Search Results

Decreased light quantity or quality affects the growth of turfgrass plants. Shade causes thinning of turfgrass stands and loss in surface quality. Plant changes include increased chlorophyll levels, lower soluble sugars, and loss of canopy cover. The objective of this research was to investigate if applications of foliar nitrogen and trinexapac-ethyl [4-(cyclopropyl-α-hydroxy-methylene)-3,5-dioxo-cyclohexane carboxylic acid ethyl ester] (TE) would result in beneficial biochemical changes in creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L. cv. Penncross) grown in different shaded environments. Foliar applications of three nitrogen treatments, (NH₂)₂CO, Ca(NO₃)₂, or (NH₄)₂SO₄, were made weekly at 0.43 g N/m². Growth regulator treatments consisted of an untreated control or TE applied biweekly at an a.i. rate of 0.057 kg·ha⁻¹. Plots were established in full sun (FS), neutral shade (NS), and deciduous shade (DS). Chlorophyll content, soluble carbohydrates, flavonoids, clipping yield, and color were measured. Nitrogen treatments caused some variation in levels of soluble carbohydrates in shaded conditions. Chlorophyll (Chl) levels varied between TE treatments, with increased levels of chlorophyll b (Chl b) found in TE-treated plots under FS. Application of TE resulted in higher flavonoid concentrations in leaf tissue in shaded conditions. Repeated applications of (NH₂)₂CO significantly improved color (P = 0.05). Turfgrass managers maintaining creeping bentgrass in shade may benefit from applications of TE and (NH₂)₂CO.

Spring establishment of turfgrass that is managed without herbicides is subject to weed competition, resulting in reduced turfgrass cover. The objective of this experiment was to find an acceptable method for spring turfgrass establishment without the use of pesticides. Thirty-six treatments consisting of three soil amendments combined with three turfgrass species or mixes, and four topdressings or fertilizers in a randomized complete block design were tested. Nutrient-deficient fill soil, fill soil blended with topsoil, and fill soil blended with leaf compost were used as growing media. ‘Firenza’ tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus), an 80/20 mix of ‘Nu Destiny’ kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and ‘Nexus XD’ perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), respectively, and ‘Firefly’ hard fescue (Festuca trachyphylla) were grown with topdressings consisting of biosolids, ash-amended biosolids, 16N–12.2P–3.3K starter fertilizer, and an unfertilized control. The treatments were mowed at 3 inches about once per week. Irrigation was supplied by an overhead sprinkler system (1 inch/week). During the 2010 field study, treatments of tall fescue established in a leaf compost–amended root zone were significantly denser and had a greater percentage of cover (P ≤ 0.05) compared with all other treatments. In 2011, treatments of tall fescue established in fill soil– and leaf compost–amended soils were significantly denser and had a greater percentage of cover (P ≤ 0.05) compared with all other treatments. Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass and hard fescue treatments had significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) levels of establishment compared with tall fescue. Topdressing treatments resulted in no significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) in turfgrass establishment.

Anthocyanins are plant pigments that are in demand for medicinal and industrial uses. However, anthocyanin production is limited due to the harvest potential of the species currently used as anthocyanin sources. Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis L.) is a perennial turfgrass known for accumulating anthocyanins, and may have the potential to serve as a source of anthocyanins through artificial light treatments. The objectives of this research were to determine optimal light conditions that favor anthocyanin synthesis in rough bluegrass, and to determine the suitability of rough bluegrass as a source of anthocyanins. When exposed to high-intensity white light, rough bluegrass increased anthocyanin content by 100-fold on average, and anthocyanin contents greater than 0.2% of dry tissue weight were observed in some samples. Blue light, at intensities between 150 and 250 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, was the only wavelength that increased anthocyanin content. However, when red light was applied with blue light at 30% or 50% of the total light intensity, anthocyanin content was increased compared with blue light alone. Further experiments demonstrated that these results may be potentially due to a combination of photosynthetic and photoreceptor-mediated regulation. Rough bluegrass is an attractive anthocyanin production system, since leaf tissue can be harvested while preserving meristematic tissues that allow new leaves to rapidly grow; thereby allowing multiple harvests in a single growing season and greater anthocyanin yields.

