the Virginia Agriculture Experiment Station for their support of this research.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 33

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Can PGRs Control Goosegrass and Crabgrass in Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens?

Virginia Tech Researchers: John M. Peppers, Doctorate Student, and Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D, Professor, Turfgrass Weed Science, Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science

G

oosegrass (Eleusine indica) and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum) can be problematic weeds in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) putting greens. These weeds are problematic because they primarily grow during the summer months when creeping bentgrass is growing less vigorously. There is also a lack of selective herbicide options available to control these weeds on creeping bentgrass putting greens. Preliminary research at Auburn University indicated that the use of certain plant growth regulators (PGRs) could prevent establishment of goosegrass in creeping bentgrass putting greens (Figure 1).

OUR RESEARCH

Greenhouse trials were conducted in fall 2021 in Blacksburg, VA to evaluate the effects of PGRs on goosegrass and smooth crabgrass growth. Goosegrass and smooth crabgrass were seeded in pots containing a 1:1 native soil to sand mixture in order to simulate a putting green. Four PGRs were evaluated in this study: flurprimidol (24 fl oz/a), paclobutrazol (16 fl oz/a), trinexapacethyl (6 fl oz/a), and prohexadione-calcium (8 oz/a). Treatments were applied as either one application before weed germination or once before germination and two more applications made biweekly to simulate routine PGR use. This trial included six reps and was repeated in time. Data were plant height, plant counts, above ground plant biomass, and root biomass. All data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS 9.2.

RESEARCH RESULTS

At the conclusion of the trial, flurprimidol and paclobutrazol significantly reduced height of goosegrass and smooth crabgrass when applied either PRE-only or PRE + POST. Trinexapac-ethyl and prohexadione-calcium did not reduce height of either goosegrass or smooth crabgrass. Although no PGR statistically reduced the number of goosegrass plants that germinated in this trial, flurprimidol and paclobutrazol significantly reduced the total number of smooth crabgrass plants that germinated. Neither trinexapac-ethyl nor prohexadione-calcium reduced germination in either species. Additionally, flurprimidol and paclobutrazol reduced goosegrass and smooth crabgrass above-ground biomass while trinexapac-ethyl and prohexadione-calcium did not reduce the above-ground biomass of either species. Flurprimidol and paclobutrazol both significantly reduced the total root biomass of both species while trinexapac-ethyl and prohexadione-calcium did not (Figures 2 and 3).

Results from this trial indicate that flurprimidol and paclobutrazol can reduce the competitive ability of goosegrass and smooth crabgrass while the same was not true for trinexapac-ethyl and prohexadione-calcium. Further research is needed to determine if utilizing flurprimidol and paclobutrazol programs throughout the summer can prevent goosegrass and smooth crabgrass establishment in creeping bentgrass putting greens.

FIGURE 1. A creeping bentgrass putting green treated with a trinexapacethyl program (top) compared to a creeping bentgrass putting green treated with a flurprimidol program (bottom). The plot treated with a trinexapac-ethyl program was heavily infested with goosegrass while flurprimidol substantially reduced goosegrass populations.

Control

Paclo

TE

PC

FIGURE 2. Effects of PGR on above-ground and below-ground goosegrass plant material. Treatments are as follows from left to right: Nontreated control, flurprimidol PRE-only, flurprimidol PRE + POST, paclobutrazol PRE-only, paclobutrazol PRE + POST, trinexapac-ethyl PRE-only, trinexapac-ethyl PRE + POST, prohexadione-calcium PRE-only, prohexadione PRE + POST. FIGURE 3. Effects of PGR on above-ground and below-ground smooth crabgrass plant material. Treatments are as follows from left to right: Nontreated control, flurprimidol PRE-only, flurprimidol PRE + POST, paclobutrazol PRE-only, paclobutrazol PRE + POST, trinexapac-ethyl PRE-only, trinexapac-ethyl PRE + POST, prohexadione-calcium PRE-only, prohexadione PRE + POST.

Control

34 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022

Flur

Flur

Paclo

TE

PC

News from VTC

PETERSBURG PROJECT January 1, 2022 – PETERSBURG, Virginia – The Virginia Turfgrass Council-Environmental Institute (VTC-EI) completed the Petersburg Service Project, a partnership between Virginia State University, Emmanuel Apostolic Temple, City of Petersburg, James River Association, Keep Virginia Green, and others. Previously, a stormwater mitigation project had the unintended consequence of allowing sediment to flow from the church property into the James River. The Petersburg Service Project installed a low

ABOUT VTC-EI The Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute was founded to address a critical need in the green industry: to advocate for best practices and environmental awareness in and around the turfgrass management community. VTC-EI strives to educate decision makers about the environmental benefits of wellmanaged landscapes and demonstrate a commitment to healthier ecosystems.

maintenance landscape at Emmanuel Apostolic Temple that will greatly reduce the pollution.

The VTC-EI Petersburg Service project installed landscaping which will help reduce sediment flowing into the James River.

The importance of reducing sediment was underscored in a recent USGS report which shows the long-term suspended-sediment load in the James River is degrading.

Members of the Emmanuel Apostolic Temple and the surrounding community were engaged with the planning and installation of the project, cooperating in bringing public awareness to environmental concerns in a practical, hands-on effort.

VTC-EI was launched in 2021 with a tangible benefit to Virginia’s environment and its citizens. Their first project was the distribution of 25,000 packets of flowering pollinator seeds across the state.

A project in February brought together professionals from far and wide to plant 6,000 custom grown American Dune Beach Grass plants in the oceanfront dunes in Virginia Beach.

VTC-EI will repeat both projects in 2022, this time planting 15,000 American Beach Grass plants to protect the Chesapeake Bay. This project is part of a larger industry event focused on educating turfgrass and landscape professionals about practices to protect and preserve Virginia’s landscape and resources.

You can partner with VTC-EI by becoming a donor or sponsor.

BECOME A PARTNER With your support, we can continue to shed positive light on our industry and create new initiatives to protect and restore our environment while advocating for the allowance of best management practices used by turfgrass managers. By partnering with the VTC-EI, your organization demonstrates its commitment to a healthy environment and its support of turfgrass professionals’ ability to continue their work. You will help give turfgrass and landscape professionals a voice through legislative advocacy.

VTC-EI provides great benefits to turfgrass professionals, member companies, the industry at large and the environment. We invite you to become a supporter and be part of our unique effort to advance both the environment and the industry.

JOIN THE LIST OF DONORS AT www.vaturf.org/sponsors For specific opportunities to partner (as a business or individual) with the VTC-EI in making meaningful changes in Virginia and beyond, watch for the launch of the Environmental Partnership Program.

As a 501(c)(3) Corporation, all donations to VTC-EI are tax-exempt.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Tom Tracy at virginiaturf@gmail.com or 757-464-1004 OR VISIT US AT www.vaturf.org/environmental-institute

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 35

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