Virginia Turfgrass Journal - September / October 2023

Top Turf Quality for Over a Decade

Excellent Tra c Tolerance for Sports Turf

High Brown Patch Disease Resistance & Heat Tolerance

Highly Salt Tolerant - Drought & Disease Resistance

NTEP Tested - High Performance in the Transition Zone

Great Tra c Tolerance for Sports Turf

Top 10 NTEP Performance in Multiple Locations

Grey Leaf Spot & Brown Patch Resistance

Drought & Heat Tolerant

High NTEP Performer – Tra c Stress

Enhanced Vigor – Widely Adaptable

Improved Disease Resistance

Dark Green & Dense Turf

Improved Southern Heat Performance

Cold Weather Color Retention

Rhizomatous or Spreading Type Tall Fescue

Dark Green Color – Brown Patch Resistance

Mid Atlantic High Performer

Higher Brown Patch and Heat Resistance

Finer Blade Width

Endophyte Enhanced Technology

High Performance Blend Tailored for Regional Performance

Best Brown Patch Disease Resistance & Recovery

Excellent Tra c Tolerance

Saving America’s Water

In just 7 years, over 1.5 billion square feet of TifTuf has been installed on residential and commercial landscapes, golf courses, and collegiate and professional sports fields across our country. As a result, over 46.5 billion gallons of our precious water resources have already been saved . TifTuf has absolutely changed the face of the American landscape!

www.THETURFGRASSGROUP.com

Serving Members Better

With the fall season upon us we will be finishing cool season turfgrass aeration and following through with leaf removal. Once we have completed these tasks, we will have the time to look back at our successes and identify areas where we can improve our products and services.

That is what we have done with the Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC). We have retooled how to serve members better. The first was to develop a traveling turfgrass roadshow with the Virginia Tech Turf Team and the Virginia Cooperative Extension. We will bring educational, certification, and recertification opportunities to you in your geographical area. No need for you to travel great distances to find these top-notch educational opportunities. We have established online fertilizer recertification for members and we are now offering members online pesticide recertification as well.

Please watch for updates in the November/December issue of the Virginia Turfgrass Journal that will cover the Come to the Bay Program in January. We are excited to be partnering with Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. A more hands-on approach to education will be included with this great venue.

I want to thank you all for allowing me to serve you as your President of the VTC. I am hoping to see you in January at this years’ service project at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the following Come to the Bay conference.

Respectfully,

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

PUBLISHED BY

Leading Edge Communications, LLC

206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718

Fax: (615) 794-4524

info@leadingedgecommunications.com

VTC OFFICERS

President

Phil Bailey, CGCS

Isle of Wight County Parks & Recreation (757) 572-1981

Vice President

Wes Bray Lawns & Gardens Plus (757) 422-2117

VTC DIRECTORS

Sam Burris

Jack Findling

Ray Funkhouser

Richard Linsday

Bruce Sheppard

T.J. Skirsky

Harris Wheeler, CTP

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

Phil Bailey, CGCS VTC President

Dedicated Volunteers

Our Come to the Bay conference is succeeding because of one thing: dedicated persons are working diligently behind the scenes. Long before the event begins, Phil Bailey, Wes Bray, Jeff Derr, Michael Moore, and Craig Zeigler devote hours, if not days, each month planning every detail of it.

Phil, Wes, and Craig are members of the VTC Board of Directors. Each year, they willingly add Come to the Bay responsibilities to their already full schedules. Jeff, a Virginia Tech Professor and Head of the Hampton Roads AREC (pronounced A–rec), is on our Board of Advisors. He constantly gives insights on ways to improve Come to the Bay. For instance, it was his inspiration to hold the 2024 event at the AREC.

Come to the Bay Service Projects and our connection with Virginia Beach City Public Schools happen because of Michael Moore. His city connections enabled our access to the Virginia Beach oceanfront to plant 6,000 dune stabilizing American Beachgrass plants in 2021, our first Service Project. Those same connections were critical for the next two Service Projects: (1) in 2022, we tripled the number of plants and stabilized the shoreline where the Chesapeake Bay and the Lynnhaven River meet and (2) in 2023 we rebuilt the bioswale in a highly visible environmentally sensitive spot at the Brock Environmental Center. (The local headquarters of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is in that building.) For the 2024 Service Project, Michael has us partnering with the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, and a local architectural firm to restore native plants adjacent to a reconstructed pond.

Come to the Bay improves each year because persons devote time and expertise to its success.

