TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT AND CULTURE IN MISSISSIPPI

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1020146
• Project Start Date: Jul 22, 2019
• Project End Date: Jun 30, 2023
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
(N/A)
MISSISSIPPI STATE,MS 39762

Performing Department
Plant & Soil Science

Non Technical Summary
Information from this research will benefit industry clientele from all aspects of turfgrass management in Mississippi, including homeowners, landscape contractors, professional lawn care operators, sod farmers, athletic field managers, golf course superintendents, and parks and recreation departments. This research will evaluate new cultivars for use in Mississippi and the Southeastern U.S. as well as how to manage some of these cultivars. The evaluation of safety on natural grass athletic fields will be improved, and in the process, athletic field safety should improve. New cultivars and species will be investigated for use as roadside and utility turf with the goal of reduced mowing. The efficacy of current soil testing processes and interpretation will be examined. Finally, carbon based fertilizers will be examined. Carbon based fertilizers have been on the market many years but now new carbon sources such as biochar are now used. The properties and potential of these new carbon sources have been researched but their effectiveness or performance when added to fertilizers has not.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	0199	1070	100%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
0199 - Soil and land, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

turfgrass

soils

athletic field

Goals / Objectives
Turfgrass Species and Cultivar EvaluationEvaluate the performance of turfgrass cultivars included in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program at Mississippi State University.Athletic Field ManagementProduce a systemic approach for the evaluation of the playing quality and safety of an athletic field. Existing methods will be used for some factors, and methods may need to be developed for parameters such as traction.Evaluate the effects of mowing height and mowing-height systems on the canopy and root architecture of bermudagrass athletic-field turf and relate this to playability, player safety, and economic feasibility.Roadside Turf ManagementEvaluate turf species and cultivars for establishment and performance on Mississippi roadsides and develop cultural strategies for establishing low-growing turfgrasses on roadsides.Re-examining Soil Test Recommendations for Turf a. Study current soil test recommendations for turf and see if they are valid and need to be adjusted to better reflect greening response and not a yield response. If recalibration is needed conduct the experiments needed to recalibrate soil test recommendations.5. Evaluating Carbon Based Fertilizers for Turfa. Determine the effects of carbon based fertilizers beyond their fertilizer effects. Assess whether the added benefits from carbon are measureable.

