Pennsylvania Turfgrass - Summer 2024

Between the Lines: Peter Landschoot Receives Career Recognition

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y o u d o th a t. S a n c tu a r y w ill g iv e y o u r tu r f a n o r g a n ic n u tr itio n a l b o o s t a n d Tu r f S c r e e n is a

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Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council

P.O. Box 99

Boalsburg, PA 16827

Phone: 814-237-0767

info@paturf.org www.paturf.org

Publisher

Leading Edge Communications, LLC

206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, TN 37064

Phone: 615-790-3718

info@leadingedgecommunications.com

Pennsylvania Turfgrass Editor

Max Schlossberg, Ph.D.

Penn State University • mjs38@psu.edu

President Rick Catalogna Harrell’s Inc Territory Manager 412-897-0480

Vice President

Shawn Kister Longwood Gardens 484-883-9275

Secretary / Treasurer

Steve Craig Centre Hills Country Club 814-237-5414

Past President

Tom Fisher Wildwood Golf Club 412-518-8384

Director of Operations

Tom Bettle

Joseph Valentine Turfgrass Research Facility

Conferences

Directors

Dan

Matt

Penn

Tim

Scotch

Hello all and Happy Summer!

Atthis point in the season, most turfgrass managers are doing all they can to manage their cauldron of chaos; chock full o’ critical inputs and decision-making, clientele expectations, wild weather, and team management tasks. More than ever, homeowners are hiring Lawn Care operators to do what they tried, but can’t (or don’t want to). Athletic fields and complexes are in full swing game mode, and golf course parking lots are packed. Talented turf professionals are in higher demand than ever before, and these are all the things we like to hear.

I am of course biased, but no matter what part of the industry you are in, no one handles the budget, time, or people better than seasoned turfgrass managers. Now we just need to keep it rolling on the tracks for a couple more tricky months.... keeping our momentum down the backstretch. This is a good time to step back, assess the big picture, and to remember and encourage the people who work tirelessly to make it all happen.

While excited by successes and achievement of important milestones, we know there remain additional obstacles, surprises, challenges, and stresses to navigate and overcome. Remember to take care of your employees. Day in and day out, we are only as good as the people we work alongside. In many cases, we spend more time with our crew each day than we spend at home with our own families.

This industry is sometimes odd and unique in that our only reward is often silence! No one complaining about weeds in their yard or golfers questioning conditions or what more we must do to improve them. Not having the coaches, members, clients, general manager, or other important people bending our ear beats the alternative, but your crew may seek more tangible feedback and positive encouragement.

In my segment, as a sales professional, I do my best to thank delivery drivers, warehouse managers and of course, my customers. Let’s take time to thank our ‘at home families’ as well, for supporting us each week of the sometimesgrueling season.

We work hard to deliver the goods every season but none of us do it alone. Positive reinforcement and saying ‘thanks’ goes a long way towards building your championship team!

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the season!

Sincerely,

Rick Catalogna President

Jeffrey A. Borger Senior Instructor Emeritus in Turfgrass Weed Management 814-865-3005 • jborger@psu.edu

Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D. Professor of Plant & Soil Science 610-396-6330 • maf100@psu.edu

David R. Huff, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Genetics 814-863-9805 • drh15@psu.edu

Brad Jakubowski Instructor of Plant Science 814-865-7118 • brj8@psu.edu

John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-865-3007 • jek156@psu.edu

Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D. Professor of Turfgrass Science 814-863-1017 • pjl1@psu.edu

Ben McGraw, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Entomology 814-865-1138 • bam53@psu.edu

Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Soil Science 814-863-1368 • asm4@psu.edu

Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 • mjs38@psu.edu

Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass Management aturgeon@psu.edu

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Student Awards

During the 2023 Homecoming at Penn State World Campus, Matt Duncan, a distinguished student in the Turfgrass Management program, received the esteemed “For the Glory Award.” This recognition was for his outstanding representation of the university’s core values through his academic achievements, active engagement in student life, leadership roles, and community service.