Now we are looking to develop a similar event in northern Virginia and the DC metro area (for simplicity, I will adopt the commonly used “NOVA” designation). We have learned from Come to the Bay. A NOVA event will only succeed if a few dedicated volunteers are willing to make it happen. We already know the target audience (industry professionals), but we need to determine the event’s purpose, location, affiliated Service Project, time of year, and an appropriate name.

Are you willing to get in on the ground floor of the NOVA event? If so, you will be joining the legacy of important individuals who keep Come to the Bay successful. Contact me and I will give you more details (email: virginiaturf@gmail.com, phone: 757-464-1004)

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

Virginia Tech Turf Team

Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech

435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807

askew@vt.edu

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

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

JACK FINDLING

Istarted in the Lawn Care Industry in 1981. I have enjoyed many segments of our Turf Care market for the last 42 years. My early years were in the residential and commercial segments of Lawn Care. I found a strong interest for the Distribution Sales Market in the early 1990’s and have enjoyed my time ever since that move. I have worked with several national footprint Distribution Companies. I currently work with Newsom Seed Inc. which is where I have been for the past 8 years.

Current Responsibilities:

Maintaining a customer-oriented sales territory. I generate new sales opportunities with problem solving turf and ornamental products. I provide regular customer contact and on-site consultation with upto-date education programming and application techniques. I maintain a strong relationship with the top manufacturing companies that help with my current responsibilities.

RICHARD LINSDAY

In1986 while attending George Mason University, MowCow founder, Richard Linsday, started Rick’s Mowing Service from his campus dorm room. Having few resources available to purchase lawn equipment, his friend let him extract broken lawnmowers from the local landfill, from which he cobbled together his first grass cutting machine. After talking to nearby neighbors about their lawn needs, he sharpened the blades, tuned the engine and hired hallmates from his dorm to provide dependable, weekly lawn service.

As clients requested more lawn and landscape services so they could spend more time with their friends and family, the company grew. “We changed company name, but never lost sight of our original goal, which was to provide ‘udderly dependable’ service to our neighbors. Today, MowCow is located only a few miles from the university, still locally owned and operated, dedicated to providing healthy lawns and landscapes for families to enjoy.”

Richard is married to Cindy, an Environmental Scientist teaching at George Mason, who trains staff in pollinator and Bay friendly practices. She serves as an advisor to VTC and to the VTC’s Environmental Institute and manages meaningful watershed education programs reaching 1000s of youth in NoVA. MowCow is a proud founder of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Businesses for the Bay.

Newsom Seed Inc. MowCow

WELCOME TO HAMPTON ROADS AREC

DR. ERIC STALLKNECHT

Greenhouse Production Specialist at Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center

“Calling Dr. Turf” TRAINING VIDEOS

Dr.

Eric Stallknecht started his faculty position at Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach on August 10, 2023. The emphasis for this position will be the commercial greenhouse industry in Virginia, conducting research benefiting producers and disseminating those results through a state-wide extension program.

Dr. Stallnecht received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Horticulture from the University of Georgia and his Doctorate in Horticulture from Michigan State University. His Master’s degree focused on flower promotion of herbaceous ornamentals and controlled environment agriculture, and his Ph.D. research focused on greenhouse crop growth and development under photovoltaic and spectral-shifting greenhouse glazing. Dr. Stallknecht’s email address is ericjs3@vt.edu and his office is located on the first floor of the research station’s main building.

TheVirginia Tech Turf Team has developed a series of concise, to-the-point training videos you can use in your company. These videos, collectively named “Calling Dr. Turf”, are freely available on YouTube. The videos detail a variety of best management practices (BMPs) in lawn care that ultimately provides great looking, healthy turfgrass. By utilizing these BMPs, your customers gain a healthy lawn and soil, and protect themselves, others, and the environment by employing simple, science-based management programs.

In one of the training videos, “In PPE and Me,” the Turf Doctors explain the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), where to find it on the label of a pesticide, and how the concept of PPE applies even to something as basic as mowing the lawn when it comes to protecting yourself, others and the environment. For safety, it’s all about the PPE.

On-Line Recertifications for VTC Members

new online renewal class for Virginia Certified Pesticide Applicators in categories 3B and 60 is just one more reason to belong to the VTC. The class is 100% online, free, and only available to VTC members.

The program is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week / 365 days of the year.

