Virginia Turfgrass Journal - November / December 2022
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A COLLEAGUES COMMITTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE INDUSTRY
Phil Bailey, CGCS
VTC President
major reason I enjoy our industry is the commitment of our colleagues to assist and support others. Whether it’s sharing equipment, knowledge or concerns with others, it can only help advance our industry.
A recent example of this is what sparked me to include this in the President’s article. An industry leader, friend and supporter received a visit from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to inspect fertilizer record keeping. Our colleague was quick to notify the Virginia Turfgrass Council (VTC) of the VDACS fertilizer audit so we could pass it along to all our members. The quick response from our friend reminded me of how fantastic our industry is.
No matter if you employ hundreds or work for yourself, this commitment to the industry is key to a strong best management practices industry. Being a member of the VTC allows information to be shared quickly. It enabled VTC to contact Larry Nichols of VDACS to get clarification on the new protocols of VDACS regarding fertilizer audits. Situations like this are what we try and prepare for. VTC will be offering online fertilizer applicator recertification classes. In a few months we will offer pesticide online recertification as well.
How great is our industry because of the commitment from our colleagues. This camaraderie of our friends is what makes our industry GREAT!
Your friend in the industry,
Phil Bailey
VTC President
MARK YOUR CALENDAR & SAVE THESE DATES! For event updates throughout the year, visit vaturf.org
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
PUBLISHED BY
Leading Edge Communications, LLC
206 Bridge Street, Suite 200
Franklin, Tennessee 37064 (615) 790-3718
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VTC OFFICERS
President
Phil Bailey, CGCS Isle of Wight County Parks & Recreation (757) 572-1981
Vice President
Wes Bray Lawns & Gardens Plus (757) 422-2117
Secretary / Treasurer
Jimmy Viars, CGM Gloucester County Public Schools (804) 815-2779
Past President
Michael Skelton (540) 718-4133
VTC DIRECTORS
Sam Burris
Ray Funkhouser
Tony Montgomery
Bruce Sheppard
T.J. Skirsky
Harris Wheeler, CTP
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.
Cynthia Smith, Ph.D.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. (757) 464-1004
VIRGINIA TURFGRASS FOUNDATION
Brandyn Baty (757) 585-3058
A UNIQUE RESOURCE
RVirginia Tech Turf Team
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
ecently, I was honored by being asked to speak with Virginia Tech’s President, Provost, and Board of Visitors. The topic? The value of the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (HR-AREC). My presentation was critical because of actions being taken by some individuals seeking to relocate the Center. Here is a summary of what I discussed.
The HR-AREC has a unique focus. It is the only AREC devoted to the Green Industry, as defined by Nursery Growers, Lawn and Landscape Companies, Garden Centers, Arborists, Sports Fields, Golf Courses, and Sod Growers.
The HR-AREC has a deep financial impact on businesses across the state. In order to get a comprehensive picture of that impact, I contacted industry leaders, including wholesale nursery owners, turfgrass professionals, the president of the Mid Atlantic Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, the vicepresident of the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, and many others. Here are a few of their comments:
• Presence of the AREC allows me to sleep at night. Work done by Drs. Hong, Del-Pozo, Derr, and others protects our $20,000,000 wholesale inventory from insects, diseases, weeds, and other pests.
• Boxwoods are a major part of our production. Dr. Hong’s research on Boxwood Blight enables us to continue to produce them.
• Crape Myrtle Bark Scale appeared out of nowhere. Overnight, our clients were complaining about trees covered with this pest. Drs. Shultz and Del-Pozo gave us valuable advice and direction.
• Last fall, many of my clients called because their lawns died overnight. Fall Armyworms were the culprit. Dr. Del-Pozo gave us great advice.
• Annual Bluegrass Weevil, a northern pest, and nematodes, a pest previously only in southern states, appeared in Virginia a few years ago. The AREC is enabling us to stay on top of these turfgrass destroying pests.
• The HR-AREC has been an outstanding arm for our business for the last few decades. To name a few, Dr. Jeff Derr and Dr. Chuan Hong have offered incredible insight and instruction for challenges facing us. We would not be where we are today without their help.
• As more and more challenges come our way including Boxwood Blight and the Spotted Lanternfly, we need professionals to help steer us and help our state growers be competitive.
• The AREC is the very first place we call or visit when we have a problem. We get answers in days, not weeks or months.
