Virginia Turfgrass Journal - January / February 2021 by leadingedgepubs

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council

January/February 2021 PLUS

RE S E ARCH U PDATES FR O M Virginia Tech

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | January/February 2021

16 20

32 DEPARTMENTS

16 Upcoming Events Mid Atlantic Turf Expo Come to the Bay

20 Cover Story Research Updates

from Virginia Tech

6 President’s Message from Mike Skelton

8 Director’s Corner from Tom Tracy, Ph.D.

8 Virginia Tech Turf Team 9 Index of Advertisers 10 Editor’s Perspective from Mark Vaughn, CGCS

12 VTF Report

32 Feature Story Education Spotlight on Brentsville Turfgrass

from Brandyn Baty

14 News from VTC 14 Turfgrass Calendar

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: THETURFZONE.COM 4 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

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President’s Message Virginia Turfgrass Journal is the official publication of The Virginia Turfgrass Council P.O. Box 5989 Virginia Beach, VA 23471 Office: (757) 464-1004 Fax: (757) 282-2693 vaturf@verizon.net

New Year,

NEW

Michael Skelton VTC President

B EN E FI T S F

inally, 2020 is over, but its effects are still being felt. I’m sure all of you, like me, are grateful that it’s a new year (even if it’s just a change in the date). I also hope you, your team and family are all doing well. I want you to know that the VTC Board has been working hard to come up with new and innovative ways to ensure our members receive the needed education and certifications/recertifications to do their jobs under the current restrictions. A big thanks to Dr. Tom Tracy, Dr. Mike Goatley, the VT Turf team and the VA Extension offices for some extremely creative ideas that will have a lasting, beneficial impact for the whole Virginia turf industry in the future. One of the biggest creative ideas was turning the VT Short Course into the online VT-STEM Course. With the hard work of the VT Turf Team, from first idea to implementation happened in about 4 months. It is a 13-week course with weekly interactions with the professors and industry leaders to answer questions and a chance to interact with fellow students. This course has the potential to go national and even international. The first class has 28 students that represent Golf, Sports Turf, Parks and Rec, Landscape and High School teachers. Although the original VT Short Course was well attended, there were many in the industry who could not attend because they could not take the time off. We know as the word spreads, the course will gain greater attendance and may require it being offered at other times of the year. One of the final, but possibly the greatest, benefits is that it can lead to the student becoming a Virginia Tech Certified Turfgrass Professional. Your VTC Board always wants to hear from our members with new ideas that will make our association even better. Please contact Tom Tracy or any board member with your idea. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year,

Michael Skelton VTC President

Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) serves its members in the industry through education, promotion and representation. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the association, its staff, or its board of directors, Virginia Turfgrass Journal, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or VTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this bimonthly publication. Copyright © 2021 by the Virginia Turfgrass Council. Virginia Turfgrass Journal is published bimonthly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of VTC. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notification to VTC, P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471. Postage guaranteed. Third-class postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Virginia Turfgrass Journal allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to VTC. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photographs. Contact the managing editor for contribution information. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064-3394, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524. Deadlines are the first of the month prior to the following month’s publication. (Example: August 1 for the September issue.)

6 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

PUBLISHED BY Leading Edge Communications, LLC 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200 Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718 Fax: (615) 794-4524 Email: info@leadingedgecommunications.com EDITOR Mark Vaughn, CGCS VTC OFFICERS President Michael Skelton (540) 718-4133 Vice President Phil Bailey, CGCS Virginia Green Lawn Care (757) 572-1981 Secretary / Treasurer Jimmy Viars, CGM Gloucester County Public Schools (804) 815-2779 Past President Scott Woodward Woodward Turf Farms (540) 727-0020 VTC DIRECTORS Wes Bray Sam Burris Ray Funkhouser Tony Montgomery Bruce Sheppard T.J. Skirsky Craig Zeigler VTC ADVISORY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD Mike Goatley, Ph.D. (Chair) Shawn Askew, Ph.D. Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D. David McCall Ph.D. Dan Sandor, Ph.D. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004 VIRGINIA TURFGRASS FOUNDATION Brandyn Baty (757) 585-3058

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Virginia Tech Turf Team

Director’s Corner

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807 askew@vt.edu

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

“W

hat we see now in this subdued and delicate half-light is the promise of the dawn.” C.S. Lewis’ book, The Great Divorce, uses several analogies to reflect on Heaven and Hell. The promise of the full morning light of a glorious sunrise – or its total absence – permeate the book. Borrowing from that great author, allow me to liken these ten months of Covid-19 restrictions to the darkness that precedes the dawn. When Governor Northam was making plans to shut down parts of our economy last March, we worked with the Virginia Agribusiness Council and the Governor’s office to ensure turfgrass and landscape industries were considered essential. Our efforts and late nights paid off. I frequently hear success stories from you. Except for labor shortages, reports are positive. Businesses are having profitable years and are looking forward to expanding once all restrictions are lifted. Next month we will hold our Come to the Bay conference at the oceanfront in Virginia Beach. We have devoted much time and energy during these dark months of the shutdowns to develop partnerships essential for the success of that event. Here are just a few: Elizabeth River Project, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the City of Virginia Beach, the City of Norfolk, and the Virginia Aquarium. Of course, our strong relationships with Virginia Tech (especially professors at the Hampton Roads AREC) and private industry serve as the backbone of Come to the Bay. Regarding private industry, I must mention two companies whose generous support enables Come to the Bay to happen: Agronomic Lawn Management and Lawns & Gardens Plus. We have also used these dark shutdown months to lay the foundation for three great endeavors: (1) a dune preservation project; (2) formation of the Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute; and (3) a pollinator seed distribution. The dune project is in partnership with the City of Virginia Beach and will be conducted during the second day of Come to the Bay. We have worked with the City to contract with a grower for 6,000 sea grass plants which we will plant on oceanfront dunes. The Environmental Institute is a 501(c)(3) Corporation that was formed to work hard for our membership, representing you on environmental and government relations issues. As a c3 corporation, all donations are tax-exempt. Look for the Institute to conduct informational Road Trips across Virginia this spring and summer. Jeff Fedorchak is TruGreen’s Vice President for Corporate Affairs and a member of our Government Affairs Committee and past member of our Development Committee. He is making it possible for us to custom make 25,000 seed packets of pollinator plants which we intend to distribute to members of the General Assembly and key local leaders along with flyers about our industry. These seed packets will be produced and distributed by our Environmental Institute and will serve as a tangible way to help create more food and foraging areas for pollinators and in doing so help highlight our industry’s commitment to pollinator health. The past ten months have been difficult. But we see great signs of a bright future for the turfgrass and landscape industries. We welcome the coming sunrise!

Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director

8 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdiva, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3900 adelpozo@vt.edu Jeffrey F. Derr, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research Station 1444 Diamond Springs Rd. Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757-363-3912 jderr@vt.edu Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D. Virginia Tech 420 Smyth Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-2951 goatley@vt.edu David McCall, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9598 dsmccall@vt.edu Dan Sandor, Ph.D. Virginia Tech 170 Drillfield Dr. 411 Price Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-9775 dsandor@vt.edu WITH SUPPORT FROM: Thomas P. Kuhar, Ph.D. Virginia Tech Dept. of Entomology 216 Price Hall 170 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-6129 tkuhar@vt.edu

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4 SEASON

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Call to schedule a free demo! 540.375.2841 tce-va.com 405 W 4th St. Salem, VA 24153 Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 9

Editor’s Perspective

PREDICTIONS W

ell, that was fun WASN’T it? I mean, don’t you wish EVERY year could be 2020? Record heat, record rain, record hurricanes, record stock market drop, record stock market rise; throw in racial strife, an election and oh by the way a global pandemic. For a while there, I thought I’d taken a trip in the ole VTC “Ball of Confusion” time machine back to the 60’s. But if you’re reading this, I guess we’re all still here. For us in the green industry, we went from wondering if we were going to be allowed to work and survive, to having a remarkably busy year. Others who had been rockin’ and rollin’ endured 10 months of hell. See how tough this prognostication business can be? But ONCE again for you, our faithful readers, I’m going to give it a try. As always, a disclaimer for THE MAN. In this time of rampant free speech and truthfulness in our politicians, press, and social media (eye roll), it has always been the goal of this column and the VTC Journal to be a beacon; a lighthouse in the turbulent waters to guide you to safe harbor. Rather than doing this with a blunt object, we choose satire as our vehicle. Some might be offended by what is contained in the next 1000 or so words, and in fact we would be offended if you were not offended. So, we’ve both got that going for us. Without further ado then, and as Briscoe Darling would say – “jump in where you can and hang on!” The hoped-for calmer, gentler America gets off to a rocky start during Joe Biden’s inauguration. As the limo carrying the current and future presidents proceeds down Pennsylvania Ave. towards the Capitol, Trump suddenly opens the door and barrel rolls over to the curb where a waiting Hummer is strategically parked. While the inaugural motorcade continues onward, the Hummer makes a sharp right turn and backtracks towards the Potomac. Not wanting to give the outgoing President one more second of coverage, the networks choose to focus their attention on what Hollywood celebrities are on the grandstand for the next 20 or so minutes. But when Biden rises to take the oath of office, those gathered hear the screeching sound of dueling Fender Strats instead. Jolted by this, the massive crowd along the National Mall turn their eyes west just as fireworks erupt behind the Lincoln Memorial. A large curtain that has been hastily erected over the monument is dropped, revealing not only giant amps but Honest Abe sitting in his chair sporting a Trumpster style blond wig. Ted Nugent and Kid Rock take center stage for a five-minute rendition of Van Halen’s “Eruption,” followed by 50 Cent, Kanye, and the T-Man’s blistering delivery of Kanye’s “Gold Digger.” Struggling to regain control of the crowd, a

Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor

furious Biden demands that the tape of him dancing to “Despacito” be played on the jumbotrons surrounding the Mall. Order is eventually restored when PEPCO kills the power to the Lincoln Memorial area. In his own little twist on the inauguration, as Chief Justice Roberts rises to administer the Oath of Office after order has been restored, Prez Elect Biden tells him “that won’t be necessary” and instructs him to take a seat. The platform retracts slightly and up rises the holographic image of former justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. “Not that I was confident or anything, but just a little something we worked out several months ago” says a grinning Biden. After administering the oath, the hologram vanishes. “Don’t worry my fellow Americans” says Biden with a wink, “there’s more where that came from.” The economic fallout from Covid begins to take a toll on universities as non-revenue sports fall victim to the budget cutting axe. Things really get ugly with the student body in Blacksburg however, when lobster bisque and Chilean sea bass are removed from dining hall menus. Hundreds of disgruntled students chanting “hell no, it can’t go” block entrances to dining facilities and demand an end to the “barbaric” infringement on their culinary rights. The standoff and related hunger-strike goes on for weeks as the 24-hour news networks set up shop on the Drillfield and offer streaming coverage on the “basscam.” The crisis is finally resolved when University officials agree to offer the bisque on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and the bass on Tuesday and Thursday. A caravan of black SUVs descends upon the maintenance facility of Snout River Golfin,’ Fishin,’and Huntin’ Club in Southside VA early one August morning. As cameras roll, FBI agents working with Homeland Security “storm” the building and arrest 1st Assistant Zeke Hopper. As Hopper is dragged into the back of a waiting SUV, CNN reporter Noticias Falsas observes Hopper wearing a “Hannibal Lecter” style mask. When Falsas presses him for information, Agent Fred Hasselbob explains that “we’ve been monitoring Hopper on the Facebook. Mr. Hopper has been very vocal and labeled the Covid vaccine just another Russian plot, and strongly discouraged others from taking it. We sent an agent in to work undercover on the maintenance staff. He befriended Zeke, gained his confidence, and ultimately fell in love with him. This allowed him to closely observe his eating habits which included consuming possums, snakes, monkeys, and hedgehogs. Turns out the goal was another pandemic which would boost play at Snout River.” When reminded that this all sounded like a plotline on Netflix’s