As an account manager at DLF USA and a certified sports turf manager, Duncan exemplifies a dedication to excellence that perfectly aligns with Penn State’s ethos. His role on the Student Advisory Board further highlights his broad contributions to the university community. For more details, visit the Penn State World Campus news site.

PICTURES AND ARTICLE

https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/about-us/news-and-features/students-alumni-staff-celebrate-during-2023-homecoming

PTC Scholarships

In the Fall of 2023, the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council honored Zachary Newsome and Johnathan Rankin with scholarships for their outstanding contributions and future potential in the field of turfgrass management. Newsome is set to join Penn State’s graduate school, focusing on earthworm management in turf under the guidance of the McGraw Lab starting Fall 2024. Rankin is currently employed at Colonial Country Club outside of Dallas, TX where he has been involved in the renovation of the historic course.

KAFMO Scholarships

The Keystone Athletic Field Managers Organization (KAFMO) awarded two scholarships to Penn State students in spring of 2024. Lydia Spaulding and Andrew Sheldon were this year’s recipients. Spaulding, a native of Youngstown OH and pitcher for the PSU Softball team, recently interned with the Beaver Stadium grounds crew. Sheldon, from southern NJ, interned with the Philadelphia Eagles most recently.

Turf Bowls

Penn State Turfgrass students showcased exceptional skills and dedication at the SFMA Student Challenge and the GCSAA Turf Bowl. The SFMA competition in Daytona Beach saw the two-year program students retaining their National Champion title, with the four-year students securing 3rd place in their division. At the GCSAA conference in Phoenix, 21 students competed among 63 teams, achieving commendable placements, including three places in the top five (2nd, 4th, and 5th) and all teams within the top 25!

Photo: Tom Bettle with scholarship recipients

Zachary Newsome and Johnathan Rankin

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STATE OF MATTERS:

Phthalocyanine Pigment Copper

By Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. & Nathan Leiby M.S. (PSU AGRO ’21)

Unless noted, photo credits M.J. Schlossberg.

No more than zero artificial intelligence resources participated in the composition of the following article.

Cu II

phthalocyanine (C32H16CuN8,), also known as viridian hue, pigment green 7, and phthalocyanine green G; is a brilliant green synthetic pigment utilized in numerous artistic and industrial applications. Like many popular dyes/pigments, phthalocyanine green G is both immiscible (water-fast) and recalcitrant (durable). It is a sizable pyrrole-benzene organometallic too (Fig. 1), with a molar mass just a fuzz over 576 grams. You’ve most recently seen it in auto paint or tattoo ink but were probably first introduced while mixing ‘Fore!’ fungicide back in the 20th Century.

To our PTC members operating in the southern hemisphere, Cu phthalocyanine is the pigment responsible for the verdant hue of the warm season turfgrass you just treated with dormancy colorant. For residents of the Commonwealth who utilize a spray pattern indicator with ‘Green’ in its name, Cu II phthalocyanine is likely the ingredient indicating where your last pass starts and ends. We included the ‘likely’ qualifier because some colorant products that appear green contain blue and yellow pigment combinations, rather than Cu phthalocyanine.

Considering regional interest, editorial constraints, and our research experience, we will limit discussion of Cu phthalocyanine to spray indicator and combination products applied to actively growing turfgrass systems in season. Readers seeking guidance on dormancy colorants or paint are encouraged to consult the useful and current ‘Guide to Using Turf Colorants’ by Dr. Grady Miller and Drew Pinnix of NC State Extension (https:// content.ces.ncsu.edu/guide-to-using-turf-colorants).

