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Reducing Inputs And Adding Value To Turfgrass Systems Through Clover Inclusion And Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Applications, Paige E. Boyle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Recently, the US has seen an expansion in the amount of turfgrass land cover (lawns, parks, roadsides, sports fields, and golf courses), as well as an interest in reducing fertilizer, water, and pesticide use in these grass systems. To help maintain quality and function while reducing resource inputs, two promising approaches have emerged: planting clover into lawns and applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

White clover and grass mixtures have been studied for their ability to cut down on fertilizer usage and provide a uniform, dark green lawn, but other clover types have not been as widely studied and may provide similar …

Soil C Change Over 14 Years In Grasslands Sown Into A Highly Disturbed Soil, R. D. Jackson, J. Stier

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Perennial grasslands are thought to sequester C, so restoring them is touted as part of the solution for mitigating climate change. Moreover, there is growing interest among managed grassland stakeholders in selling C credits on nascent C markets. Former agricultural and municipal sites are often considered viable areas for conversion to grasslands, with types ranging from unmanaged prairies with diverse plant communities to monocultures in highly managed urban environments. We sowed five perennial plant communities into an area that had undergone massive soil disturbance five years previous during conversion from row crop agriculture to C3 turf. We found that soils …

Methods To Hasten Zoysiagrass Establishment From Sprigs, Tyler Carr

Doctoral Dissertations

Zoysiagrasses (Zoysia spp. Willd.) are commonly used on golf course fairways and tees in addition to residential and commercial lawns due to lower input requirements relative to bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.). This has led to increased interest in using zoysiagrass for golf course putting greens; however, zoysiagrass establishment from sprigs is prolonged compared to bermudagrass. A series of experiments were conducted in glasshouses in Knoxville, TN in 2022 to evaluate the effects of environmental conditions and management practices on the establishment of Prizm zoysiagrass from sprigs. To determine the optimal soil temperature for Prizm zoysiagrass establishment, sprigs were exposed …

Effect Of Nanobubble-Oxygenated Water For Irrigation Of Sand-Based Golf Course Putting Greens, Eric Deboer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanobubbles (NBs) are sub-micron, stable cavities of gas. The properties of NBs theoretically allow long bubble residence times and high gas dissolution rates resulting in the supersaturation of oxygen in water. Adequate soil aeration is a constant concern for producers of agricultural and horticultural crops. Because of their unique properties, NBs have been investigated for oxygenating water used in the irrigation of various agricultural and horticultural crops to increase soil oxygen concentration. Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is the most widely used turfgrass for golf course putting green surfaces. Golf course superintendents use various methods to increase soil oxygen in …

Poa Annua: An Annual Species?, Devon E. Carroll

Doctoral Dissertations

Poa annua L. is ranked the most troublesome turfgrass weed but can also be a highly desirable turfgrass species. As the Latin name annua implies, the species is thought to persist via an annual life cycle; yet there are many reports in literature of P. annua persisting perennially. Considering that P. annua senescence patterns do not align with other true annual species such as Triticum spp. and Zea mays L., we hypothesized that P. annua presents itself similarly to other perennial, cool-season, turfgrass species that are subject to a confluence of environmental factors in summer that can cause mortality. …

Formation Of B Horizons In Engineered Putting Green Soils, Glen Obear

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Engineered turfgrass putting green soils are designed to drain quickly, while maintaining adequate water- and nutrient-holding capacity to sustain plant growth. These soils are designed to meet specific performance characteristics when they are constructed, but the process of soil formation changes these characteristics over time. Chapter 1 of this dissertation is a literature review of soil formation in engineered putting green soils. Pedogenesis of putting greens is such that A horizons form as organic matter accumulates near the surface, and B horizons form as particles and solutes are translocated to textural or pH boundaries in soil profiles. In the engineered …

Managing Vegetation Around Fruit Trees, Teryl Roper

All Current Publications

Fruit trees thrive along the Wasatch Front and in many other locations in Utah. Backyard fruit trees are very common in Utah, and producers quickly become attuned to insect and disease pests that can swiftly spoil substantial amounts of fruit. They are typically less aware of the detrimental effect of competing vegetation around fruit trees. This fact sheet describes the nature of vegetation competition and proposes management strategies to reduce or eliminate competition.

