About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Many turf managers were in a state of desperation this past spring. The drastically cold temperatures and precipitation of the winter of 2014 devastated turf areas around the country. For example, golf course superintendents in MI and around the country suffered great economic loss. Significant ice accumulation occurred on golf course greens and lasted for extended periods of time. Many highly damaged golf courses had to construct temporary putting greens, remain unopened for play until early to mid-summer, or shut down completely for the summer to renovate the greens. This caused significant economic loss due to the need for labor but lack of golf play revenue. Unfortunately, it is only a matter of time before a winter just as harsh happens again.

What is the significance of this project?

If you are a golfer, an athlete, a turf manager, or just love grass, this experiment is for you! Turf researchers want to help provide answers about management techniques to prevent severe winterkill damage from occurring again. The research proposed here is critical to understand whether chemical based applications could help prepare or hinder your turf for winter survival a.k.a allow you to play next spring! We will investigate application of PGRs, fungicides, and oil-based compounds to determine whether they will have a beneficial, detrimental, or no effect on turfgrass survival of harsh winter conditions. The results and information that will be obtained from this study will be disseminated to the turfgrass industry as soon as possible in case a 'winter of 2014' happens again soon.

What are the goals of the project?

We will investigate label recommended rates of Syngenta compounds (Daconil Action, Heritage TL, Daconil Action + Primo Maxx, Daconil Action + Heritage TL, Heritage TL + Primo Maxx), Civitas, Mefluidide, and Propiconazole for cold temperature and ice cover survival of creeping bentgrass and poa annua. Turf plots have been treated with the compounds in the fall of 2014. Turf plugs will be taken from the field and evaluated in a low temperature growth chamber after 20, 40, 60, and 100 d of ice in the winter of 2014 - spring 2015.