Search Results
A field study was conducted in southern Louisiana to screen several plant growth regulators (PGRs) for efficacy in suppressing centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] vegetative growth and seedhead production. PGRs were applied in three sequential treatments in 1988 and included ethephon, glyphosate, mefluidide, paclobutrazol, sethoxydim, and sulfometuron methyl. Ethephon (5.0 kg·ha-1) suppressed mean centipedegrass vegetative growth by 15% with no turf injury. Mefluidide (0.6 kg·ha-1) and ethephon reduced mean seedhead number by 55% and 61%, respectively. Glyphosate (0.6 kg·ha-1) suppressed vegetative and reproductive growth, but caused unacceptable phytotoxicity and reduced centipedegrass cover and quality during Spring 1989. Use of ethephon or mefluidide to reduce trimming requirements or mower operation in hazardous areas may be an effective means of inhibiting centipedegrass growth. Chemical names used: N -(phosphonomethyl) glycine (glyphosate); N -[2,4-dimethyl-5-[[(trifluromethyl) sulfonyl]amino] phenyl]acetimide (mefluidide); 2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl] -5[2-(ethylthio) propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cycIohexen-l-one (sethoxy-dim); 2-[[[[(4,6-dimethyl-2 -pyrimidinyl) amino] carbonyl]amino] sulfonyl]benzoic acid (sulfometuron methyl); (2-chloroethyl) phosphoric acid (ethephon); (±)-(R*R*)β-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-α-(l,l-dimethylethyl) -1 H -l,2,4-triazole-l-ethanol (paclobutrazol).
Abstract
Small weighing lysimeters were used to determine potential evapotranspiration (ET) (i.e., ET when soil water is not limiting) rates of turf weeds and ground-covers. When ET was monitored during two consecutive summers, white clover (Trifolium repens L.) had the highest mean water use rate (7.4 mm·day-1). Dichondra (Dichondra repens J.R. Forst. and G. Forst.), a low-growing C4 dicot, and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.], a C4 monocot, used the least water (3.9 and 4.1 mm·day-1, respectively). ‘Merion’ Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), a C3 species, and yellow foxtail [Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv.] and smooth crabgrass [Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Muhl.], C4 species, exhibited intermediate ET rates. Water use rates of these ground-covers should be considered when using them in landscapes. Eradication of some weeds, such as white clover, in well-watered turf areas may be an effective means of reducing ET.
Abstract
Field and greenhouse studies were conducted to determine effects of deficit irrigation and pre-plant soil incorporation of a hydrophilic polymer on the establishment of ‘Rebel’ tall fescue. In the field, lysimeters containing a sandy clay loam soil were seeded with tall fescue and irrigated with equivalents of 50% or 100% of the potential evapotranspiration (ETp) (i.e., water used when soil moisture is not limiting) of a mature turf. The low irrigation level resulted in poor germination and stand establishment. Pre-plant incorporation of a hydrophilic polymer (98 kg·ha-1) was ineffective in enhancing seedling survival under dry soil conditions. Greenhouse studies evaluating higher levels of polymer application on tall fescue establishment during drought revealed that the polymer did not reduce plant stress until occupying at least 1.0% of the soil volume to a depth of 12.5 cm. Excessive polymer amounts would be required to achieve this proportion in the field.
Abstract
Potential evapotranspiration (ET) (i.e., ET when soil water is not limiting) rates of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) and annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) were determined during two consecutive summers using weighing lysimeters in the field. When evaluated under putting green conditions, significant species differences in ET were observed during several weeks in 1985 and 1986. Differences were small, however, and irrigation requirements should not vary much between these species. Both species exhibited lower water use rates in 1986 when cut at 6 mm (4.6 mm·day-1) than at 12 mm (4.9 mm·day-1). These small differences should not greatly affect water requirements of putting green turf maintained at variable cutting heights. Variability of ET throughout the study periods suggests that water savings could result if ET is monitored, and irrigation adjusted accordingly.
There is interest in identifying cultural practices that may reduce fungicide requirements of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) putting greens. Our objective was to evaluate the plant defense activator ASM in combination with 12 biostimulants for the potential to reduce dollar spot (Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett) and brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn) in a blend of `Cato: `Crenshaw creeping bentgrass during 2000 and 2001. The experimental design was a split-plot with ASM as the whole plot, and biostimulants as the subplots. ASM was applied biweekly as a.i. at 35 g·ha-1 and biostimulants were applied according to manufacturers recommendations. Sclerotinia homoeocarpa infection centers were reduced by 38% with ASM, but levels were >1500/m2 in Aug. 2000, and turf quality was unacceptable through most of the study period. No suppression of brown patch occurred with ASM. None of the biostimulants reduced dollar spot or brown patch in creeping bentgrass when compared to biweekly applications of soluble N at 4.9 kg·ha-1. Dollar spot suppression achieved with ASM warrants additional studies to determine how it might be used to reduce fungicide inputs on creeping bentgrass putting greens. Chemical name used: acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM).