Petroleum-derived Spray Oil (PDSO) plus Cu Phthalocyanine Combination Product

Owing to its low mammalian toxicity and environmental risk, Civitas Pre-M1xed Turf Defense™ (Intelligro, Mississauga, ON, Canada) comprises a popular and widely-available petroleum-derived spray oil (PDSO) plus Cu II phthalocyanine liquid product for inclusion in tank mixes as an indicator dye and/or product synergist. The impetus for the latter includes reports of reduced pesticide requirements when employing Civitas in IPM programs, and recognized benefits of Cu phthalocyanine and pesticide combinations. Civitas Pre-M1xed ain’t your mom’s ‘Oh Happy Plant Bath;’ as it features proven insecticidal properties, a fungicide resistance action committee (FRAC) classification of “not,” and an Organic Materials Review Institute certification permitting employ in organic production/management or where cosmetic pesticide use is prohibited.

Application of PDSO + Cu phthalocyanine products results in a coating of the plant canopy, to which leaf chlorosis has been attributed. This response has been correlated to reduced photosynthetic capacity arising from the inhibition of gas exchange. In the second year of continual treatment, repeated 17.3 fl. oz. per 1000 ft2 (M) applications of PDSO or PDSO–colorant combination product to maintained putting greens reduced creeping bentgrass canopy quality, chlorophyll content, carbon dioxide exchange and transpiration rates. Semimonthly application of Civitas Pre-M1xed Turf Defense™ (8.5 fl. oz. per M) to an annual bluegrass putting green in Oregon from Sept. to June significantly reduced canopy density on plots subjected to double-rolling treatment five days a week.

Figure 1

However, studies describing ethephon-complementing, onetime, 17 fl. oz. per M application of Civitas to putting greens cohabited by creeping bentgrass and annual bluegrass proved synergistic in suppressing seedheads and did not incite a phytotoxic response. The current Civitas Turf Defense Pre-M1xed label (revised Nov. 2017) recommends an application rate between 8.5 and 17.3 fl. oz. per M, made on no less than 7-d intervals, either alone or in combination with routine tank mix ingredients.

Combination Product plus Urea-based Nitrogen

Although not uncommon practice of golf course superintendents, little research has evaluated urea-N and PDSO–colorant combination products when foliar-fertilizing cool-season turfgrass systems. In 2015, a colonial bentgrass fairway study was conducted by Gary Nolan & Dr. Wakar Uddin at the Valentine Turfgrass Research Center. End-of-season leaf clippings were collected and analyzed for N concentration, and those originating from plots repeatedly treated by Civitas Turf Defense Pre-M1xed (8.5 oz. per M) showed significantly greater tissue N than untreated plots. Once apprised of these results, we turfgrass nutrition researchers sought to uncover the how and the why. Foliar application of liquid N fertilizer is a popular approach to ensuring golf course turfgrass nutritional sufficiency in season. For turfgrass

managers using primarily urea-N fertilizer, the N loss pathway of concern is ammonia (NH3) volatilization. As much as 11% of 0.4 lbs per M foliar urea-N applications to a golf course putting green were volatilized as NH3 within 24 h. More recent field evaluations showed between 3 and 8% of 0.15 to 0.2 lbs urea-N per M foliar applications were lost in the 24 h following golf course putting green treatment. Considering coating of the plant canopy by PDSO + Cu phthalocyanine is the mechanism by which reduced carbon dioxide exchange and transpiration rate is often attributed, the authors hypothesized Civitas inclusion may influence NH3 diffusion (volatilization) in the 0- to 48-hours following foliar fertilization of golf course fairways by urea-based N fertilizers.

Creeping Bentgrass

Fairway Research, 2019 – 2020

Complementing semimonthly soluble N applications with 8.5 fl. oz. Civitas Pre-M1xed per M of creeping bentgrass fairways (in 1.5 gal./M carrier volume) didn’t affect 0- to 48-hour NH3 volatilization loss (Fig. 2) but significantly improved the mean fairway canopy dark green color index. Which in turn, raised some questions like ‘How?’ and ‘Why?’ and ‘What is the fate of these combination products?’ The open-access (free) paper describing all specific aspects of our fairway research is available at http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/10/10/176

Figure 2

The companies that developed and introduced Civitas, PetroCanada and Intelligro, have proven committed and steadfast in their support of university research. Yet there remains little insight into how the spray oil and Cu phthalocyanine components interact with the living turfgrass canopy over time from application and what their ultimate fates are. These same questions arose in the co-author’s thesis research on putting greens (Fig. 3): Is all Civitas applied absorbed, or bound to vegetation? How does carrier volume affect Civitas distribution throughout the canopy?