Tom Tracy, Ph.D. VTC Executive Director
Shawn D. Askew, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech 435 Old Glade Road Blacksburg, VA 24061 540-231-5807
askew@vt.edu
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
Agronomic
Bulldog Field Equipment
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Collins Wharf Sod Farm
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UPCOMING EVENT
INDUSTRY SUCCESS IN VIRGINIA’S CUL-DE-SAC at
COME TO THE BAY
Presented by Agronomic Lawn Management, Weed Man, Lawns and Gardens Plus, TruGreen and the VTC Environmental Institute
JANUARY 23 – 26, 2023 • OCEANFRONT SHERATON • VIRGINIA BEACH
For details, visit: vaturf.org/come-to-the-bay/
MONDAY , January 23
Once again, Come to the Bay integrates a vital environmental service project into the schedule. Two years ago, our first service project worked with the City of Virginia Beach to provide and plant 6,000 dune saving American Beachgrass plants at the oceanfront. Last year we partnered with the City, Tidewater Community College, and multiple environmental groups to provide and plant 15,000 of the same plants at a Chesapeake Bay inlet.
For 2023, the service project has once again increased and will make a very significant impact on Pleasure House Point, a restored tidal point in the City of Virginia Beach. We will work on three areas: restoring a bioswale, adding native plants to a display garden, and planting erosion protecting American Beachgrass plants along the Lynnhaven River.
Our work will conclude with lunch and a presentation by public school students.
TUESDAY , January 24
By THE INDUSTRY for THE INDUSTRY
This day will focus on ways your company can increase profit margins with native plants and by controlling invasives. The morning’s focus on natives answers many critical questions, including:
•What is a native plant?
•When are natives not the best solution?
•What is the role of lawns?
•Why should I form partnerships with environmental groups?
•Where do I buy native plants?
Invasives are highlighted after lunch. Climate change and unwelcome movement of plants increasingly brings these unwelcome visitors to the forefront of Virginia’s landscapes.
Before the social, city leaders will discuss ways to remain legal when planting on public property and Virginia Natural Gas will highlight their efforts at restoring native habitats.
The complete schedule is online at vaturf.org/events
TUESDAY , January 24 | CONTINUED
4:30 – 6:30 EVENING SOCIAL Sponsored by Lawns & Gardens Plus
PRESENTING SPONSORS: Agronomic Lawn Management Lawns and Gardens Plus TruGreen WeedMan
WEDNESDAY , January 25 |
Pesticide and Fertilizer Certification and Recertification
8:00 Pesticide Recertification
Categories 3A, 3B, 5A, 6, 8,10, and 60
Categories 3A, 3B, and 60 are finished by 2:00 (others will be finished by 5:00)
Special: Persons attending the Pesticide Recertification program may stay longer and receive fertilizer recertification credit.
8:00 – 12:00 Initial Pesticide Certification Review for Core Exam
1:00 – 4:00 Initial Pesticide Certification Exams (must have VDACS letter to take exams)
9:00 Fertilizer Certification / Recertification
9:00 – 12:30 Fertilizer Recertification
9:00 – 3:30 Fertilizer Training and Examination
Landscape / Lawn Short Course
Two Days: Wednesday and Thursday
The Landscape / Lawn Short Course is designed to meet the needs of all green industry professionals. Intensive training will allow you to make better decisions in daily management that will improve both the quality of your landscape and your profit.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
•Keep it Legal – Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulations
•Selecting, Planting, and Maintaining Trees
•Identifying and Controlling Weeds
•Identifying and Controlling Insects
•Horticulture Basics
•Turfgrass Basics
•Soil Basics
•The ABC’s of Pruning
•Planting Dos and Don’ts
OCEANFRONT SHERATON Virginia Beach
Form
VIRGINIA TURFGRASS COUNCIL’S 2023 COME TO THE BAY
VIRGINIA TURFGRASS COUNCIL’S
2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE / M.A.T.E
GLEN ALLEN • VIRGINIA CROSSINGS
WEDNESDAY , February 22, 2023 |
Pesticide and Fertilizer Certification and Recertification
8:00 Pesticide Recertification
Categories 3A, 3B, 5A, 6, 8,10, and 60
Categories 3A, 3B, and 60 are finished by 2:00 (others will be finished by 5:00)
Special: Persons attending the Pesticide Recertification program may stay longer and receive fertilizer recertification credit.
8:00 – 12:00 Initial Pesticide Certification Review for Core Exam
1:00 – 4:00 Initial Pesticide Certification Exams (must have VDACS letter to take exams)
9:00 Fertilizer Certification / Recertification
9:00 – 12:30 Fertilizer Recertification
9:00 – 3:30 Fertilizer Training and Examination
VATURF.ORG/ EVENTS REGISTER
Buffers are Good Business
Buffers in the landscape are often overlooked but they are an essential element of a successful landscape. In addition to being required by local, state, and federal regulations, landscape buffers are a financial boom for companies prepared to enter this thriving – and growing – market.