Understanding factors associated with drought resistance and recovery from drought stress in tall fescue (Festuca arundinaces Schreb.) is important for developing resistant cultivars and effective management strategies. Our objective was to investigate water relations, photosynthetic efficiency, and canopy characteristics of tall fescue cultivars (forage-type `Kentucky-31', turf-type `Mustang', and dwarf-type `MIC18') in responses to drought stress and subsequent recovery in the field and greenhouse. During drought stress under field conditions, `MIC18' had lower turf quality, more severe leaf wilting, and higher canopy temperature than `Mustang' and `Kentucky-31', indicating that `MIC18' was more drought-sensitive. The greenhouse study comparing `K-31' and `MIC18' showed that leaf water status, chlorophyll fluorescence, canopy green leaf biomass, and lead area index of both cultivars declined as soil dried. Reductions in relative water content, leaf water potential, chlorophyll fluorescence, canopy green leaf biomass, and leaf area index were more severe and occurred sooner during dry down for `MIC18' than for `Kentucky-31'. After rewatering following 14 days of stress, leaf water deficit and turf growth recovered, to a greater degree for `Kentucky-31' than for `MIC18'. However, soil drying for 21 days caused long-term negative effects on leaf photosynthetic efficiency and canopy characteristics for both cultivars.
Water requirements for `Meyer' zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud., hereafter referred to as zoysia), `Midlawn' bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy, hereafter referred to as bermuda], `Falcon II' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and `Brilliant' kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L., hereafter referred to as bluegrass) were evaluated under a mobile rainout shelter at deficit irrigation levels of 20% to 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ETa), applied twice weekly, between June and September 2001 and 2002. Soil was a river-deposited silt loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Aquic Arquidolls). Minimum annual irrigation amounts required to maintain quality ranged from 244 mm for bermuda to 552 mm for bluegrass. Turfgrass species and respective irrigation levels (% of ETa) at which season-long acceptable turf quality was maintained in each year were bluegrass, 100% (evaluated 2001 only); tall fescue, 60% in 2001 and 80% in 2002; bermuda, 60% in both years; and zoysia, 80% in both years. A landscape manager who could tolerate one week of less-than-acceptable quality could have irrigated tall fescue at 40% ETa (224 mm) in 2001 and 60% ETa (359 mm) in 2002. Likewise, bermuda exhibited unacceptable quality on only one September rating date when irrigated at 40% ETa (163 mm) in 2001. Bermuda was able to tolerate a lower leaf relative water content (LRWC) and higher level of leaf electrolyte leakage (EL) compared to other grasses before quality declined to an unacceptable level.
Field studies were conducted in south Louisiana to identify plant growth regulators that suppress carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis Chase.) seedhead development. In an initial study, best results were obtained with sethoxydim (0.11 kg·ha-1) and sulfometuron methyl (0.6 kg·ha-1), which reduced seedhead development by 88% and 86%, respectively, compared to untreated plots 21 days after treatment. Sulfometuron methyl caused unacceptable carpetgrass injury, however. Evaluation of seven sethoxydim application levels between 0 and 0.34 kg a.i./ha showed that carpetgrass seedhead number and elongation rate declined with increasing sethoxydim amount [SEEDHEAD NUMBER (m-2) = 515 – 1340 (kg), R 2 = 0.82; ELONGATION (cm) = 25.3 – 151 (kg) + 276 (kg2), R 2 = 0.77]. Carpetgrass seedhead production was restricted up to 6 weeks after sethoxydim (0.17 and 0.22 kg·ha-1) application. Chemical names used: (2-[1-(ethoxyimino)butyl]-5-[2-ethylthio)propyl)-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one) (seth-oxydim); (2-[[[[(4,6-dimethyl-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]benzoic acid) (sulfometuron methyl).
Deficit irrigation is increasingly used to conserve water, but its impact on turfgrass rooting has not been well documented. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of deficit irrigation on ‘Falcon II’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) root characteristics in the field using a minirhizotron imaging system. The experiment was conducted on a silt loam soil from the first week of June to mid-Sept. 2001 and 2002 using a mobile rainout shelter under which turf received applications of 20%, 60%, or 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ET) twice weekly. Neither soil water content (0 to 25 cm) nor tall fescue rooting between 4.1- and 50.1-cm depths was affected by irrigation at 60% compared with 100% ET. Despite consistently lower soil water content, tall fescue irrigated at 20% ET exhibited an increase in root parameters beginning in July or August. Tall fescue subjected to 20% ET irrigation had greater total root length and surface area on two of five monitoring dates in 2002 compared with that receiving 100% ET. Evaluation of tall fescue rooting by depth indicated that root proliferation at 20% ET was occurring between 8.7- and 36.3-cm depths. As evaluated under the conditions of this experiment, turfgrass managers using deficit irrigation as a water conservation strategy on tall fescue should not be concerned about a reduction in rooting deep in the soil profile, and irrigation at 20% ET may result in root growth enhancement.