10 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

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“Ozark,” Hasselbob bristles and retorts “you tell your stories and I’ll tell mine, Falsas.” After Bryson DeChambeau unleashes a 425-yard drive during the 2021 Phoenix Open, a large object goes bounding down the fairway. Thinking that the club must have slipped out of his hands, an alert cameraman zooms to the debris. Viewers are horrified however, when the closeup reveals that in fact Dechambeau’s arm separated from his body at the shoulder joint. Sir Nick Faldo pounces on the moment to exclaim “See! I’ve been talking about these younger players and their bodies breaking down with these ridiculous swing speeds. There’s a prime example!” As a byproduct of the pandemic, bunker rakes, ball washers, water coolers, and sand bottles are declared unnecessary and detracting from the true spirit of the game. Next on the list: greens books. Speaking of things on the list, the annual Masters prediction. Always on the cutting edge, the folks on Magnolia Lane announce all patrons for the 2021 event will be required to wear MagMics . Embedded in all tickets and badges and thereby unique to each user, they allow officials to monitor the

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pontifications of those that need to let the world know how they feel about a golf shot struck a micro-second earlier. Calibrated to record any shouted stupid phrase above 90 decibels, the MagMic also uses “Find My” technology used in Apple products to immediately locate the patron anywhere on property. Within minutes the offender can be located, transported to the clubhouse, branded, and deposited into the newly constructed “green mile” tunnel which connects to the city sewer system. Then you can Andy Dufresne yourself back to Washington Road and your parked vehicle, never to be seen on the grounds again. Well once again, I am exhausted. You have no idea how much energy it takes to move back and forth between the spirit world and what you think is reality just to glean this information. And as always, I do it for free. Gentle reader, you know that I would never take the political road and beg you for money. However, love offerings will be reluctantly accepted. For those that choose to do so, thank you in advance. And for those that do not, remember: as bad as it was, it can ALWAYS get worse. Here’s to 2021!

Mark Vaughn, CGCS Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 11

VTF Report

Brandyn Baty VTF Director

The

Virginia Turfgrass Foundation (VTF) has launched our #KeepingItReal Campaign this year to bring awareness to the numerous environmental, health, and recreation benefits that real grass provides to consumers like you and me.

AWARENESS IS KNOWLEDGE! Our Run the Fairway Festival is an exciting new festival created to highlight everything about turfgrass paired with an amazing runwalk-jog-festival on the famous LPGA and past PGA Kingsmill River Golf Course at the Kingsmill Resort. This is a family friendly event bringing both industry professionals and consumers together for turfgrass awareness fun.

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS EVENT support the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Team programs and turfgrass research projects. 12 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

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News from VTC

Introducing the New VT-STEM Program By Mike Goatley, Ph.D.

The

pandemic of 2020 has greatly altered the ways that the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Team delivers its research updates and overall outreach/extension programs. We offered virtual field days for our three largest industry segments (golf, sports turf, lawn/landscape/sod) and if you missed those ‘in person’ virtual events, please visit the VT Turf page on YouTube where you can watch all of the research updates on your own schedule. Another alteration has been in the offering of our traditional Turfgrass Short Course that could no longer be delivered in person in 2020. There are always advantages to meeting in person, the most important being the relationships formed and information shared between attendees and instructors. However, the inability to gather in person affords us the opportunity to develop and deliver a virtual turfgrass school in turfgrass management that is taught asynchronously, allowing the students to review the materials on their own time, and those materials being supplemented with live Zoom meetings each week for Q/A with the instructors. We’ve designed an online program called the Virginia Tech School of Turfgrass Ecology and Management (VT-STEM) that was initiated the week of December 6th and runs through midMarch (13 weeks of training). Each VT Turfgrass Team member has specific segments where they teach areas of their expertise by way of pre-recorded lectures, and then they meet with the students to review the materials for a particular week from 7–9 p.m. each Wednesday night. The training is further supported by

the students having access to the Certified Turfgrass Professional training manual and copies of all handouts that accompany the presentations, and the students are asked to take pre- and posttraining tests to assess their understanding of the material. Students are automatically enrolled in the Virginia Certified Fertilizer Applicator training and testing program, and if they become CFAs and pass all of the post-training weekly VT-STEM quizzes, they have the opportunity to sit for the Certified Turfgrass Professional exams that will be offered online upon completion of the school. As of this writing in early December, we have 26 brave souls signed up for our inaugural virtual VT-STEM (hey, these are uncharted waters for us too!). However, we sincerely believe that our students will have a successful and enjoyable educational experience in this format, get to know the VT Turfgrass Team members and some colleagues from the industry, and provide us with feedback that will make future VT-STEM offerings even more valuable. Our student’s success will help grow the VT-STEM program in visibility and numbers, and should increase the recognition and value of become a Certified Turfgrass Professional. With success in this format, we plan on offering advanced topic training in the future as well, similar to our previous inperson Advanced Short Courses. COVID has been a lemon for sure, but when presented with lemons, why not try to make lemonade? We’ll let you know what VT-STEM tasted like later in 2021.

Mark Your Calendar for These Events!

Seed Packet Distribution Coming Soon!

January 19 – 22, 2021

Our seed packets contain plants that provide color and attract pollinators all season. Dr. Cindy Smith of George Mason University selected the mix of Virginia native perennials and selfseeding annuals. The VTC Environmental Institute is proud to work with Dr. Cindy Smith, Jeff Fedorchak, Ray Funkhouser, and many others to offer these packets to our members, legislative leaders, local leaders, and environmental groups.

Mid Atlantic Turfgrass Expo Virtual Event

February 23 – 24, 2021 Come to the Bay Virginia Beach

For details & event updates throughout the year, visit the new VTC website:

www.vaturf.org 14 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021

UPCO M I NG E V E NT

M-A-T-E REGISTRATION FORM JA N U A R Y 1 9 – 2 2 , 2 0 2 1 V I R TU A L M E E TI N G C HE C K T HE APPR O PR I A TE B O X E S . – YO U M AY AL SO REG IST ER AND P AY ONL INE AT

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TRINITY TURF VIRGINIA SAND & STONE

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Latitude 36 57.3 The winter of 2013 - 2014 swept a polar vortex into the Midwest that created record low TifTuf 88.3 temperatures. Dr. Cale Bigelow, a professor of turf science and ecology at Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, participated in the NTEP study. In a December 2019 article in Golf Course Management magazine, Dr. Bigelow was quoted as saying only 9 of 42 bermudagrasses tested survived with at least 50% ground cover by spring. Some 14 of the grasses completely died. By the end of the NTEP study, Tahoma 31 was rated by far with the greatest winter survivability in Indiana at only 4% winter kill. Mean scores in two states where winter survivability was measured, Indiana & Kentucky, confirmed Tahoma 31â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top status in the three year study period, 2014 - 2017.