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is a turfgrass species that is widely used on golf courses throughout the United States. In field settings, plants are often subjected to more than one stress at a time, and studying stresses independently is likely insufficient. Stresses, such as heat stress and salt stress, can affect plant hormone levels and, in turn, plant hormone levels can affect how well the plant tolerates stress. The objectives of the experiments were to determine if the levels of heat stress and salt stress used would be detrimental to creeping bentgrass health, and if applying plant growth regulators could improve plant health during stress. During the first experiment, creeping bentgrass was transplanted to hydroponics systems in two different growth chambers. One chamber was set to have day and night temperatures of 35 °C and 30 °C (heat stress), respectively, and the other had day and night temperatures of 25 °C and 20 °C, respectively. Within each chamber, one block received a 50 mM NaCl treatment (salt stress) and the other did not (control). The stress treatments were applied for 14 days. Results of the first experiment indicated that the treatments were sufficient to negatively affect creeping bentgrass growth and health as indicated by fresh shoot and root weights, tillering, electrolyte leakage, and total chlorophyll content (TCC). There were significant interactions of temperature × salt level detected for shoot and root weights and electrolyte leakage. Plants that were exposed to both heat stress and salt stress were more negatively affected than plants exposed to either heat stress or salt stress alone for all metrics except for tillering. The presence of salt reduced tillering regardless of the temperature regimen. During the second experiment, plants were treated the same, but the plant growth regulator (PGR) treatments were also applied. The PGR treatments consisted of two different gibberellic acid (GA) synthesis inhibitor products, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, two different rates of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), an ethylene synthesis suppressor, and plants that were not treated with the PGR. In addition to the measurements of plant health and growth, dry shoot and root weights were measured. For the TCC, there was a two-way interaction between temperature × PGR treatment. For electrolyte leakage, there was a three-way interaction between temperature × salt level × PGR treatment. Combined heat stress and salt stress negatively affected all plants regardless of PGR treatment, but there were differences between PGR treatments. Plants treated with AVG exhibited improved health and growth compared with the other PGR treatments. These plants had the highest shoot and root masses. Plants treated with GA synthesis inhibitors had the lowest shoot and root masses as well as the lowest TCC when subjected to stress.

Turf grown in shade exhibits increased stem elongation. Dwarfism could improve turfgrass quality by reducing elongation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of GA2-oxidase (GA2ox) overexpression on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) performance under restricted light conditions and low mowing heights. Greenhouse studies were conducted at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, from 1 Sept. to 31 Oct. in both 2008 and 2009. Two experimental lines, Ax6548 and Ax6549, transformed with CP4 EPSPS and PcGA2ox gene; and a nontransformed control (NTC) was subjected to four light environments: full sun, reduced red to far red light ratio (R:FR), neutral shade [reduced photosynthetic photon flux (PPF)], and canopy shade (reduced PPF and R:FR). Turf was evaluated every 10 days for color and percent coverage. GA2ox overexpression resulted in darker green color in both transgenic lines under all light treatments as compared with NTC plants. No differences in overall turfgrass coverage were noted in full sun conditions among the lines. A significant decrease in turf coverage occurred for all shade treatments regardless of line. However, Ax6549 decreased the least. Overall data indicated that GA2ox overexpression can improve quality of turfgrass under reduced light conditions.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses a potential stress for plant growth and development due to its effect on photosynthesis and plant productivity. In the northern hemisphere, peak UV radiation exposure is predicted to occur from 2010 to 2020, with reduced color from UV-related injury, a possibility for turfgrasses. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light on turfgrass growth and morphology in three cool-season grasses. Cultivars Barvado tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.], Penncross and L-93 creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.), and Barlenium perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), were selected because of limited information on their growth and development in elevated UV conditions at heights of cut above 10 cm. The impact of UV-B light treatment on color, relative growth rate, and tillering was measured over a 4-week period in repeated experiments. Ultraviolet-B radiation levels were measured at 16 kJ·m⁻²·d⁻¹ biologically effective UV-B light in growth chambers programmed for a day/night regime of 14/10 hours. Chamber temperatures were maintained at 20 °C day/17 °C night. Ultraviolet-B light significantly inhibited tiller production in the first experiment in all grasses except PR, whereas no grasses were inhibited in the second experiment. Relative growth rates in all grasses were significantly lower in UV-B conditions 3 weeks after treatment initiation. Turfgrasses exposed to this level of UV-B light at typical lawn heights-of-cut had lower color ratings compared with the non-UV-B-treated control at 2 weeks after treatment initiation. The experiments demonstrated that exposure to UV-B resulted in a decline of growth rate and color in cool-season turfgrasses within a timeframe of 2 weeks. Coarse-textured turfgrasses [tall fescue (TF)/perennial ryegrass (PR)] may be more adapted to higher UV-B conditions due to morphological differences compared with the finer textured varieties [creeping bentgrass (CB)].