Progress 07/01/20 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Undergraduate and graduate students; current and future athletic team coaches, high school and collegiate athletic directors, athletic field managers, grounds maintenance personnel, golf course superintendents, lawn care professionals, landscape contractors, school boards,represented and underrepresented homeowners, lawn and landscape managers, sports field managers,industry representatives, other managers of large land holdings (Penn DOT, game lands, and military installations), turfgrass scientists, researchers, and educators attending regional, national, and international conferences/meetings for the advancement of basic and applied turfgrass science. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the current 3-month reporting period, the project scientist supervises onegraduate student, oneundergraduate student, and instructs eightcertificate students,all of whom are privy to the described research results and governing principles. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Magazine articles (products) have been disseminated to the turfgrass industry in PA, and research findings have been communicated to stakeholders through the submission of abstracts to conference proceedings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Activities related to this project include: Installation of several randomized complete block designs comprising five or more blocks will be marked out in turf-type tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass swards. Volatilization chamber installation will be initiated as described in Schlossberg et al. (2018). Numbered vials containing pre-weighed, urea-based fertilizer granules; corresponding to enhanced efficiency fertilizer treatments will be carefully applied within the chamber 'enclosure area' of a randomly-selected plot at 40 to 100 kg ha-1 N rates. Measured variables will include: zero- to three-day NH3 volatilization, weekly clipping yield, leaf N, N uptake, and fertilizer N recovery; and canopy color and density as dark green color and vegetative indices. Likewise, 18 weeks following initiation, end of study collections will include two surface soil cores from which extractable soil ammonium (NH4) and NO3, as well as crown biomass and total N content will be determined. Developing acidulent treatment guidelines: Independent field evaluations of ammonium and thiosulfate or sulfate fertilizers and/or pelletized or flowable elemental sulfur applications (0, 100, 200, or 300 kg S/ha) to calcareous Penn A-series putting greens will be initiated in Spring or Fall seasons. Measured variables will include: soil pH (by threedepth segments), soil calcium carbonate (CaCO3) equivalency (by threedepth segments), Mehlich-3 extractable nutrients, canopy color and density, desiccation injury, leaf nutrient content, root length density, and clipping yield. Results will be analyzed using stringent Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)-based strategies for identification of significant main and interactive effects. Timely dissemination of results in journal publications, trade magazines, national and regional meetings, and social media websites will facilitate science-based knowledge delivery to turfgrass managers, extension educators, and state regulators.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Many enhanced efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers are currently marketed to turfgrass andlawn care professionals. Commercial characterization of efficiency enhancements are often too general to be truly meaningful. Likewise, golf course superintendents apply foliar N to putting greens so frequently and at such low rates that distinguishing varying product performace smacks both unrewarding and impossible. Field research (performed under uniform conditions) quantified temporal nutrient recovery or loss of Petroleum Derived Spray-Oil (PDSO) and/or conventional or enhanced efficiency urea-based N fertilizer product spray applications. Specifically, when warm anddry conditions prevail for 24-h following 7.32 kg N ha-1 foliar applications, 4.6% of the N applied as conventional urea is lost as ammonia (NH3). However, when that same application of conventional urea-N is made in combination with 27 L ha-1 PDSO, only 2.3% of the urea-N is volatilized. Likewise, plant recovery of applied conventional urea-N, 10-d following, amounts to 42%; while plant recovery of equal rates of applied enhanced efficiency urea-N (urea+0.1% NBPT+4% DCD), conventinal urea+PDSO, orenhanced efficiency urea-N (urea+0.1% NBPT+4% DCD)+PDSO amounts to 85%, 79%, or 71%, respectively,urea-N recovery 10-d following. This info facilitates effective selection anduse by golf course superintendents andlawn care professionals.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Schlossberg, M.J. 2020. Consider the Source: How & Why Tissue Testing Delivers. Pennsylvania Turfgrass 9(4):12,14-15.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Leiby, N.L. & M.J. Schlossberg. Programmatic vs. Responsive Phosphorus Fertilization Strategies for Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens. Agron.
Abr.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Leiby, N.L. & M.J. Schlossberg. Golf Course Turfgrass Response to and Recovery of Foliar N As Influenced By Civitas Turf Defense. Agron.
Abr.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Schlossberg, M.J.; N.L. Leiby; B.E. Brace; & T.J. Olexa. Spatial and Topographic Characterization of Total Soil N, S, and Organic C in the Hypo-Thatch Layer of Golf Course Fairway. Agron. Abr.
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