The pesticide recertification course has seven lessons: two of the lessons are videos and five of them are written material. Except for the video ones, each lesson consists of several topics. At the end of each lesson or topic is a quiz that must be taken and passed before proceeding. The lessons must be taken sequentially.

To register, email your request to virginiaturf@gmail.com . Use the words “Pesticide Course” in the subject line. You will be sent a passcode within two working days. The course consists of four lessons, each taking about 30 minutes to complete, and a final exam. All lessons must be completed within 30 days of us sending you the registration information.

Upon successfully completing the course, a certificate of completion will be sent to VDACS. A copy will be emailed to you.

FEBRUARY 20 – Harrisonburg,

FEBRUARY 21 – Fredericksburg, VA COST – INCLUDES LUNCH Free for

DETAILS AND REGISTRATION

ROAD SHOWS

Virginia Tech

Virginia Cooperative Extension Virginia Turfgrass Council

PESTICIDE CERTIFICATIONS OFFERED

Virginia: 3A, 3B, 5A, 6, 8, 10, 60 offered in each of the Road Shows

North Carolina: offered November 8 and 9 only

Tennessee: offered November 8 and 9 only

Maryland: offered February 20 and 21 only

West Virginia: offered February 20 and 21 only

DATE (check one or more)

November 8th

Chatham

February 20th

Harrisonburg

November 9th

Abingdon

February 21st Fredericksburg

PRICE (check one)

NO CHARGE for VTC Members

$50.00 for NonVTC Members

$100.00 Attend and Join the VTC

Make checks payable to Virginia Turfgrass Council and mail with this form to: P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471

Or charge to credit card:

VISA MasterCard AMEX and fax to (757) 282-2693

Card #:

Cardholder Name:

Verification Code: Expiration Date:

Please type or print clearly:

Name:

Email:

Company:

Telephone:

Fax:

Address:

City:

State: Zip Code:

Grady Miller NC State

David McCall

Shawn Askew

Dan Sandor

Becky Grubbs Bowling University of Tennessee

Mike Goatley

Alejandro Del-Pozo

Jeff Derr

2023 Landscape / Lawn Short Course

DECEMBER 5 – 7 (Tuesday – Thursday)

Belmont Recreation Center, 1600 Hilliard Road, Henrico VA 23228

DETAILS ONLINE AT WWW.VATURF.ORG

SIGN-UP FORM

The cost: $360 for members of the VTC $390 for non-members of the VTC

Join the VTC for $100 (membership good thru December 31, 2024)

SCHEDULE

Tuesday, December 5 8:00 AM –

9:30 Transition Zone Challenges: Stephanie Romelczyk, VCE

10:30 Landscaping Mistakes and Challenges: Stephanie Romelczyk, VCE

11:30 Weeds in the Landscape (Part One): Jeff Derr, VT

12:30 Lunch (Provided)

1:15 Weeds in the Landscape (Part Two): Jeff Derr, VT

2:00 Break

2:15 Insects in the Landscape: Alejandro Del-Pozo, VT

3:30 End

Wednesday, December 6

8:15 AM – 5:00 PM

11:00

12:00 Lunch (Provided)

12:45 Natives in the Landscape; DCR’s Nutrient Management Program: Anita Tuttle, DCR

You may also register and pay online at https://vaturf.org

Check MasterCard Visa American Express

Credit Card No. Sec. Code Signature Exp. Date

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS COUNCIL

P.O. Box 5989

• Virginia Beach, VA 23471

Phone: (757)464-1004 • FAX: (757)282-2693

Email: virginiaturf@gmail.com

2:00 Keep it Legal: Rules for Fertilizer, Pesticides, etc.: Gonzalo Ortiz, VT

3:00 Turfgrass Basics and Soil Basics: Mike Goatley, VT

5:00 End

Thursday, December 7

8:15 AM – 4:00 PM

8:15 Working with Environmental Groups: Tom Tracy, VTC

9:00 Horticulture Basics: TBD

10:00 Botany 101: Guy Mussey, VCE retired

12:00 Lunch (Provided)

12:45 Botany 101 (Continued): Guy Mussey, VCE retired

2:45 Pruning, Planting, and Mulching: Guy Mussey, VCE retired

4:00 End

SCHEDULE

COME TO THE BAY

January 22 – 25, 2024 VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

Come to the Bay continues to expand to meet industry needs. What started a few years ago as a two-day conference with a vision to uniquely serve the industry has expanded to four full days. In addition to a service project, industry certifications and recertifications, classes on buffers and other pertinent topics, the modified Turf and Landscape Short Course will return. That two-day Short Course, introduced last year, was tremendously popular. Look for it on the last two days of Come to the Bay.

