Progress 07/01/02 to 12/31/05
Outputs
No research accomplishments since 2004 report. Project terminated early due to resignation of principal investigator.
Impacts
early termination
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Experimental plots were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, SC in the summer of 2002 to determine best management practices of six commercially available zoysiagrasses. This information will be useful for sod producers, professional lawn care companies, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents, and homeowners to overcome management issues of zoysiagrasses. The experiment will evaluate the effects of nitrogen fertility on turf quality, thatch accumulation, and disease incidence. Zoysiagrass cultivars fertilized with more than 2 lbs of N per 1000 sq. ft. per year are showing signs of thatch accumulation. Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass variety trials sponsored by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center during the summer of 2002. The goal of these experiments is to evaluate the performance of 42 bermudagrass cultivars, 6 St. Augustinegrass
cultivars, and 20 zoysiagrass cultivars. To date, several bermudagrass cultivars show superior quality when compared to `Tifway'. A disease called dollar spot was widespread with one promising cultivars being particularly susceptible. Several St. Augustinegrass cultivars have superior cold tolerance to Floratam, and all of the experimental cultivars were superior in overall quality to the standard cultivars. Several zoysiagrass cultivars are superior to Meyer zoysiagrass in quality, color, winter color and spring green up. Susceptibility to the disease dollar spot was again a limiting factor on the quality of two zoysiagrass cultivars. Two experiments were initiated in the spring and summer of 2002 to evaluate common nitrogen fertility practices of centipedegrass in central and coastal soils. The first experiment, located at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass with 5 nitrogen fertility treatments, two iron treatments and
three soils pH treatments. Results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass requires the addition of at least one-half of a pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year to keep an acceptable appearance and density. The addition of a fall application of a chelated iron source increases the color of centipedegrass without negative effects that a fall application of nitrogen would create. The second experiment on centipedegrass fertility in central and coastal soils of South Carolina was conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. This experiment is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass in replicated plots with 9 nitrogen fertility levels ranging from 0 to 4 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. per year. This is a cooperative project with county agents from each location (2) and the principle investigator. Results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass performs best when fertilized with one-half to two pounds of nitrogen per
1000 sq. ft. per year. Plots that were fertilized above these rates were more susceptible to drought injury, and winter damage.
Impacts
Zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass are underutilized as a turf in South Carolina. These grasses are superior to centipedegrass in many ways. Centipedegrass has poor nematode, salt and wear tolerance. Mismanagement often leads to severe loss of the turfgrass stand resulting in soil erosion and increased expense to home owners and sod producers. Zoysiagrasses have excellent drought and wear tolerance, good cold, shade and salt tolerance as well as being resistant to many insects and are able to withstand mismanagement without severe loss of stands. St. Augustinegrass has excellent shade tolerance, good salt, drought and nematode tolerance, but some cultivars have poor cold tolerance. In Addition, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass require less fertilizers and water than bermudagrass, the current alternative to centipedegrass. The research being conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center will determine how to better manage centipedegrass in sandy soils as
well as which new cultivars of zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass will perform best in the central and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. Best management practices for these cultivars will be developed to minimize fertilizer and irrigation inputs reducing the negative impact on the environment caused by excessive fertilization, watering, and soil erosion from thin stands of turf. This research will also be invaluable to sod producers and the professional lawn care industry when determining which of these cultivars should be produced for commercial use and how to manage them.
Publications
- Hale, Trent C., Carlin Munnerlyn and F. Brian Smith. 2005. Fertilization of centipededgrass in central and coastal soils of South Carolina. January-February. Landscape (Official Publication of the South Carolina Landscape & Turfgrass Association).
|
Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Experimental plots were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, SC in the summer of 2002 to determine best management practices of six commercially available zoysiagrasses. This information will be useful for sod producers, professional lawn care companies, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents, and homeowners to overcome management issues of zoysiagrasses. The experiment will evaluate the effects of fertility and mowing on turf quality, thatch accumulation, and disease incidence. Zoysiagrass cultivars fertilized with more than 2 lbs of N/1000 sq. ft./year are showing signs of thatch accumulation after only one season. Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass variety trials sponsored by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center during the summer of 2002. The goal of these experiments is to evaluate the performance of 42 bermudagrass cultivars, 6
St. Augustinegrass cultivars, and 20 zoysiagrass cultivars. Several St. Augustinegrass cultivars have superior cold tolerance to Floratam. After one full year of the bermudagrass one bermudagrass cultivar has superior quality when compared to `Tifway', but as the plots mature we expect more of the experimental cultivars to grade superior to tifway. Several zoysiagrass cultivars are superior to Meyer zoysiagrass in quality, color, winter color and spring greenup. Two experiments were initiated in the spring and summer of 2002 to evaluate common nitrogen fertility practices of centipedegrass in central and coastal soils. The first experiment, located at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass with 5 nitrogen fertility treatments, two iron treatments and three soils pH treatments. Results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass requires the addition of at least one-half of a pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year
to keep an acceptable appearance and density. The addition of a fall application of a chelated iron source increases the color of centipedegrass without negative effects that a fall application of nitrogen would create. The second experiment on centipedegrass fertility in central and coastal soils of South Carolina was conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. This experiment is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass in replicated plots with 9 nitrogen fertility levels ranging from 0-4 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. per year. This is a cooperative project with county agents from each location (3) and the principle investigator. Early results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass performs best when fertilized with one-half to two pounds of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year. Plots that were fertilized above these rates were more susceptible to drought injury, required more frequent mowing, and produced excessive
growth of stolons, which did not root properly.