Project Methods
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS, RESEARCH METHODS, AND PROCEDURES Turfgrass Species and Cultivar EvaluationsSeed or plant material for NTEP evaluations was assembled at the NTEP headquarters in Beltsville, MD and distributed to each test site. Bermudagrass and zoysiagrass will be established from seed or vegetative plugs. St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum will be established from plugs only. Tall fescue was established from seed in fall 2012.Bermudagrass and warm season grass putting green evaluations are currently being established.Each of these experiments will utilize a randomized complete block design with three replications. NTEP guidelines require monthly rating of turf quality and yearly rating of spring green-up and genetic color. The warm season greens test will also require data on playability and the effects of different cultural practices on playability.Data collected during each year is compiled and transferred to NTEP for production of annual progress report.There may be a potential for ancillary tests or other tests on these plots as more observations are made.Athletic Field ManagementPlots of popular bermudagrass cultivars, including but not limited to Tifway, TifTufÔ, Lattidue 36Ô, Tahoma 31Ô, North BridgeÔ, and CelebrationÔ bermudagrass, will be established at MSU's R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center. The plots will be arranged in large blocks so that the cultivars will serve as one of the factors in strip plot or split plot experimental designs. These designs are best analyzed using the PROC MIXED and NLMIXED in SAS. The treatments used will the study the effects of traffic (Brinkman traffic simulator) and recovery from traffic. As part of the recovery phase of the experiment, the effects of moisture levels and aerification will be studied. A weighted, cleated shoe is being tested as a measurement instrument for traction. The weight (5 kg) is dropped from a specified height (usually about a 30 cm) to push the shoe into the ground. The shoe is attached to a push-pull scale, and the force needed to break the shoe free from the turf is recorded.To study variability of football fields, six high school fields (and potentially six college fields) will be studied. The fields will be sampled for Clegg impact values, penetrability, and soil moisture using a Spectrum instruments WaterScout™ and pH on a 6 meter grid pattern. These data will be analyzed and maps will be developed to characterize the variability of these factors. This data will suggest how to best evaluate a field (i.e., how many samples, location of samples, etc.). The end result of this study will provide a simple, systematic approach for the evaluation of the consistency of playing qualities of an athletic field.Turf canopy and root architecture have not been extensively examined in the athletic field setting and could have a significant effect on the playing characteristics and traffic tolerance of an individual field. By manipulating the turf canopy through mowing, turf managers could enhance verdure and extend rooting depth and density. This could also lead to fuel savings if higher cutting heights are used. Currently most athletic field cutting heights are not changed much throughout the season. A management system will be developed in which fields will be mowed at lower than desired cutting heights in the off season, or while a field is being rested. The field would then be allowed to grow up the desired cutting height as the season approaches. This should allow the manager to build a canopy having more leaf biomass than if a constant cutting height had been used. It is hypothesized that rooting should also increase. Shoot density will be determined using visual and possibly digital imaging techniques. Root parameters will be determined using the WinRhizo system for root scanning.Roadside Turf ManagementTurf type tall fescue has shown great promise as a roadside species from highway 82 North, and its range may extend further south.We would like to work with MDOT to examine the range of adaptation for turf type tall fescue. These cultivars have greatly improved in density, heat, and drought tolerance over the past 20 years, particularly when compared to the traditional Kentucky 31 cultivar.Our previous work with MDOT suggests that a mower set at 6 inches would not clip these new cultivars of tall fescue.However, there are some gaps in our knowledge base for this grass.We would like to partner with MDOT to plant several variety trials around the state to see if these new turf type tall fescue plots would survive across the state. Due to NTEP trials conducted in Starkville, we know that these grasses survive in Starkville but we are unsure of the southern limit of their adaptation and their response to the poor soils likely encountered in roadside turf situations.Highway or similar construction sites would be best as this is the environment they will be planted in.Experiments will be initiated in each of MDOT's maintenance regions, testing turf type tall fescue cultivars as well as mixtures of turf type tall fescue and small legumes such as annual lespedeza and micro-clover.In addition, some plots may be split with a rate study involving oil seed radish as a nurse crop.Experiments will utilize randomized complete block designs and split plot designs where appropriate.Data collected will include species composition and percent cover over time.To be truly meaningful, these studies should run a minimum of 3 seasons.Re-examining soil test recommendations for turf We visualize this as a regional project.We will apply for NIFA funding to first have a meeting to plan a grant submission through the SCRI (Specialty Crop Research Initiative.Areas and soil types of low fertility turf will be identified and tested and fertilizers will be applied and monitored for greening response.These data will then be used to recalibrate soil test recommendations.5. Evaluating Carbon based Fertilizers for TurfCarbon based fertilizers will be field tested for their efficacy as fertilizers. In addition other soil properties such as cation exchange capacity, hydraulic conductivity, and organic carbon will be analyzed to see if the added carbon has any additional benefits in changing soil properties.