Another first! Virginia Tech persons at the Hampton Roads AREC asked us to move the event to their location and “We have tremendous resources for hands-on training,” they said. We didn’t hesitate to accommodate their request. And thanks to SiteOne and WeedMan, we will have a large tent available to handle the expected crowd. Lawns and Gardens Plus is providing one of the lunches and Agronomic Lawn Management is once again a Primary Sponsor.

Other sponsorships are still available. For details, go to www.vaturf.org/come-to-the-bay

MONDAY, JANUARY 22

Service Project

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23

Industry Specific Classes

Pesticide Certification and Exam

Fertilizer Certification and Exam

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24

Pesticide Recertification

Fertilizer Recertification

Modified Turf and Landscape

Short Course (Day 1 of 2)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25

Modified Turf and Landscape

Short Course (Day 2 of 2)

Years ago, LSU decided to move to Celebration® Bermudagrass across its sports facilities. Over the years, the athletic grounds staff has installed Celebration on the soccer, softball, baseball, practice fields and the crown jewel, football’s Tiger Stadium. Across the maintenance spectrum for Celebration, the LSU grounds staff have been innovators. They continue to produce a championship product year in and year out.

“For us at LSU, all the athletic fields that we compete on are all Celebration. So the (football) stadium, softball, soccer, our practice facilities, Alex Box, our baseball stadium, they’re all Celebration as well. Celebration for us just works and it’s a good fit.”

– Trevor Austin – LSU Sports Turf Manager

FOR HIRING TALENT

By Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

Many leaders seek to hire people who fit their company culture, meaning they choose candidates who share their values, style, or goals. Their theory is that these teams will be more cohesive and aligned to enable performance of key business outcomes. Unfortunately for these leaders, the science shows exactly the opposite is true.

According to a 2015 McKinsey report, diverse management teams are 35% more likely to outperform non-diverse teams in terms of financial performance. One of the reasons for this is that teams which disagree challenge each other to perform at their best. The desire for cohesiveness can in fact limit a team’s ability to obtain performance.

For managers who want to hire the best people, cultural fit may be undermining the entire hiring process. In fact, personality, behavioral, or cultural tests predict on-the-job performance only 20% of the time while giving hiring managers a false sense of security.

One way to know that hiring methods aren’t working to look at the employee turnover rate of an organization. What percentage of employees departed your organization for any reason in the past 12 months? If the answer is 9.2% or higher (the average for all construction companies), then your hiring criteria must be revaluated to outperform the competition.

The best leaders don’t look for a cultural fit, they target candidates who contribute cultural adds. These people have an identity, viewpoint, or experience which is new and unique to a team and brings a new perspective to an organization. Striving for diversity, as opposed to fit, is the best way to build a highperforming team with lower turnover.

A good talent assessment won’t reveal work styles because the best in each role achieve their results in very different ways. Save the personality and behavioral assessments for building self- and others-awareness of new hires and development. In the hiring process, an assessment of the entrepreneurial talent is what’s needed to succeed.

Finally, managers need to revisit how they interview and move to structured formats where each candidate is given the same questions and answers are scored against an objective guide. These questions should also only be around exhibited behavior in previous experiences or hypothetical situations to determine how someone would perform in a given role. When combined, these strategies dramatically reduce hiring bias and increase team talent and diversity.

If you need more help revamping your hiring process to succeed, check out the courses on GrowTheBench.com or contact us for one-on-one coaching.

Neal Glatt is the Managing Partner of GrowTheBench, an online training platform for the green industry. Connect with Neal at www.NealGlatt.com.

50th Anniversary of the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center

By Mike Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech

The2023 50th Anniversary of the Turfgrass Research Center provided the opportunity for one of the largest Field Day crowds in many years to return to Blacksburg for the two days of festivities on August 28th and 29th. The formal part of the two-day program kicked off at 3 p.m. on August 28th at the Virginia Tech Golf Course with the second annual Goatley Rules Golf tournament. This format is designed to make the players both curse and smile as they tackle the unique shot challenges presented by Goatley and the VT Turf Team at each of the VT GC’s nine holes in what is Goatley’s own version of a ‘superintendent’s revenge’ tournament. The tournament is also a great way for the golfers to meet and greet essentially every single member of the VT Turf Team that serve as the hosts at every hole. Many thanks to the Virginia Tech Recreational Sports program for giving VT Turf the golf course from 3-6 p.m. on the 28th, and especially to golf superintendent Jason Ratcliff and golf professional Christine Lovrine for not only putting up with the shenanigans on the course, but for supporting them wholeheartedly! The winning team in this year’s Goatley Rules Golf challenge was Dr. Cale Bigelow, Dr. David Chalmers, Sam Green, and Adam Nichols. And what is often overlooked but is so very important for our program, the fees for the tournament generates an additional $2000 of support to be used by the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center.