Impacts
Zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass are underutilized as a turf in South Carolina. These grasses are superior to centipedegrass in many ways. Centipedegrass has poor nematode, salt and wear tolerance. Mismanagement often leads to severe loss of the turfgrass stand resulting in soil erosion and increased expense to home owners and sod producers. Zoysiagrasses have excellent drought and wear tolerance, good cold, shade and salt tolerance as well as being resistant to many insects and are able to withstand mismanagement without severe loss of stands. St. Augustinegrass has excellent shade tolerance, good salt, drought and nematode tolerance, but some cultivars have poor cold tolerance. In Addition, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass require less fertilizers and water than bermudagrass, the current alternative to centipedegrass. The research being conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center will determine how to better manage centipedegrass in sandy soils as
well as which new cultivars of zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass will perform best in the central and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. Best management practices for these cultivars will be developed to minimize fertilizer and irrigation inputs reducing the negative impact on the environment caused by excessive fertilization, watering, and soil erosion from thin stands of turf. This research will also be invaluable to sod producers and the professional lawn care industry when determining which of these cultivars should be produced for commercial use and how to manage them.
Publications
- Hale, T. C. 2004. Zoysiagrass Mangement. South Crolina Turfgrass Foundation News January-March (10)1 p 2,4-5.
|
Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Experimental plots were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, SC in the summer of 2002 to determine best management practices of six commercially available zoysiagrasses. This information will be useful by sod producers, professional lawn care companies, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents, and homeowners to overcome management issues of zoysiagrasses. The experiment will evaluate the effects of fertility and mowing on turf quality, thatch accumulation, disease incidence, and concentration of naturally occurring chemicals within the leaves that are associated with resistance to insects. It is too soon to report accomplishments of this research project since they are only recently established. Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass variety trials sponsored by the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) were established at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center during the summer of 2002. The goal of
these experiments is to evaluate the performance of 42 bermudagrass cultivars, 6 St. Augustinegrass cultivars, and 20 zoysiagrass cultivars. Plots were replicated and established by seed or plugs according to establishment method. The experiments will be maintained and evaluated using NTEP standardized testing protocols, which measure turfgrass color and quality on a monthly basis. Leaf texture, spring green-up, and fall color retention are determined annually when fully established. It is too early to report the findings of these research projects since many of the plugged zoysiagrasses and bermudagrasses are not fully established. Two experiments were initiated in the spring and summer of 2002 to evaluate common nitrogen fertility practices of centipedegrass in central and coastal soils. The first experiment, located at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass with 5 nitrogen fertility treatments, two iron treatments and
three soils pH treatments. Results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass requires the addition of at least one-half of a pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year to keep an acceptable appearance and density. The addition of a fall application of a chelated iron source increases the color of centipedegrass without negative effects that a fall application of nitrogen would create. The second experiment on centipedegrass fertility in central and coastal soils of South Carolina was conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Columbia, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach. This experiment is designed to evaluate the performance of centipedegrass in replicated plots with 9 nitrogen fertility levels ranging from 0-4 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. per year. This is a cooperative project with county agents from each location (3) and the principle investigator. Early results of this experiment indicate that centipedegrass performs best when fertilized with one-half to two pounds of
nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year. Plots that were fertilized above these rates were more susceptible to drought injury, required more frequent mowing, and produced excessive growth of stolons, which did not root properly.
Impacts
Zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass are underutilized as a turf in South Carolina. These grasses are superior to centipedegrass in many ways. Centipedegrass has poor nematode, salt and wear tolerance. Mismanagement often leads to severe loss of the turfgrass stand resulting in soil erosion and increased expense to home owners and sod producers. Zoysiagrasses have excellent drought and wear tolerance, good cold, shade and salt tolerance as well as being resistant to many insects and are able to withstand mismanagement without severe loss of stands. St. Augustinegrass has excellent shade tolerance, good salt, drought and nematode tolerance, but some cultivars have poor cold tolerance. In Addition, zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass require less fertilizers and water than bermudagrass, the current alternative to centipedegrass. The research being conducted at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center will determine how to better manage centipedegrass in sandy soils as
well as which new cultivars of zoysiagrass and St. Augustinegrass will perform best in the central and coastal areas of the Southeastern United States. Best management practices for these cultivars will be developed to minimize fertilizer and irrigation inputs reducing the negative impact on the environment caused by excessive fertilization, watering, and soil erosion from thin stands of turf. This research will also be invaluable to sod producers and the professional lawn care industry when determining which of these cultivars should be produced for commercial use and how to manage them.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
|