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The turf industry in the southeast region of the USA, including turf managers, sod farmers, homeowners, and highway maintenance personnel. Anyone involved in the management of turfgrass. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The field plots associated with the 2019 NTEP National Bermudagrass Test, the NTEP National Warm Season Low Input Test, and the 2018 Warm Season Water Use Test were presented at our Virtual Turfgrass Field Day (September 17, 2020). The field portion of the field day were pre-recorded and the field day was done TV Talk Show Style live on Sept 17, 2020 from the MSU Extension Studio. Over 200 participants viewed our research plots that day. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Due to COVID 19 there were not a as many opportunities to present data in 2020. Results from the water repellent soils study will be presented at the American Society of Agronomy Meetings in Salt Lake City, UT in Nov, 2021. We are working on a publication from the fraze mowing study that was completed last year. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Continue to evaluate the current NTEP plot and pursue any new tests NTEP offers. 2. Continue to work on fraze mowing, rolling and traffic and analysis of turf quality. 3. Continue to pursue funding for work on carbon based fertilizers. 4. There currently are some questions about how well calibrated soil tests are. Often nutrients applied to fine turf do not produce results and end users apply end users apply unneeded fertilizer to "chase numbers". There seems to be a paucity of information on how well calibrated soil tests for turf species are. This may warrant some research.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Turfgrass Species & Cultivar Evaluation We are currently conducting 7 National Tests for the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP). This summer we finally were able to keep a cover on our rainout shelter and collect 120 days of data for the NTEP Warm Season Water Use Test. The rainout shelter was damaged in summer 2019, and then the cover was removed by high winds on December of 2019. The shelter was recovered in June of 2020 and that cover lasted 10 days before another high wind event removed it. This is a very labor intensive study when it is up and running. Plots of bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalo grass are maintained at 18 mm. Each Monday the plots are photographed using a digital camera and lightbox, the images are processes to determine the percent green over of each plot. If a plot falls below 50% green cover the plot is water that week. 8.5 mm of water is applied to the plot over a period of 3 days. This process was repeated weekly for 15 weeks. Data from 2020 will be available at www.ntep.org. Last summer 2 NTEP National Tests, the 2019 Bermudagrass Test was successfully planted at MSU on July 19 and 26, 2019. This variety trial contains 35 cultivars including 13 that were planted from seed and 22 vegetatively propagated cultivars. Plots are maintained a 2.0 inches with a mowing frequency of 2 times weekly. There are 6 experimental cultivars developed at MSU in this test. Data collected in 2020 included spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2020 will be available at www.ntep.org. The 2019 USGA/NTEP Warm Season Putting Green Test was successfully planted on July 12, 2019. This variety trial contains 3 species, including 9 bermudagrass cultivars, 6 zoysiagrass cultivars and four seashore paspalum cultivars. After establishment plots will be mowed daily at 0.15 inches. Data collected in starting in 2020 will include turf quality, green speed, and fall color retention. Data from 2020 will be available at www.ntep.org. The national low input warm season species test was established in summer. This test contains cultivars of bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and buffalograss. It is maintained at a mowing height of 63 mm with a rotary mower, this tests receives a minimum of inputs, only 2 lbs of N/1000 ft2 per year and only spring and fall applications of pre-emergent weed control. The plot is only watered in severe drought. The plot is rated monthly for turf quality. Also data is being gathered from the 2018 NTEP Tall Fescue Test. Plots are maintained a 2.0 inches with a mowing frequency of 1 or 2 times weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. Data is being recorded for the 2016 Seashore Paspalum test. Plots are maintained a 0.5 inches with a mowing frequency of 3 times weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. We also are maintain the 2016 St. Augustine grass test. Plots are maintained a 3.0 inches with a mowing frequency of 1 time weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. 2. Athletic Field Management Nothing to report 3. Evaluation of Soil Test Interpretation, Fertility, and Carbon based Fertilizers Turfgrass. We began some experimentation of our research putting green at the R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center to examine water repellent soils and the nature of water repellency. Carbon based fertilizers will be one of the evaluated for their effects of ameliorating water repellent soils. 4. Re-examining Soil Test Recommendation for Turfgrass Nothing to report 5. Evaluating Carbon based Fertilizers for Turf Nothing to report