After the tournament, the focus shifted to the Virginia Tech Holtzman Alumni Center where, due to the generosity of our sponsors, the Virginia Turfgrass Foundation and the VT Turfgrass Team were able to provide a happy hour and banquet for all of our out-of-town guests. Due to the generosity of our sponsors, approximately 165 people drank and dined, filling the alumni center to capacity. There were many familiar faces in the crowd from recent field days, but best of all was seeing some older faces that had not been able to make it to Blacksburg in some time, and a major reason why they were there was to visit with three very special guests: Dr. Dick Schmidt, Dr. Jack Hall, and the aforementioned Dr. David Chalmers. We also had two of our technicians that warranted quite a bit of attention since everyone knew how important they were in getting things done: Dickie Shepherd and George Stanger.

Bruce Sheppard at field day

Morgan Edwards, Chad Kropf, and Cam Shelton line up their putt for Goatley Rules Golf

Jack Hall reflects on what the industry and Virginia Tech meant to him at the 2023 VT Field Day Banquet.

Mike Goatley shows the 2023 Field Day crowd the 2019 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program bermudagrass variety trial.

PhD Candidate Navdeep Godara details pollinator protection strategies in pest management programs.

Dan Sandor details his findings with the use of bioproducts in creeping bentgrass putting green management

As a group we enjoyed a walk down memory lane with a video featuring photographs from the VT turfgrass program from its inception in the 1950s to present day, but with special emphasis on the field days and activities at the Turfgrass Research Center since its founding in the early 70s. We celebrated those that are no longer with us (of the VT faculty and staff, there were numerous images displayed and personal tributes that I overheard of men such as John Shoulders, Houston Couch, Wayne Bingham, A.J. Powell Jr., Linc Taylor, Tommy Davis, Rod Youngman, and Charlie McCoy), as well as many of our graduate students (several of which returned to Blacksburg for the event) and a few others whose schedules did not allow them to make it to campus at this time (Erik Ervin and David McKissack). But most of all, it really was great to have the alums of all ages from our undergraduate program return to campus to visit with Dick, Jack, and Dave, and then stick around to see the exciting research programs of the current VT faculty, staff, and graduate students. Turfgrass alum Mike Johnson closed the eve-

SPES Director Mike Evans welcomes 50th Anniversary Field Day 2023 Visitors

ning by honoring Schmidt, Hall, and Chalmers by presenting each of them with a framed print of Smyth Hall.

The Research Field Day events of August 29th kicked off at 7 a.m. with the arrival of our vendors setting up just outside of the Schmidt Pavilion at the TRC. It was the first time we have actively solicited and promoted a vendor component for Field Day in several years and given the success of this year’s program, we will definitely be doing it again and hopefully expanding it in its value to both our attendees and vendors alike in the future. At 8:45 a.m. we had a welcome from the Director of the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Dr. Mike Evans, and at 9 a.m. a crowd of over 175 turfgrass professionals from all industry segments dispersed into one of three tour groups (Golf Turf, Sports Turf, Lawn/Sod Production) for a walking tour of the TRC research trials. The groups saw first-hand the research plots, the technologies being evaluated, and got to meet in person the rising young stars of the turfgrass program in our graduate students.

Built.

Turf Grass Production Mowers

Contour / Rough Finishing Mowers

Sports field, Park and Estate Mowers

Shawn Askew details the possibilities of cryogenic weed control using liquid air.

There will always be plenty of things to see at Field Day with standard performance trials on cultivars, chemistries, and maintenance strategies, but some of the highlights of this year’s research tours were updates on the applications of precision agriculture strategies and the use of spray drones in turfgrass systems, continued improvements in the understanding of pollinator protection strategies from the application of pesticides, and for the first time in 2023, the potential for using lasers in turfgrass weed control. After completion of the field tours, the new Virginia Agriculture Experiment Station Director, Dr. Mary Burrows, gave the crowd a warm welcome and an update on Virginia Tech and Virginia agriculture during lunch. Dr. Burrows told the group that in doing her research about the value of turfgrass for the state of Virginia, she was taken aback by the scope of its economic impact, a point that seems to fly under the radar for many.