#1 for Low Water Use In tests that measured evapotranspiration rates (mm d-1) under non-limiting soil moisture conditions in Oklahoma (Amgain et al., 2018), Tahoma 31 fared best, while TifTuf used the most water. Overall, Tahoma 31 used 18% less water than TifTuf. Developed by the turfgrass experts at Oklahoma StateUniversity

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UPCO M I NG E V E NT

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Water: It is Everybody’s Business

P re se n t e d b y A GR O N O M I C L A N DSCAP E M ANAG EM ENT an d L AW NS & G ARDENS P L US

FEBRUARY 23 – 24 2021 at 35th Street Sheraton Hotel, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 (beware, there is a Four-Points Sheraton located at 12th Street. The Four-Points is a great hotel, but it is not where our conference will be held) OFFERING S

TUESDAY, February 23

WEDNESDAY, February 24

• Welcome (City of Virginia Beach)

Special Service Project – Dune Restoration (planting sea grass)

• The Chesapeake Bay Importance to Virginia, Status, Industry Partnerships (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

Pesticide Recertification

• The Elizabeth River Importance to Virginia, Status, Industry Partnerships (The Elizabeth River Project)

Brief Review for Certified Horticulturist Exam

Fertilizer Recertification

• A New Industry Endeavor (The VTC Environmental Institute)

PRESERVE THE DUNES

• VTC Overview/Membership • Trees and Water: The Use of Shrubs and Trees for Riparian Purposes. Keep waterways Free of Run Off (Virginia State University) • Plants for Wet Sites: Perennials (Virginia Cooperative Extension) • Virginia Beach and Norfolk – Where Does Your Tap Water Come From? (City of Norfolk) • Keep Litter Out of Water (City of Virginia Beach) • Smart Irrigation (Site One Landscape Supply)

Wednesday, February 24 Special event at Come to the Bay presented by the Virginia Turfgrass Council Environmental Institute We are partnering with the City of Virginia Beach to plant 6,000 grass plants on an oceanfront dune! Lawns and Gardens Plus is sponsoring the plants! All donations for the dune planting project are 100% tax free.

Two ways you can help:

• Identify Snakes You Meet in the Field (Virginia Aquarium) • Don’t Do This Near the Water (Panel)

1) Volunteer to help us plant!

• Social (Sponsored by Lawns & Gardens Plus)

2) Become a Dune Restoration Sponsor ($800)

18 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

P re se n te d b y A GR O N O M I C L A N DSCAP E M ANAG EM ENT an d L AW NS & G ARDENS P L US

VIRGINIA TURFGRASS COUNCIL’S

2021 COME TO THE BAY REGISTRATION FORM February 23 – 24, 2021

•

Virginia Beach

•

Oceanfront Sheraton – 35th and Atlantic

C HE C K T HE APPR O PR I A TE B O X E S . – YO U M AY AL SO REG IST ER AND P AY ONL INE AT

v aturf. or g

VTC Membership – JOIN or RENEW (January 01 – December 31)..............................................................................Regular: $85 Registration: VTC Member

Registration: Non VTC Member

Tuesday Only................................................................ $85

Tuesday Only................................................................ $95

Wednesday Only........................... No Charge for Members

Wednesday Only.......................................................... $75

Tuesday and Wednesday.............................................. $85

Tuesday and Wednesday............................................ $150

Wednesday Dune Grass Planting Only............................ NC

Donation to the VTC Environmental Institute:___________________ Amount Enclosed:_________________________________________

Make checks payable to Virginia Turfgrass Council and mail with this form to: P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471

Or charge to credit card:

AMEX

VISA

MasterCard

and fax to (757) 282-2693

QUESTIONS? (757) 464-1004 • virginiaturf@gmail.com Virginia Turfgrass Council • P.O. Box 5989, Virginia Beach, VA 23471

vaturf.org Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 19

RESEARC H U PDAT E S F RO M

Impact of DMI Fungicides on Creeping Bentgrass and Ultradwarf Bermudagrass during Suboptimal Growing Conditions By Aaron Tucker, Jordan Booth, Wendell Hutchens, David McCall, Ph.D.

emethylation inhibiting (DMI) fungicides may have phytotoxic effects on putting surfaces under periods of intense heat and stress. With newer DMI chemistries available to turf managers, this study identified impacts of both long-established and recently-registered DMI formulations during the months of June and July on ‘G12’ ultradwarf bermudagrass (UDB) and July and August on ‘Tyee’ creeping bentgrass (CB). This research was conducted at Independence Golf Club in Richmond, VA on UDB and at Glade Road Research Center in Blacksburg, VA on CB. Fungicides of interest included Rayora (flutriafol), Banner Maxx (propiconazole), Torque (tebuconazole), Maxtima (mefentrifluconazole), and Briskway (difenoconazole + azoxystrobin) applied at the highest labeled rate. Each fungicide was applied twice at the maximum labeled rate 14 days

apart and studied with and without post-application irrigation. Data was collected every 7 days after initial application for a total of 28 days. Data collection included weekly drone images for digital image analysis, turf quality and phytotoxicity assessed visually, and clipping yields to determine treatment effects. Preliminary results indicate that post-application irrigation had little effect on plant regulation at each location. Overall, Banner Maxx with post-application irrigation resulted in the most phytotoxicity among other fungicide treatments on UDB (20%), but phytotoxicity for Banner Maxx was similar with or without post-application irrigation. In creeping bentgrass, no phytotoxicity was measured throughout this study and clipping yields varied by date with no differences between fungicide treatments with or without post-application irrigation.

‘G12’ Ultradwarf bermudagrass at IGC 21 days after final application.

‘Tyee’ creeping bentgrass at Glade Road Research Center 7 days after final application.