And perhaps the most poignant of questions: Could phthalocyanine green absorption by plant tissue cause the darker green color and greater vigor observed of the treated plots? While support for this potential mechanism exists, readers may not consider its origin objectively neutral. But we’re not implicating ‘X’ or ‘Meta’ or whatever the leading, zero-cost source of ‘opinions

that fascinate’ currently is. Rather, a national company’s online technical data sheet that claims their unique pigment additive ‘stimulates the plant’s natural metabolism and can improve turf color, density, vigor, consistency and strength, from the inside out. Unlike dyes and paints, this unique pigment additive is absorbed into the plant for longer lasting affects (sic).’

Regarding our 2019 – 20 research, analysis of the fairway clipping yield (shoot growth) data identified significant spray treatment effects. Specifically, in the second half of the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, the top statistical grouping for mean clipping yield consisted of all Civitas-containing treatments. This was curious, but like the above technical data sheet claims, not readily refutable — since the literature lacked reports on the mass Cu phthalocyanine and/or spray oil expected to remain on turfgrass canopies by time from spray treatment.

Figure 3

As a proxy, mass retention of an 8.5 oz. per M Civitas Pre-M1xed Turf Defense application to dry clippings within a polystyrene tray was measured <1 and 1440 minutes following spray application. Approximately 1.2% of the initially applied spray remained as dry solids on the leaf tissue one day (1440 minutes) following. Considering the 0.86 g/mL specific gravity of Civitas Pre-M1xed, and confirming the water component of the spray evaporated (per negative controls), the data indicate 0.006 lbs of solid Civitas residue would be expected to remain on 1000 ft2 of canopy one day following the described spray treatment. This mass was significantly less than the observed difference between clipping yields collected from Civitasvs. un-treated plots in the second half of either growing season.

So How Did PDSO Plus Cu Phthalocyanine Increase Canopy Color and Shoot Growth?

A national company (different from the one quoted above) markets its premium pigment additive with claims ‘it provides natural green turf color for up to one month and reflects potentially harmful near infrared (NIR) light, which may improve turfgrass quality and vigor.’ Getting back to our 2019–20 research, we definitely observed improved turfgrass color and vigor of Civitas-treated plots. But the frequently collected fairway canopy reflectance data showed Civitas treatment reflected significantly less NIR (760- or 810-nm) than equally Nfertilized or untreated bentgrass over several 10-d post-application periods.

So how else could Cu phthalocyanine foster increased canopy color and shoot growth? The product label of a different (third) national company claims it is an advanced colorant formulation that resists the harsh effects associated with long periods of high temperature and intense UV light exposure. Now this follows results of research published in 2004 describing treatment, UV-B (290320 nm) exposure, and assessment of Kentucky bluegrass sod health.

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However, a suite of greenhouse and field research conducted on various turfgrass systems in Virginia from 2014–15 evaluated low rates of Civitas Pre-M1xed and two other commercial Cu phthalocyanine spray pattern indicators. Canopy spectroradiometer readings collected 1 day after treatment showed significantly less reflection of UV-A radiation (320–400 nm) than from untreated plots.

So perhaps, but how else? Well you’ve surely noticed the only phthalocyanine green containing product we’ve mentioned by name is Civitas Pre-M1xed. This seemed prudent given Civitas is the only phthalocyanine green containing product our lab has evaluated at The Pennsylvania State University since 2018. Again, Civitas Pre-M1xed didn’t affect NH3 volatilization in the two days following application at an 8.5 fl. oz. per M rate ….but did foster increased mean canopy color and shoot growth in the second half of each study year. This may be an occasion when evaluation of additional data helps us link cause to effect, i.e., N content of clipping yields and fertilizer N recovery (FNR).