Differential Responses Of Antioxidant Metabpolism To Heat Stress For Warm‐Season And Cool‐Season Turfgrass Species, H. Du, Z. Wang, B. Huang

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Salinity On Growth, Water Status, And Ion Accumulation In Two Cool‐Season Turfgrass Species, Ran Xu, M. Oka, H. Fujiyama

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Nitrogen Release From Turfgrass Clippings With Different Fertilization Rates, Karin Kauer, Tiina Köster, H. Raave, R. Viiralt, A. Selge

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Research On Root Characteristics Of Some Turfgrasses In Kunming, Fucheng Luo, Yun Chen, Zhenzhong Sun

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Turfgrass Color Using Hyperspectral Vegetation Indices, Gong Chen, W. Zhang, G. D. Li

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Breeding To Adapt Annual Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum Lam.) From A Forage To A Dwarf Turfgrass For Overseeding Sports Fields, L. R. Nelson, Jimmy Crowder

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Wi-Fi-Enabled Smart Irrigation Controllers On Water Use And Plant Health Of Residential Landscapes In The Intermountain West, Shane R. Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Residential and commercial landscapes provide home and business owners with several benefits. These benefits range from improved air quality and flood control to the reduction of noise and breakdown of organic chemicals. However, these landscapes are routinely overwatered which can lead to plant disease, nutrient pollution, and large amounts of water being wasted. Utah State University, in conjunction with the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL), the Utah Division of Natural Resources and Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, conducted an experiment to determine if Wi-Fi-enabled smart irrigation controllers conserve water as compared to average residential irrigation amounts and manually programmed …

Changes Of Mineral Nutriments In Leaves Of Two Tall Fescue Cultivars By Foliar Application Of Iron And Zinc Under Heat Stress, Sheng Xu, Xingyuan He, Wei Chen, Jianlong Li

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Changes Of Cap Of Creeping Bentgrass As Affected By Light Intensity During Summer Stress, Zhiming Yang, Zhihua Li

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Drought Tolerance Native Grass: Cleistogenes Songorica For The Turf Use Purpose, Xinyong Li, Xue Wei, Yanrong Wang

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Water deficit is one of the most important factors to restrict growth of turf grass, especially in northwest China where water available for landscape irrigation is increasingly limited. Use of drought-tolerant turfgrass species or cultivars is one of the strategies used to reduce water utilization and irrigation requirement (Nielsen and Stewart 1990). Recent study showed that regionally adapted native grass species are worth investigating as suitable alternatives to the conventional turfgrasses in many applications (Mark et al. 2011), and several native grass species are suitable for low-maintenance turfgrass use has also been reported (Mintenko et al. 2002). Awnless …

Determining Water Requirements In Turfgrass Systems, Tyler Quinn Carr

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Turfgrass lawns are commonly utilized for home and commercial applications because of the aesthetic, environmental, and recreational benefits grasses provide, but many people perceive turfgrass as solely an aesthetic benefit that requires significant water inputs. It is important to identify and use turfgrass cultivars that have known drought tolerance, and also fine-tune and throughout development. A series of field experiments were conducted to determine the water requirements of turfgrass lawn systems with the following objectives: 1) investigate differences in chronic drought resistance and irrigation recommendations among cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) 2) …

Tree To Grass Water Use Ratios; Assessing Turfgrass’ High Water Use In The Urban Landscape, Tamara Wynne

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water demand in the southwestern United States continues to rise. The population of the Las Vegas Valley doubled from 2000-2010 and now more than two million people call it home. The residential sector uses 60% of all water consumed in the valley. Outdoor urban landscape irrigation is responsible for 70% of all residential use. These landscapes are dominated by trees and turf grass. Although the water use of turf grass species is well studied, there are few published results about the water use of landscape trees in the desert southwest USA. To obtain a more complete picture of the tradeoffs …

Winter Survival Of Experimental Bermudagrasses In The Upper Transition Zone, Mingying Xiang, Jack Fry, Yanqi Wu

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A winter with very cold temperatures in 2017–2018 allowed for good separation of standard and experimental bermudagrasses for freezing tolerance. When evaluated in May 2018, survival of commonly used cultivars was: Tifway, 0%; Latitude 36, 20%; Northbridge, 25%. Some experimental progeny had up to 98% winter survival on the same rating date.

Evaluating Large Patch-Tolerant And Cold Hardy Zoysiagrass Germplasm In The Transition Zone, Mingying Xiang, Jack Fry, Megan Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

More than 2,800 zoysiagrass progeny, all having a single parent in common that exhibited tolerance to large patch, were evaluated in several transition zone states for quality characteristics and large patch tolerance. From these evaluations conducted over several years, 10 progeny have been identified for further evaluation that have good quality and large patch tolerance that is superior to Meyer zoysiagrass.

Establishment Of Turfgrass From Seed And Sod In Sand Based Systems Combining Sprinkler And Subsurface Drip Irrigation Systems, Roshaan Ahmed Khan Niazi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The establishment of turfgrass using subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) in sand based media has limited success. However, it is unknown if starting with overhead (sprinkler) irrigation and transitioning to SDI can enhance turfgrass establishment. Two experiments were conducted at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) to investigate the establishment of “L-93” creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) from seed and “TifEagle” ultra dwarf hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis) from sod using sand based media. Each experiment consisted of two trials conducted in summer 2017 and spring 2018. Both creeping bentgrass trials and the spring ultra dwarf …