20 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

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Strategies to Increase Bermudagrass Recovery from Spring Dead Spot Damage By Wendell Hutchens, Mike Goatley Ph.D., and David McCall, Ph.D.

pring dead spot (SDS) is a challenge to manage in Virginia. Most research efforts for SDS are geared toward employing preventative practices such as fungicide applications and other cultural practices in the fall while recovery strategies from damage in the spring and early summer are often overlooked. Preventative practices can be effective, but they are often inconsistent, so further investigation into optimizing bermudagrass recovery from SDS damage in the spring/early summer is necessary. A field trial was conducted from 24 May 2019 to 2 August 2019 and repeated the following year from 25 June 2020 to 6 August 2020 on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Patriotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bermudagrass in Blacksburg, VA. There were six treatments in the study: 1) nontreated control (NTC) 2) two applications of urea two weeks apart totaling (2 lbs N -M) (U) 3) verticutting 4) solid-tine aerification (SA)

FIGURE 1: Main effect across all assessments of fertility or cultivation on mean percent necrosis change relative to percent necrosis at initial assessment. Data were separated by year (P < 0.0001).

5) verticutting + two applications of urea two weeks apart totaling (2 lbs N -M) (U + V) and 6) solid-tine aerification + two applications of urea two weeks

Plots were rated for percent necrosis throughout the study. Data were analyzed as percent necrosis change relative to initial assessment to measure bermudagrass recovery from SDS damage. The main effect of cultivation reduced bermudagrass recovery by 33 and 12 percent units in 2019 and 2020, respectively (Fig. 1). In contrast, the main effect of fertility increased bermudagrass recovery by 22 percent units in 2019 while no difference was observed in 2020. On 07 June, 26 Jul, and 02 Aug 2019 there were treatment effects on bermudagrass recovery (Fig. 2). On 07 June 2019, SA reduced bermudagrass recovery by greater than 57 percent units compared to all other treatments except for U and U + V. Moreover, on 26 Jul and 02 Aug 2019, the U treatment improved bermudagrass recovery by at least 93 percent units compared to the V and SA treatments. In 2020, there were treatment effects on 02 Jul and 02 Aug 2020 (Fig. 3). On 02 Jul 2020, the NTC and U treatments improved bermudagrass recovery by greater than 38 percent units compared to the U + V and U + SA treatments. On 02 Aug 2020, the U treatment improved bermudagrass recovery by more than 22 percent units compared to the V and SA treatments. This study suggests that urea applications alone in the late spring/early summer are sufficient for optimizing bermudagrass recovery from SDS damage. In contrast, cultivation practices such as verticutting and solid-tine aerification without fertility are not sufficient to increase bermudagrass recovery from SDS damage. Our recommendation is to fertilize with 2 lbs N-M in the spring if bermudagrass is suffering damage from SDS. The benefit traditional cultivation practices such as verticutting and aerification have in other areas of turf management (i.e., thatch reduction, increased oxygen to the rootzone, etc.) warrant their use, but they may be better suited for mid-summer employment on bermudagrass after SDS is sufficiently recovered. Future research will focus on other cultivation methods as well as the effect of various fertilizer types on bermudagrass recovery from SDS.

FIGURE 2: Percent necrosis change relative to percent necrosis at initial assessment in 2019. Data were analyzed by rating date (P < 0.0902).

FIGURE 3: Percent necrosis change relative to percent necrosis at initial assessment in 2020. Data were analyzed by rating date (P < 0.0847).

22 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

For test results check www.ntep.org

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Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Ophiospharella Species that Cause Spring Dead Spot to Respond Differently to Fungicides By Wendell Hutchens, Jordan Booth, Kevin Hensler, David McCall, Ph.D.

O FIGURE 1: Mean percent necrosis area under the progress curve for eleven different fungicides and the nontreated control. Maroon bars with upper-case letters compare the different fungicide treatments at the O. korrae population site and orange bars with lower-case letters compare the different fungicide treatments at the mixed population site. Bars with the same letters are not statistically different.

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24 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

phiosphaerella herpotricha and O. korrae are the two most common fungal species that cause the detrimental bermudagrass disease spring dead spot (SDS) in Virginia. Previous research has shown that they differ in aggressiveness, response to fertilizer type, ability to grow at certain pH ranges, and sensitivity to certain fungicides. The purpose of this project was to determine how natural populations of O. herpotricha and O. korrae respond in a field setting to various fungicides and fungicide groups. Two trial locations were used for this study––one was a ‘Tifway 419’ hybrid bermudagrass fairway with a natural population of O. korrae and the other was a ‘Vamont’ bermudagrass fairway with a natural mixed population of both O. herpotricha and O. korrae. The following fungicide treatments were applied either once at full label rate or as a half rate twice (three to four weeks apart) in the fall of 2019: DMIs) Maxtima (mefentrifluconazole), Eagle (myclobutanil), Banner Maxx (propiconazole), Torque (tebuconazole); QoIs) Heritage (azoxystrobin), Fame SC (fluoxastrobin), Insignia (pyraclostrobin); SDHIs) Xzemplar (fluxapyroxad), Kabuto (isofetamid), Velista (penthiopyrad), and Posterity (pydiflumetofen). Plots were assessed three times in the spring and early summer of 2020 for percent necrosis. Data were transformed to area under the progress curve (AUPC) and means were separated. Spring dead spot was suppressed more compared to the nontreated control in the mixed population than in the O. korrae population for nine of the eleven fungicides tested (Fig. 1). Kabuto, Maxtima, Velista, and Posterity generally provided the greatest SDS suppression and the SDHIs were the most efficacious fungicide class against SDS. These data suggest that certain fungicides are more efficacious than others against SDS and that fungicide selection for SDS should be made based on the Ophiosphaerella spp. population present.

Annual Bluegrass Weevil By Emeline Daly, Tom Kuhar Ph.D., David McCall, Ph.D.