Leave

it to

the Turfgrass Nutritionists to Implicate a Nutrient

Nitrogen analysis of homogenous Civitas Pre-M1xed reveals a mean N concentration of 1.0%. Considering healthy bentgrass leaf clippings collected from our Declaration fairway ranged from 3.27 to 5.99% N by mass, any of the 0.006 lbs Civitas residue we determined to remain in 1000 ft2 of canopy, one day following application, would be more likely to dilute leaf N content than increase it. Yet, on average, clippings collected from Civitas and N fertilizer-treated plots contained 0.22% greater absolute leaf

N than plots treated by N-fertilizer alone. Thus, while systematic complementation of foliar N fertilizer by Civitas Pre-M1xed did not directly influence volatilization loss, cumulative reapplications somehow enhanced N availability.

The origin of the 1.0% N in Civitas is primarily the Cu II phthalocyanine pigment (C32H16CuN8). Having a reference 19.5% N content, this organic N is neither immediately assimilable by plants nor disclosed on the label. However, the estimated N load from Cu II phthalocyanine delivered in each 8.5 fl. oz. application of Civitas Pre-M1xed equals 0.005 lbs N per M. In the last five of the six yield collections, Civitas complementation enhanced fertilizer N recovery (FNR) by a margin exceeding the Civitas N load delivered in the most recent application. However, only in the last two yield collections did Civitas complementation enhance FNR by a margin exceeding the sum of the most recent Civitas N load and the calculated least significant difference (LSD 5%). Meanwhile, cumulative Civitas N load by the end of the 2020 season totaled nearly 0.1 lbs N per M, only 3.3% of the total fertilizer N applied over both growing seasons.

So where does that leave us…in simple terms? Our data indicate Civitas applied to turfgrass isn’t entirely removed with clippings. Rather, irrigation/rain, traversing equipment, foot traffic, canopy maturation, and mowing ultimately translocate a significant fraction of Civitas applications to the underlying soil/ rootzone. The Cu phthalocyanine component (pigment) of Civitas, or any containing colorant product, is a big organic molecule with a C:N ratio of 3.4!! For those of you who have taken TURF 435, you know that’s a rich organic amendment. Yet this Civitas N accounts for less than half the 8.7% greater mean FNR demonstrated by Civitas-complemented treatments to the creeping bentgrass fairway.

Figure 4. Photo courtesy of Dr. Adam Van Dyke

What’s the Greenest Slow-release N Fertilizer You Never Knew?

Meanwhile you’re probably wondering how is this durable, recalcitrant, pyrrole-benzene decomposed and mineralized in soil? Well, if we depended only on agronomic and soil science journals, a supporting answer would prove challenging. Yet, industrial and environmental engineers have conducted extensive research on bioremediation of industrial waste from the textiles industry. In aerobic environments, wood-rot fungi have proven extraordinarily proficient at degrading synthetic dyes. For the fungi Irpex lacteus and Pleurotus ostreatus, soil Cu phthalocyanine might as well be a juicy meatball or tofu curd (pick the analogy that best suits your dietary preference). Given adequate moisture, Cu phthalocyanine carbon is promptly assimilated and its organic N mineralized, both at a rate directly related to temperature and soil oxygen content. This is likely why the magnitude of Civitas-induced N nutrition was greatest in late summer; it was when soil temperatures were high and accumulated soil Cu phthalocyanine greatest.

We are currently conducting lab incubations of soil-incorporated Cu phthalocyanine to determine rate and degree of microbial degradation and N mineralization. Thus, there is more to follow, but the plant response observed in our field research does not make application of spray oil and Cu phthalocyanine combination product any less enigmatic of a cultural practice. We’re identifying a component of influence for now, and that is Cu phthalocyanine may be the greenest slow-release N fertilizer you’ve never heard of. So, the next time you wonder what it is about repeated applications of Cu phthalocyanine-containing product(s) that make(s) your turfgrass appear vigorous and healthy (Fig. 4), remember Cu phthalocyanine’s ~20% N content. It may just have something to do with it!

