RESEARCH NEWS
MTF Dollars and sense:
why ask
why? By Thomas A. Nikolai, PhD Michigan State University
S
ir Robert Blyth Greig (23 March 1874 – 29 November 1947) was a Scottish agriculturalist that served as Chairman of the Scottish Board of Agriculture from 1921 to 1928 and was Secretary to the Department of Agriculture for all Great Britain from 1928 to 1934. Sir Robert was also an ardent golfer, rightfully proud of its Scottish origin, and therefore understandably agitated that the USGA was leading the world in turfgrass research. In February of 1929 he wrote the article, Research Work Planned in Great Britain, for an issue of Golf Illustrated (London) which advocated the benefits of research and he noted, “Times have changed, and a good player wants now to have a reasonable chance to hole a 10-foot putt, a feat which would have been pure fluke in earlier days.” That quote indicates how research can quickly benefit the game especially when one considers The Old Course at St Andrews was over 350-years old at the time. Reputable turfgrass research takes a minimum of 2-years to reproduce results that can be used for recommendations with expected outcomes. However, studies can continue for decades to determine “why” the results are produced. Knowing why can be just as important, if not more so, than the result itself. I am certain that statement is somewhat
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confusing, so let me give some examples of MTF funded research that has impacted our industry nationwide. In 1995 I initiated putting green research with the express purpose of documenting the impact lightweight rolling had on turfgrass pests. By the fall of 1996 it was apparent frequent rolling decreased localized dry spot and the disease dollar spot, so the question became, “Why the decrease in the disease”? For years numerous theories persisted but it was not until 2010 that masters student Paul Giordano found that numerous bacteria populations were increased by frequent rolling which decreases the disease that is caused by a fungus. Additionally, it is apparent the increase in bacteria is corelated with an increase in soil moisture. In 2011 Nancy Dykema initiated a 3-year masters study focused on the impact of turfgrass irrigation on disease. Nancie’s treatments included irrigation applied daily at 10 pm, applied daily at 5 am, and applied 2 times per week at 10 pm. Among her results, irrigating at 10 pm resulted in the least amount of disease and irrigating infrequently resulted in the most disease. Tying it all together, my results proved it was not only safe to frequently roll putting greens, but it was beneficial by decreasing dollar spot and localized dry spot. Paul’s research verified my findings that rolling decreased disease by increasing soil moisture holding capacity which correlated with an increase in bacteria. Nancie’s research helped verify Paul’s results because among her treatments it is clear irrigating at 10 pm daily resulted in the greatest soil moisture holding capacity which also resulted in the least amount of dollar spot.
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