More than quality products, it’s partnership. From purchase through performance

nnual bluegrass weevil (ABW) is a serious pest of short-cut, coolseason turfgrasses, particularly annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass, in the Mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. Because adult and larval populations vary throughout the season within a location, scouting is essential for selecting the proper insecticide and timing. Current recommendations for sampling ABW larvae involve breaking apart soil/turf plugs in a saltwater solution and counting the number of larvae that float to the surface (salt float). Noticing small larvae and sifting through the plant and soil debris pose challenges to this method. Use of heat extraction has been explored recently as an alternative to the salt float method. Our research objective was to compare these two methods using soil plugs collected from two different golf courses in Virginia with an established ABW population. The heat extraction technique utilizes a heat lamp to dry the soil plug in a BerleseTullgren funnel and forces the larvae downward through the soil and into a catch jar in order to escape the heat. In 2020, larvae from matched pair plant canopy cores were extracted using either the salt float method or the Berlese-Tullgren funnel method. Results showed that the two extraction methods were 80% correlated with regards to the number of ABW larvae recorded, and there was no significant difference between the methods in extracted larvae. Our research demonstrates that both methods are comparable for extracting ABW larvae. The method used for ABW larvae scouting and sampling can be determined by the turfgrass manager’s time, experience, and their personal preference.

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Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 25

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Thermal Changes in Tall Fescue Associated with Rhizoctonia Solani Infection By Caleb Henderson and David McCall, Ph.D.

all fescue (Festuca arundenacea) is one of the most ubiquitous grasses found in residential lawns, greenspaces, and pastureland throughout the cool season and transition zones of the United States. Rhizoctonia solani, the causal agent of brown patch, is among the most common pathogens on tall fescue causing loss of aesthetic quality and turfgrass stand thickness. Treatment for brown patch is widely available and effective treatments in residential areas are typically applied reactively where treatment is applied after symptoms manifest in a given area. By this point the pathogen has had ample time to decimate the turfgrass stand which may

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require weeks to be restored to pre-disease quality. It has been suggested previously that pathogen stress can cause changes in thermal images. With this information we looked at the early days of infection of R.solani on tall fescue. Tall fescue stands were infected with varying amounts of inoculum and thermal images were taken daily for the first ten days. Infected stands showed significantly higher relative temperature changes on a 2-day average than noninoculated stands (p=0.035). This preceded the onset of visual symptomology suggesting that thermal imagery could be useful in pre-symptomatic detection of pathogen infection.

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26 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

Field validation of brown patch detection on tall fescue using thermal imagery. Photo courtesy

of Caleb Henderson

Impact of Fall Applications of trinexapac-ethyl (Primo Maxx) on Cold Tolerance of Ultradwarf Bermudagrass

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By Jordan Booth, David McCall, Ph.D., Mike Goatley, Ph.D., Shawn Askew, Ph.D.

esearch continues at Independence Golf Club on winter management of ultradwarf bermudagrass (UDB) putting greens. For the last three years, research has been conducted to evaluate the impact of fall and winter applications of trinexapac-ethyl (Primo Maxx, Syngenta) on cold tolerance of UDB. Primo Maxx is traditionally used in the summer to reduce vertical growth, improve the quality of cut and provide consistent putting green playability. The rationale of this research is that Primo Maxx may improve cold tolerance by reducing unnecessary fall growth and allow for plants to reserve energy (carbohydrates) heading into winter dormancy. Dormancy is UDB’s greatest defense against cold winter damage. Previous field research in 2017/ 18 and 2018/19 showed that fall and winter applications of Primo Maxx did have a positive impact on spring UDB turfgrass quality and reduced fluctuations in growth during the fall and winter months. A study in 2020 was designed to evaluate the impact of fall Primo Maxx treatments on the cold tolerance of UDB in an early-winter freeze situation. Twenty-four ‘Champion’ UDB plugs were planted in February 2020 in 6" pots. The UDB pots were maintained in a greenhouse at 65– 85°F, receiving 3oz/A of Primo Maxx every 14 days. In July the UDB pots were randomized and placed into a modified chest freezer where light and temperature were regulated to mimic fall growing conditions. Nighttime temperatures were dropped 5°F every two weeks until pots were exposed

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to 35°F at night to replicate fall nighttime temperatures. During this time, twelve pots received 3oz/A of Primo Maxx every 14 days while 12 did not. After 12 weeks of ‘fall’, replications of three untreated UDB pots and three TE UDB pots were exposed to 15°F for 4, 6, 8, and 10 hours respectively. Pots were analyzed for percent green cover using digital image analysis software to evaluate cold-exposure damage. Nonlinear regression analysis predicted a 50% mortality exposure point for ‘Champion’ UDB under Primo Maxx treatments of 9.84 hours at 15°F (r2=0.836) compared to 11.38

hours at 15°F (r2=0.671) for non-treated ‘Champion’ UDB pots. Contrary to field evaluations, these data suggest that fall applications of Primo Maxx reduce cold tolerance of ultradwarf bermudagrass. However, more research is needed to validate these findings. This trial is currently being repeated at two different locations. Future research will evaluate the impact of Primo Maxx on cold tolerance of UDB during mid-winter and early spring below-freezing scenarios. This research is being supported by a grant from the United States Golf Association.

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 27

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Early Postemergence Control of Crabgrass in Bermudagrass

Untreated plot

By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., Adam Nichols, Aman Rana Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC

rabgrass is a summer annual grassy weed that can cause major problems in bermudagrass. Not only is there an aesthetic issue for home lawns, but the surface disruption in uniformity caused by crabgrass on bermudagrass golf courses and sports fields is a problem. Crabgrass begins to germinate in early to mid-March on the eastern side of Virginia, and continues through the summer. In the lower mowing heights of bermudagrass, crabgrass germinates before bermudagrass is fully greened-up in spring. Crabgrass can be controlled with preemergence herbicides when applied prior to germination. However, some of the preemergence products can work postemergence if applied to recently-germinated crabgrass plants. In this study, we tested the early postemergence control of crabgrass in bermudagrass using Crew, a combination of isoxaben and dithiopyr in a granular formulation. The granular formulation will allow Crew to be applied using a spreader for even coverage. Crew was tested versus industry standard, sprayable formulations on crabgrass in the 1-leaf stage.