Dr. Peter Landschoot Receives Career Recognition

Peter Landschoot, who will be retiring from Penn State this fall after 35 years as the Extension Turf Specialist at the university, was honored at the KAFMO annual conference this year with the Fowler Founders Award. The Fowler Founders Award is named in memory of Donald Fowler, a Penn State Extension Agent credited with organizing the group of individuals who formed KAFMO. The award itself is one of Fowler’s worn-out work boots that has been bronzed and signifies the hard work and determination demonstrated by the Fowler Founders Award recipients. With this award KAFMO recognizes individuals for their dedication to making a difference in the sports turf industry of Pennsylvania. In a recent interview, Pete looked back on his career and forward to his retirement.

Looking Back

The path to turf science was a winding road for Pete Landschoot. He made his living as a musician for several years before taking a horticulture course at the Community College of Rochester. By chance, one of his professors needed help with a fungicide trial on a local golf course and superintendent Bob Feindt hired him. Over the three years he worked there he became extremely interested in all aspects of turf, soil, and tree maintenance and decided to apply to Penn State for a degree in Agronomy.

When asked about high points in his career, Landschoot first mentions his mentors and his Ph.D. work at the University of Rhode Island, elucidating the identity of the summer patch pathogen. This led him to post-doctoral work at Rutgers University. “I’d like to credit my mentors Dr. Don Waddington (deceased), Dr. Noel Jackson (deceased), and Dr. Bruce Clarke for guiding me through my academic training,” he says. “They were outstanding mentors and teachers.”

Peaks and Challenges

Landschoot’s expertise and openness to collaboration led to international work with the Scandinavian Turf and Environmental Research Foundation, the Italian Golf Federation, and turf courses which took him to Scotland and Italy. He also served in a leadership capacity, including with the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Policy Committee, USGA Research Committee,

American Phytopathological Society, and American Society of Agronomy as well as the PA Dept. of Agriculture and the Chesapeake Bay Commission on turfgrass nutrient management legislation in PA. “It was exciting working with leaders in the industry on cutting-edge research and influencing legislation and management practices that are environmentally responsible,” he says.

In the end it was mentoring and teaching that formed some of the most rewarding experiences of his career – and also some of his greatest challenges. “Extreme multitasking was a real challenge – I’m not really sure I have overcome this, but I’m better now at time management and juggling multiple responsibilities than when I started at Penn State 35 years ago,” he says. As Graduate Program Director for the Penn State Agronomy graduate program, he has worked with many graduate students to help them negotiate the maze of exams, seminars, and funding they needed. But it took him years before he felt comfortable as a teacher in front of undergrads, he remembers. “At first it was difficult to relate to them and gauge what information they needed to start their careers. However, with experience and lots of interaction over the years, I became more proficient in delivering lectures and labs.”

Pete Landschoot says he especially enjoyed working in extension during the early part of his Penn State career. “Getting out in the field and observing real-world problems and innovative practices performed by PA sports turf turfgrass managers was a tremendous learning experience for me,” he recalls.

Landschoot with Fowler Award

He says with characteristic modesty that over the years, he gained more information from them than he ever passed along. “Ultimately, my most treasured experiences came from working with greatest group of people one could ever hope to be around,” he says. “I can’t acknowledge all of them, but I want to mention Andy McNitt, who taught me a tremendous amount about soils and sports turf, the late George Hamilton, whom I still miss after 20 years, and all the other turf professors and staff in Penn State’s turf program. I also worked closely with Penn State’s turf extension educators, who are the best in the business: Jeff Fowler, Tanner Delvalle, Nancy Bosold, Jim Welshans, and many others.”