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Estimates of Turf-Type Hybri Bermudagrass Base and Optimal Growth Temperatures J. McCurdy, E. J, Flournoy, B. R. Stewart, H. W. Philley, K. R. Reddy, W. Kreuser, E. H Reasor, C. M. Baldwin. 2020 Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. Vol 65:3, pp 258-266
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: An ArcGIS Pro Workflow for Small Plot Aerial Imagery. A. L. Wilber, J. D. McCurdy, J. Czarnecki, H. Dong, B. R. Stewart, , H. Dong,. 2020 American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, 2020. Virtual
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Evaluation of St. Augustinegrass Sod Grow-in Following Preemergence Herbicide Application. A. L. Wilber, J. D. McCurdy, J. Czarnecki, H. Dong, B. R. Stewart. 2020 American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, 2020. Virtual
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Things you should know about your athletic field soil: Soil texture and compaction. Barry Stewart. 2020, Sportsturf. June, 36(6). pp 14-16
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Athletic Fields in these COVID19 Times. Barry Stewart, 2020. Sportsturf, 36(6) pp. 36-37

Progress 07/22/19 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The turf industry in the southeast region of the USA, including turf managers, sod farmers, homeowners, and highway maintenance personnel. Anyone involved in the management of turfgrass. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The field plots associated with these experiments were presented at our turfgrass field day (August 22, 2019). The field day was held at MSU's Rodney Foil Plant Science Research Center (North Farm). Over 275 participants viewed our research plots that day. The fraze mowing/overseeding establishment and removal was presented at the American Society of Agronomy Meeting in November 2019. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?There will be presentations on the fraze mowing study at the national agronomy meetings in November 2019 a meeting of scientists (American Society of Agronomy). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Continue to evaluate the current NTEP plot and pursue any new tests NTEP offers. We will be establishing an NTEP drought study with a rain out shelter in spring - summer of 2018. Continue to work on fraze mowing, rolling and traffic and analysis of turf quality. Continue to pursue funding for work on carbon based fertilizers. There currently are some questions about how well calibrated soil tests are. Often nutrients applied to fine turf do not produce results and end users apply end users apply unneeded fertilizer to "chase numbers". There seems to be a paucity of information on how well calibrated soil tests for turf species are. This may warrant some research.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Turfgrass Species & Cultivar Evaluation This summer we initiated 2 NTEP National Tests. The 2019 Bermudagrass Test was successfully planted at MSU on July 19 and 26, 2019. This variety trial contains 35 cultivars including 13 that were planted from seed and 22 vegetatively propagated cultivars. Plots are maintained a 0.5 inches with a mowing frequency of 3 times weekly. Data collected in 2020 will include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2020 will be available at www.ntep.org. The 2019 USGA/NTEP Warm Season Putting Green Test was successfully planted on July 12, 2019. This variety trial contains 3 species, including 9 bermudagrass cultivars, 6 zoysiagrass cultivars and four seashore paspalum cultivars. After establishment plots will be mowed daily at 0.15 inches. Data collected in starting in 2020 will include turf quality, green speed, and fall color retention. Data from 2020 will be available at www.ntep.org and data for the 2013 - 2017 test became available this year. In addition Two NTEP tests that were initiated in summer 2018 continue to be monitored. A three your water used study using a rainout shelter was initiated as well as a low input warm season species test. Summer/fall 2018 served as the grow in for these experiments and we will begin collecting data in 2018. Also data is being gathered from the 2018 NTEP Tall Fescue Test. Plots are maintained a 2.0 inches with a mowing frequency of 1 or 2 times weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. Data is being recorded for the 2016 Seashore Paspalum test. Plots are maintained a 0.5 inches with a mowing frequency of 3 times weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. We also are maintain the 2016 St. Augustine grass test. Plots are maintained a 3.0 inches with a mowing frequency of 1 time weekly. Data collected in 2019 include spring green up, turf quality and turf color. Data from 2019 will be available at www.ntep.org. 2. Athletic Field Management We finished a project involving the practice of fraze mowing and its effects on overseeding establishment and removal in the summer of 2019. Fraze mowing is the complete removal of verdure and thatch layer and some soil. We evaluated the effects of timing, and more traditional methods of overseeding removal: let overseeding die off naturally, winter and spring herbicidal removal. We collected data on ryegrass establishment as well as the effects on the existing bermudagrass, A stand of Tifway bermudagrass mowed at 1.5 inches was overseeded after fraze mowing at 2 depths as well as a vertical mowing treatment and an untreated control. A plot of perennial ryegrass overseeded in early October will be used in March - May to evaluate fraze mowing for removal of overseeding. The plots are being evaluated visually and using normalized difference vegetation index, a cholorphyl meter. Matt Carpenter the student working on the project finished his thesis and earned an MS degree. In the upcoming year we will resume a traffic study looking at several recent bermudagrass cultivars. 3. Evaluation of Soil Test Interpretation, Fertility, and Cabonbased Fertilizers Turfgrass. Nothing to report 4. Re-examining Soil Test Recommendation for Turfgrass Nothing to report 5. Evaluating Carbon based Fertilizers for Turf Nothing to report

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Harvest Aids for Improved Bermudagrass Sod Shelf-Life and Transplantation Success. Nikolay Minaev, J. McCurdy, M. Tomasso-Peterson, B. R. Stewart, D. Chesser, and W. Lowe. 2019 American Society of Agronomy, Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, Nov. 10-13.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Fraze Mowing for Overseeding Establishment and Removal. B. R. Stewart, M. Carpenter, E. Reasor, R. Harkess and H. W. Philley, 2019 American Society of Agronomy, Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, Nov. 10-13.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Fraze mowing for overseeding establishment and removal of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) Matthew C. Carpenter. MS Thesis, Mississippi State University, December, 2019.