Dimension 2EW, 1 qt/A

Crabgrass Cover (%) Trt #

Treatment

Untreated Check

Crew

Dimension + Gallery

Dimension

Gallery

LSD P=.05

Rate

34 DAT

76 DAT

134 DAT

19 a

75 a

150 lb/A

0 b

4 b

200 lb/A

0 b

1 qt/A

0 b

4 b

1 qt/A

0 b

31 fl oz/A

16 a

73 a

Dimension 2EW, 1 qt/A + Gallery 31 fl oz/A

31 fl oz/A

Crew at 200 lb/A provided excellent early postemergence control of crabgrass. Crew at 150 lb/A provided good early postemergence control of crabgrass. This product is an easy to use product that can provide excellent early postemergence crabgrass control.

Crew 150 lb/A

Crabgrass in 1-leaf stage at time of application.

Crew 200 lb/A Gallery 31 fl oz/A

28 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

Preemergence Control of Crabgrass in Tall Fescue Using Crew

product that can be applied with a spreader. We tested the preemergence control of crabgrass with Crew versus industry sprayable-formulation standards in a stand of tall fescues. Crabgrass Cover (%) Trt #

By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., Adam Nichols, Aman Rana Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC

rabgrass is a summer annual grassy weed that detracts from the appearance of lawns. The color difference along with the surface uniformity differences between tall fescue and crabgrass are an issue for homeowners, parks, and commercial grounds. Crabgrass begins to germinate in mid-March on the eastern side of Virginia and continues through most of the summer. In tall fescue, crabgrass tends to invade in areas where tall fescue is thinned out by brown patch during the hot, humid summer. As an annual, crabgrass can be controlled using preemergence herbicides. Crew contains two common preemergence herbicides, isoxaben, and dithiopyr, but is a granular

Treatment

Rate

34 DAT

76 DAT

134 DAT

Untreated Check

6 a

38 a

Crew

150 lb/A

0 b

2 b

Crew

200 lb/A

0 b

Dimension +

1 qt/A

0 b

1 b

1 qt/A

0 b

3 b

31 fl oz/A

5 a

29 a

Gallery

31 fl oz/A

Dimension

Gallery

LSD P=.05

Crew at 200 lb/A provided excellent preemergence control of crabgrass and at 150 lb/A provided comparable control to the industry standards. Crew provides another excellent option for lawn care operators in an easy-to-use product.

Evaluation of Alternatives to Glyphosate in a Field Trial By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., Adam Nichols, Aman Rana Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC

Site Description

Conducted at the research station, Virginia Beach RCB 4 reps Plots 3' by 10' native stand of southern crabgrass and yellow nutsedge

Application Information

Treated 8/17/20 76 F Air temperature 82% relative humidity 95% cloud cover wind 2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 MPH N soil temperature 75 F, herbicides applied on a spray to wet basis Southern crabgrass 6" tall, yellow nutsedge 14" tall

Comments

Roundup Promax, Cheetah Pro, and Weed Slayer + Agro Gold gave complete control of southern crabgrass at 17 and 28 DAT. The other treatments caused significant burning of southern crabgrass foliage at 4 DAT but this weed outgrew that injury by 17 DAT. Roundup Promax and Cheetah Pro gave excellent control of yellow nutsede at 17 and 28 DAT, with good control seen with Diquat and fair control with Weed Slayer + Agro Gold. The other treatments did not provide acceptable control of yellow nutsedge. Cheetah Pro (glufosinate) is an effective conventional alternative to glyphosate while Weed Slayer + Agro Gold appears to be an acceptable organic alternative.

% Control Southern Crabgrass Treatment

Aug1820 1 DAT

Aug2120 4 DAT

Sep0320 17 DAT

Sep1420 28 DAT

Nontreated

Roundup Promax

2 fl oz/gal

100

Cheetah Pro

3 fl oz/gal

100

Diquat +

0.75 fl oz/gal

100

Capsil

0.25 % v/v

Natural Arrmor RTU

25 gal/a

Weed Zap

6.4 fl oz/gal

Weed Slayer +

3 % v/v

100

Agro Gold

3 % v/v 12.5 % v/v

7 % v/v

100 % v/v

Avenger Weed Killer

Scythe

WeedPharm

LSD P=.05

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 29

Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued

Testing Effects of Glycine Betaine (GB) and Choline on Physiological Fitness and Quality of Creeping Bentgrass under Heat and Mild Drought Stress By Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D. and Mike Goatley, Ph.D. School of Plant and Environmental Sciences Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Introduction and Objectives Exogenous application of certain small molecule organic compounds has been used as a tool to improve cool-season turfgrass quality and physiological fitness during summer stress as characterized by temperature and/or drought. Glycine betaine (GB) is one of the most important osmoprotectants found in plants and it can stabilize cell membranes, protect proteins and photosynthetic reactions, and mitigate oxidative damage to cells that occurs during stress. Choline is an important primary precursor of GB. The objectives of this study were to investigate if foliar application of GB and Choline, alone or in combination, could improve creeping bentgrass quality and physiological fitness under heat and mild drought stress conditions.

Research Procedures Mature ‘Memorial’ creeping bentgrass plugs were transplanted into 6 inch pots filled with a USGA sand. After 4 weeks of nonstressed growth, we placed the pots in a controlled environment growth chamber at 95 F day (12 h)/77 F night, light intensity at 400 µmol m-2 s-1, 12 h photoperiod, and 60% RH. Water was replaced daily at 40% of measured evapotranspiration (ET). Seven treatments were arranged in a completely randomized

block design with four replications. The treatments included 1). Fertilized control; 2). GB at 0.5 oz/1000 ft2); 3). GB at 1.0 oz/ 1000 ft2; 4). Choline at 0.5 oz/1000 ft2; 5). Choline at 1.0 oz/ 1000 ft2; 6). GB at 0.5 oz/1000 ft2 + Choline at 0.5 oz/1000 ft2; and 7). GB at 1.0 oz/1000 ft2 + Choline at 1.0 oz/1000 ft2. Treatment solutions were applied at 1 gallon/1000 ft2. All seven treatments received identical N input at 0.15 lb N/1000 ft2 every 14 days. The stress period of the trial lasted for 8 weeks, with a total of 4 treatment applications occurring every 14 days. Visual leaf color, photochemical efficiency (PE), clipping yield, leaf chlorophyll, carotenoid and leaf proline content, root growth characteristics, and root viability were measured every 14 days.