Looking Forward

Pete Landschoot is looking forward to a future where he can volunteer, return to his musical roots, travel, and make new friends. But he also sees a bright future for turf science and its related careers. There are some great opportunities in the sports turf, golf, sales, and tech sectors, he notes. “The general population needs high quality turf for sports activities more than ever, and

that means jobs for competent managers. Companies and organizations are always looking for knowledgeable individuals with good people skills to contribute to their operations.” He also sees technology playing a larger and larger role as time goes on, as well as use of management tools/techniques that allow savings of water, pesticide use, and fertilizers (TDR, soil and water testing, etc.). Turf breeding/genetics and improvements in maintenance equipment (GPS sprayers, autonomous mowers, etc.) will also be important in the future, he predicts.

When asked what advice he would give to young people just starting out in turf science, Pete Landschoot speaks from experience. “Ask a lot of questions of your supervisors -- for example, why they are performing certain tasks, and how they choose products. If you don’t ask questions and show some interest, you won’t move very far in this business,” he cautions. “Also, try different things, and don’t be afraid to move around. One of my regrets is that I never learned about managing warm-season grasses in southern climates. I had the opportunity to do so but did not take it.” Since travel and new experiences are part of Pete’s vision for his retirement years, who is to say that a visit to the grasses of the southern hemisphere is not still in the cards for him?

Landschoot in the Field

Origins of Turfgrass, Part 3

Future –Proofing the Lawn Care Industry

Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing.

By Jay McCurdy Ph.D., Associate Professor, Turfgrass Extension Specialist Department of Plant & Soil Sciences • Mississippi State University

Recent, rapid urbanization has driven the development of urban green space in the United States and abroad. The world population has almost doubled since 1970, and more than 80% of U.S. citizens reside in urban areas. As a result, much traditionally rural, agricultural, and wild land has been converted to lawns, parks, sports surfaces, etc. for aesthetics, recreation, and ease of maintenance.

Simultaneously, cities and suburbs are filling with folks who are willing and able to change their habits to fit their belief systems—supporting wildlife conservation, reducing inputs like water and fertilizer, and decreasing fossil fuel use. Those trends will continue, so how can the turf industry meet the needs and demands of an increasingly ecologically and socially conscious society?

TURFGRASS HAS A ROLE TO PLAY

Lawns and other grasslands are important in built environments. They offer greater noise and heat abatement than pavement, hardscape, and synthetic landscaping. However, turf does not replicate the cooling and shading effects of tree canopy, nor does it fill the habitat void left after clearing and removing natural environments for communities.

Turf provides erosion control, nutrient infiltration, and a familiar, low-maintenance aesthetic. Historically, one of turf’s main benefits has been line-of-sight for protection and separation from other humans and the wild—think roadside visibility, fire abatement, pest control, and home defense. With time, those practicalities have developed into the quintessential “American lawn.” Urban citizens worldwide recognize grasslands maintained as turfgrass lawns or open green spaces, such as parks, for their recreational and social functions as well as their aesthetics.

Problems arise from reliance upon any one system. Turf often lacks species richness, and many modern management practices are ecologically insensitive. For instance, turfgrass’s role in carbon sequestration is often touted, but the positive effect of sequestration may be nullified by management practices such as the seed, sod, and transport to establish, mowing, pest management, irrigation, and fertilization. The literature suggests that even modestly maintained lawns may be net greenhouse gas emitters. Most importantly, lawn-age limits the peak sequestration—that is, once a lawn reaches a certain age (30 to 70 years old), the carbon released through decay equals that absorbed in growth (Gu et al., 2015; Tidåker et al., 2017). Regardless of the net balance, reducing fertilization and mowing frequency are essential to minimizing environmental harms (Law & Patton, 2017).

Repeated pesticide and fertilizer application, as well as mowing, favors monoculture rather than plant biodiversity, although biodiversity is generally a key indicator of healthy ecosystem function. The detriments of “industrial” monoculture lawns have been much-discussed, but few arguments have focused on suitable alternatives for the typical suburban homeowner. Our collaborations with others in the southeast (see RefugeLawn.com) promise new plant materials and systems that incorporate forbs for pollinator habitat, but changing a societal norm like monoculture turfgrass is a slow process and will not be for everyone.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Lawns are not going away, but how we manage them is changing. New approaches to sustainable lawn and land care will incorporate the following principles:

1 ) Plant material selected for low inputs.