I offer my personal thanks in particular to Brandyn Baty, CD Prillaman, and Jeff Everhart of the Virginia Turfgrass Foundation for all they did in the organization and delivery of so much of the event. And it remains a pleasure to partner with a fantastic team of colleagues and friends in our program such as Shawn and Whitnee Askew, Alejandro Del Pozo, Jeff Derr, Jon Dickerson, Lisa Goatley, Kevin Hensler, John Hinson, Tom Kuhar, David McCall, Adam Nichols, Travis Roberson, Dan Sandor, and Xunzhong Zhang, and all of their students who are being mentored by the very best. Thanks to all the vendors that provided the financial support to make this whole thing possible, and most especially thanks to those of you that took the time during a very busy period on your calendar to join us and celebrate 50 years of research excellence at the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center.

Hold these dates on your calendar for 2024 — August 26 – 27 — in Blacksburg! We are already meeting to discuss how to make next year’s events even bigger and better for everyone.

MFR/HQ: Greensboro, GA

Xunzhong Zhang details the findings of the long term biosolid application trial on low input tall fescue turf.

Potential Asian Jumping Worm Impact ON TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT

By

Inthe world of turf grass management, earthworms have often been considered our underground allies, contributing to nutrient cycling and soil aeration. Unfortunately, a new earthworm has arrived with the potential to turn our current beliefs upside down. The Asian jumping worm (Amynthas spp.) presents a new challenge within the realm of turfgrass management as it disrupts delicate soil ecosystems, depletes nutrients and organic matter, and populates uncontrollably. As stewards of thriving turf landscapes, understanding the nuances of this invasion is important, especially as we strive to strike a balance between ecosystem health and the demands of various turfgrass settings, including golf greens (Figure 1).

The Asian Jumping Worm Invasion

Originating in East Asia, this invader is recognized for its distinctive “jumping” behavior, a clever adaptation for predator evasion. Its ability to reshape soil ecosystems quickly sets it apart, but not in a positive way. Unlike its earthworm counterparts, the Asian jumping worm has the ability to transform soil into an environment that provides minimal benefits for turfgrass and other terrestrial life. The depletion of organic matter leads to compromised plant health, permanently altering the landscape and inadvertently opening the door to further invasive species.

Origins and Challenges

The Asian jumping worm’s journey to new regions is closely tied to pathways like horticultural trade, plant transport, and soil contamination. A key factor behind its rapid proliferation is its ability to reproduce via parthenogenesis, allowing a single worm to generate multiple generations in a single year. This adaptability and ability to thrive across diverse soil types, from organic-rich to sandy or clayey, contribute to its invasive success. Unlike its earthworm relatives that often remain within specific soil layers, Asian Jumping Worms reside closer to the surface, enabling them to swiftly colonize new areas.

Asian Jumping Worm Impact

Within the realm of turfgrass management, the Asian jumping worm’s voracious appetite for organic matter is a cause for concern. Rapid leaf litter and mulch consumption disrupts soil structure, elevating the risk of runoff and impeding plant growth. In large turf areas such as golf courses, where worm castings already present an issue with aesthetics and maintenance, worms that altogether destroy the soil could spell disaster for quality fairways and greens. There is some research suggesting these worms alter soil chemistry including the pH and carbon/nitrogen ratios. A shift in soil pH can disrupt the delicate balance required for optimal turf growth, leading to diminished nutrient availability and potential nutrient imbalances (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Counting Asian jumping worms after conducting a bioassay to conclude efficacy of various chemical treatments.

Figure 1. A graduate student from Virginia Tech holds jumping worms dug from a homeowner’s property in Floyd, VA.

Jordan Thompson, Thomas Kuhar, Ph.D. and Alejandro Del Pozo, Ph.D. Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech

Current Research and Potential Solutions

At Virginia Tech’s Department of Entomology, we are working on understanding the implications of the Asian jumping worm invasion on turfgrass environments. Through bioassays and field tests, we aim to develop a better understanding of the worm’s specific ecology as well as its effects on other soil dwelling organisms and plant life. Any solutions to managing or eliminating the worm may encompass the investigation of biological controls, the evaluation of tailored cultural practices, and chemical interventions.

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