Results Foliar application of Choline, alone or in combination with GB, improved leaf color, PE, and increased chlorophyll, carotenoid, and proline content of creeping bentgrass under heat and mild drought stress conditions. Foliar application of GB+Choline at low rate consistently improved root biomass, root length, and root surface area. Overall, Choline alone or low rate plus low rate GB exhibited greater beneficial effects on physiological fitness and visual quality of creeping bentgrass during heat and mild drought stress conditions (Photo 1). The results of this study suggest biweekly foliar application of Choline with or without GB may improve creeping bentgrass quality during summer stress.

Acknowledgement We’d like to thank Harrell’s for the support of this project.

PHOTO 1: Leaf color of creeping bentgrass as affected by GB+Choline treatments at day 56 of simulated heat and drought stress.

30 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT ON

Tools of the trade

BRENTSVILLE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL’S Turfgrass Management Program By Drew Miller, Program Director

2016, Brentsville Turfgrass Management was born with the simple idea of creating a curriculum focused on hands-on experience in the green industry. There was a significant shift from an Agriculture/Horticulture focus to Turfgrass, where jobs in the northern Virginia area were blossoming. In those early days, few resources were available to the program, and any new educational endeavor took time to establish. Now, three years into the program, enrollment has tripled as students gained a new passion for turfgrass and taking pride in their work. Our program aims to have every student prepared to enter the industry the day they walk across that graduation stage. Our job is to train students in all aspects of the industry, ranging from safe machine operation to workplace readiness to the knowledge of grasses and pesticides to painting a field. We want to inspire our students to better themselves each and every day, no matter what their future goals are. Ours is a specialty program where students anywhere in the Prince William County School district can take these classes by transferring to Brentsville District High School. Our classes focus on hands-on learning by placing our students in that workplace setting, whether it’s the paint crew for that week’s football game or landscaping the elementary school down the road. We want to teach them how to use proper techniques and maintain a safe workplace environment so that all of our students are a part of an effective learning environment that becomes their own space of creativity where they can thrive. We allow our students to take ownership of their education by empowering them to make their work decisions, whether it is a simple decision like a mowing pattern in the landscape or a large one like creating the stencil for our football field for the entire season. We want our students to take pride in their work and this program. It is incredible to watch a student grow from a point where they might not have seen this program as a real opportunity, commit to what we do, and then develop a passion and become a lifelong learner. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

32 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

Brentsville District High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home stadium

Students painting a field

BRENTSVILLE TURFGRASS

BY THE NUMBERS 220 STUDENTS currently in the program 15.5 ACRES of sports fields managed (a stadium field, baseball, softball and 5 practice fields) 5 VARIETIES of Bermudagrass 27 ACRES of Brentsville District High School and the Nokesville School 14 GRADUATES in 4 different college turf program 2020 class OVER 30 STUDENTS in an internship or job in related fields

Journal of the Virginia Turfgrass Council | 33

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Brentsville Turfgrass students

Our program aims to provide unique opportunities for our students to understand career opportunities better. Our classes take annual trips to Virginia Tech, Penn State, and the University of Maryland. When our students visit these universities, they can envision the opportunities these college programs can present to them in the industry. Students can make a connection for future opportunities and form relationships that can change their lives. Our program also was built on the idea of serving others while learning our craft. As we have grown, we have spent time working in the community, providing services, educating better, and improving green spaces. We have spent time renovating landscapes, painting other schools’ fields, renovating baseball mounds, and so much more. We aim to better our Prince William community while giving our students more opportunities to learn and better our craft. We have created different opportunities, including the Brentsville Turf Homecoming Tour, where we went to seven different high schools and painted their fields with a unique design to make their homecoming games memorable. That is why our extracurricular group, the Brentsville Turf Grounds Crew, has become a common name in the Northern Virginia area. This past year our students were contracted to help with the conversion of Audi Field from an MLS soccer game to an XFL football game for national television. Our high school students have become young industry professionals through their work in the classroom. Other professional opportunities that we want for our students include internships and jobs that will further their experiences. We have made great connections with different golf course superintendents, sports turf managers, and landscape companies where our students can get years of experience in the industry. Our students gain so much from these jobs because they can make informed decisions about their futures. This work experience also builds a resume that will set them up to further their careers at a younger age. With COVID-19, we have been tested with 100% virtual learning, which is not ideal for our classroom style. In our virtual state, we have adapted with the creation of a podcast called Tiger Turf Talk, where we host industry professionals such as Will Brierly, head groundskeeper at Wimbledon tennis club, to Casey Underwood, Assistant Athletic Director in charge of athletic fields, discussing their careers, different cultural practices, stories, and other aspects through which the students can learn about the industry first hand from these professionals. This is also creating networks for our students in the industry across the country and abroad, providing future opportunities through this podcast. It has become a big part of our virtual learning space. With our program’s exponential growth, we look to our future aspirations to create the first Turfgrass Research Center at a high school in the United States. We want to build a center to expand our curriculum to where our students will be conducting trials for schools like Virginia Tech and Penn State. With our unique location in Northern Virginia, we would be working with Bermuda and bluegrass for these universities. This opportunity would allow our students to work directly with some of the Turfgrass industry’s brightest minds. These are the opportunities that we want to provide our students here in the Brentsville Turf Program. We require a tremendous amount of support and funding in order to make this research center a reality. We are excited to see what the future holds for our students and our program.

34 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2021 www.vaturf.org

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Virginia Turfgrass Journal - January / February 2021

Articles inside

Education Spotlight

Testing Effects of Glycine Betaine (GB) and Choline…

Evaluation of Alternatives to Glyphosate in a Field Trial

Preemergence Control of Crabgrass in Tall Fescue Using Crew

Early Postemergence Control of Crabgrass in Bermudagrass

Impact of Fall Applications of trinexapac-ethyl…

Thermal Changes in Tall Fescue…

Annual Bluegrass Weevil

Ophiospharella Species that Cause Spring Dead Spot to…

Strategies to Increase Bermudagrass Recovery…

Impact of DMI Fungicides…

2021 Come to the Bay

Seed Packet Distribution Coming Soon!

Introducing the New VT-STEM Program

VTF Report

2021 Predictions

A Bright Future

New Year, New Benefits