Preempting regulation requires good science, and there’s no better science than appropriate species and variety selection. Evaluation efforts like the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP), the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance (TWCA), and others are trying to guide selection. Considerations include drought and shade tolerance, nitrogen requirements, and required mowing frequency. Progress is also being made to increase lawn diversity by including legumes for nitrogen fixation and nutrient cycling, as well as flowering forbs for pollinator habitat.

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2 ) Improved soil–plant interactions.

Broadly, this involves understanding nutrient cycling within living systems and the underlying effects of soil microflora and fauna. These interactions may improve carbon sequestration, reduce fertilizer and irrigation requirements, and substantially reduce inputs in turfgrass systems. We have much to learn but focusing on plant health is undoubtedly our industry’s new direction. The difficult part is educating the average consumer.

3 ) Reduced input.

Lawns are relatively high-input agronomic systems. Nitrogen fertilization, chemical pest management, and mowing require energy expenditure, typically fueled by the burning of hydrocarbon-rich fuels. Equipment and noise emissions from internal combustion engines are key concerns associated with lawn maintenance.

Internal combustion engines power most lawn maintenance equipment, but that is rapidly changing. Stakeholders and operators are adopting electric-powered equipment to conserve fuel, reduce noise, and simplify use. Studies of the cost of electric mowers over a 10-year lifespan, factoring in production costs and fuel emissions, suggest at least a 30% decrease in CO2 emissions by switching to battery-powered mowers (Saidani and Kim, 2021). The emissions are further reduced when renewable energy sources are used to generate electricity.

Many incentives and regulations are guiding the move from gasoline- to electric-powered vehicles, but those initiatives have historically had little effect on the lawn care industry. That trend is changing. For instance, California law (AB1346) will effectively ban gas-powered small off-road engines (SORE) of 25 horsepower or less on January 1, 2024, subject to court injunctions and feasibility studies. The battery-powered outdoor equipment industry is adapting, and not just in California.

Even modern electric-powered mowers are not yet widely capable of performing the functions of internal combustion engine mowers; however, reliable autonomous mowing devices have arisen simultaneously. The installation and maintenance of these devices is a whole new market.

4 ) Lawn for lawn’s sake?

We are witnessing rapid transformation on many fronts. The public perception of landscapes and their roles in society is changing. We are riding a post-pandemic high of outdoor recreation interest, but societal norms, market forces, and regulation inevitably coalesce to challenge entrenched ways of thinking.

For a preview, we must consider regional trends. We see movement toward low-maintenance, live-and-let-live roadsides, parks, and lawns throughout much of Europe. Minneapolis has a program to interseed nitrogen-fixing legumes into lawns. The “No-Mow-May” and “Let-It-Bloom-June” initiatives focus on providing pollinator habitat in England. The U.S. golf industry has done a tremendous job promoting natural areas as beneficial for wildlife (and budgets).

I am both nervous and excited about these challenges. I am not disparaging turf, but I know that turf is only one part of a living, functioning built environment. We need defensible, science-based rationales for why lawns are important and how to improve them. We must also realize that lawn for lawn’s sake is not a winning argument. Our toughest challenge is to make turf both societally and ecologically positive.

REFERENCES

Gu, C., Crane II, J., Hornberger, G., & Carrico, A. (2015). The effects of household management practices on the global warming potential of urban lawns. Journal of Environmental Management, 151, 233-242.

Law, Q. D., & Patton, A. J. (2017). Biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nitrogen in cool-season turfgrass systems. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 26, 158-162.

Saidani, M., & Kim, H. (2021). Quantification of the environmental and economic benefits of the electrification of lawn mowers on the US residential market. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 26(6), 1267-1284.

Tidåker, P., Wesström, T., & Kätterer, T. (2017). Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from turf management of two Swedish golf courses. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 21, 80-87.

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