RECENT EVENT
UMass Field Day a Success
On
July 21 the UMass Turf Program welcomed turf practitioners and industry representatives to the UMass Joseph Troll Turf Research Center in South Deerfield, MA for the 2021 Turf Research Field Day. Field Day is a festive, biennial Open House at the Center, and is a tradition that has run for decades. Despite anxiety about the pandemic during the planning stages, and weather concerns in the run up to the event, the day could not have come together better.
The featured research tour consisted of 10 in-depth presentations and demonstrations, including several with direct relevance to the sports turf industry, such as crabgrass control, management of billbugs, Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue under reduced irrigation, interaction of plant health activators with nitrogen, and effective sampling for disease diagnostics, and grass tennis surfaces. More than 240 individuals were in attendance, including many NESTMA members. •
Attendees learn about insect management decision-making at UMass Field Day. Photo credit: Ben Barnhart
Dr. Scott Ebdon presents research results on improving the pace and quality of grass tennis surfaces. Photo credit: Ben Barnhart.
10 • New England BLADE • September 2021