Water Conservation Practices For Irrigation Of Turfgrass Lawns, Daniel Sandor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Turfgrass lawns are widely used in residential and commercial landscapes, providing many environmental, aesthetic, and recreational benefits. However, concerns and scrutiny arise with perceived maintenance requirements, particularly with regards to irrigation. It is important to manage irrigation in order to maximize water conservation without significantly reducing lawn quality. A series of field and greenhouse studies were conducted to investigate how water usage might be reduced in irrigation practices with the following proposed objectives: 1) evaluate the use of rain and soil moisture sensors in a humid transition zone environment; 2) evaluate the effects of chronic drought stress between drought-resistant and …

Systems To Attract And Feed Pollinators In Warm-Season Lawns, Michelle Wisdom

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pollinating insects are responsible for the production of many agricultural crops and they require floral resources to fulfill their life-cycle. Ideally, pollinating insects will encounter a diversity of floral resources across their entire season of activity, and those floral resources can include both herbaceous and woody plant species. Managed turfgrass areas have been identified as potential locations for creating pollinator-friendly habitats. In the transition zone, where both warm- and cool-season turfgrass species are present, the persistence of herbaceous plants in warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides), may be affected not only by the competitive nature …

Increasing Water Use Efficiency By Nitrogen Management In Turfgrass, Austin Hopkins, Dr. Neil C. Hansen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This project identifies turfgrass practices to conserve water by optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilization and irrigation strategies. Turfgrass is the most irrigated crop by area (163,800 km2), accounting for 1.9% of the continental U.S. This causes negative environmental impacts and puts the future of irrigated turfgrass in question due to increasing water scarcity, especially in the western U.S. More information is needed on how to irrigate in droughts as turf provides significant benefits in our environment such as aesthetics, cooling effects, carbon sequestration, and preventing soil erosion.

Species And Cultural Management Of Earthworms On Golf Course Turf In Arkansas And Oklahoma, Paige Elizabeth Boyle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As earthworms feed, they can egest soil and nutrient-rich aggregates (casts) on the soil surface. In low-cut turfgrass systems, such as golf course greens, tees, and fairways, surface casting can result in a muddy playing surface, ball roll issues, weed and pest invasion, reduced aesthetics, surface softening, and reduced photosynthesis. Because the use of pesticides for earthworm control is illegal in the U.S., earthworm casting must be managed through cultural practices. Sand topdressing is one method of earthworm control studied for use on golf courses, with the supposition being that the abrasive sand particles will deter the soft-bodied earthworms from …

Determining The Light Requirements Of Various Turfgrass Systems And Investigating Techniques To Quantify Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Travis Russell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Light is one of the primary growth-limiting factors of turfgrass. Without sufficient quantities of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 400-700 nm wavelength), turfgrass quality will decline and could ultimately result in plant death. PAR light can be expressed in a daily quantity known as the daily light integral (DLI) and has been utilized to determine minimum light requirements for turfgrass as well as other plants. With an estimated 25% of all turfgrass being maintained under some level of shaded conditions, it is imperative to define minimum DLI requirements of various turfgrass systems to ensure acceptable turf quality. In addition, it is …

Using Covers And Wetting Agents To Prevent Winter Injury Of Ultradwarf Bermudagrass, Eric Deboer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As ultradwarf bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) putting green use in the United States moves further north, there is risk of sustaining winter injury from low-temperature exposure and tissue desiccation. Protective covers reduce low-temperature exposure on ultradwarf bermudagrass greens. Desiccation of turf can be caused by hydrophobic soils. Wetting agents are applied to actively growing ultradwarf bermudagrass greens to relieve symptoms of hydrophobic soils. Less is known about the effects late-fall wetting agent applications on dormant bermudagrass putting greens. This research aims to define a predicted low-temperature threshold for covering ultradwarf bermudagrass greens and to quantify …

Urban Lawn Microclimates Affect Reference Evapotranspiration, Kenton W. Peterson, Dale J. Bremer, Jack D. Fry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Grass reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) obtained from weather stations in open locations is often used to estimate irrigation requirements of turfgrass in local or regional urban lawns. However, the environments of urban lawns are often altered by surrounding buildings, trees, etc., to form various microclimates that may alter evapotranspiration (ET). Our research, which placed weather stations in urban lawns and nearby open swards of turfgrass, revealed ET_o was 41% lower in residential lawn microclimates than in nearby open turfgrass swards. Less ET within urban lawns than in nearby open swards suggests using standard historical weather data to estimate …

Brown Patch Occurrence In A Zoysiagrass-Tall Fescue Polystand Compared To A Tall Fescue Monostand, Mingying Xiang, Jack D. Fry, Megan M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research has demonstrated that polystands of zoysiagrass and tall fescue can be established successfully, with the potential to provide a high quality turfgrass stand with reduced inputs. Our objective was to determine whether mixing zoysiagrass with tall fescue will reduce brown patch severity while maintaining overall accept­able quality. Studies were established at the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center in Manhattan, KS. In the split-plot design, natural infection by Rhizoctonia solani or a fungicide-treated control was the whole plot treatment factor and species (tall fescue monostand and the zoysiagrass/tall fescue mixture) were subplots. During July and August 2016 and 2017, when …