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
• First, Take Care of the Soil
Stuart Schwartz, Ph.D. University of Maryland
• Environmental Benefits of Buffers
James Martin
Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation
• Turfgrass, A Natural Buffer
Mike Goatley, Ph.D.
Virginia Tech
• Trees as Buffers
Joel Koci
Virginia State University
• Virginia’s new Watershed Program
Caitlin Verdu
Virginia Department of Forestry
• Business Opportunities in Establishing and Maintaining Buffers
Blair Blanchette
Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
VIRGINIA TURFGRASS COUNCIL’S 2023 M.A.T.E
TURFGRASS NUTRITION
What’s Old is New Again
1: Virginia Tech has led research that verifies both the presence and the concentrations of hormones in seaweed extracts and how those compounds can promote turfgrass root development.
2: The April greening response of trafficked bermudagrass where 0.25 lb nitrogen per 1000 square feet rates of soluble nitrogen were applied monthly in the fall through mid-October (foreground block), mid-September (middle), and no fertilization past mid-August (background).
By
Richard Schmidt, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus; Xunzhong Zhang, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor; and Mike Goatley Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech
(Note from Mike Goatley: Professor Emeritus Dick Schmidt remains very much engaged in keeping up with the world of turfgrass research even now in his 10th decade on this planet! I asked him to please put his unique perspectives on the evolution of turfgrass nutrition programs over the past 60+ years and the ways that the research and application programs have evolved in print. Dr. Zhang and I chimed in with some of our perspectives, but Dick led the development of what is a nice review of nutrition and strategies that allow a turfgrass manager to get the most out of a fertility program and produce a healthy, functional turfgrass plant.)
Recently a USGA agronomist indicated that it is desirable to keep bentgrass golf putting greens a bit yellow during hot weather. For Dr. Schmidt, this brought back memories of when he first started studying turfgrass ecology under Professor Burt Musser at Penn State and frequently accompanied him when he toured some of the golf courses in Pennsylvania. It was during some of these trips that Dick recalls hearing senior golf course superintendents state, “Keep the bentgrass on the yellow side during the hot season.” Dr. Goatley notes that during his career, a constant phrase uttered by turfgrass managers that he equates with Dick’s recollection of the value of off-color bentgrass during summer stress is to keep the grass “lean and mean.” Studies regularly show that these mid-20th century superintendents had valid reasoning for avoiding aggressive nitrogen fertility programs on bentgrass during summer stress, and that the recent comment by the USGA agronomist was most observant. Data show that high nitrogen fertility programs on bentgrass greens did enhance green color prior to and during hot weather; however, top growth was exacerbated causing a reduction in carbohydrate content. High nitrogen applications consequently reduced root production. Additional environmental stresses (heat and drought stress primarily) increased accumulation of metabolic toxic oxygen species (free radicals, more on this later in this article) which may damage plant lipids, proteins and other organic components, the literal building blocks of your turfgrass tissues. These internal stress responses reduce photosynthetic efficiency and eventually lead to cell death (and visible loss of turf). Although turfgrasses possess their own antioxidant defensive systems the levels may not be adequate to reduce damage that is exacerbated with the high nitrogen applied under these additional stresses.
Considering the color, the density, and the height and frequency of clipping of bentgrass that the golfer demands, how does one effectively manage quality turf? First, one needs to assure all the requirements of a healthy soil are met: pH, aeration, appropriate levels of organic matter, and sufficiency levels of all required nutrients other than nitrogen. Then the answer for nitrogen management is to follow nature’s lead in carbohydrate ac-
Photo
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cumulation. Research at Virginia Tech in the late 1960s changed industry recommendations regarding fall nitrogen fertilization on cool-season turf. This work demonstrated that fall fertilization during active growing periods of fall and early winter were very positive for root development and carbohydrate storage, and ultimately led to healthier plants the following spring when active growth resumed. Until this point in time the standard nitrogen fertilization programs for cool-season turf still primarily emphasized spring fertilization. During the fall when temperatures are lower and light intensity is decreased, top growth is naturally going to be reduced by the plant growth response to the season, and carbohydrate accumulation stimulates root production. There obviously is some leaf and shoot development for cool-season grasses, but the roots are the focus of growth responses during a period of shorter days and cooling temperatures of fall and early winter. And to get the benefits of desirable fall nitrogen fertilization responses, one must make the applications while the cool-season grass is still actively growing because nitrogen uptake potential is greatly reduced once average daily high temperatures are at or below freezing. Emphasizing nitrogen fertilization at this time will not stimulate the leaf production, thus reducing plant respiration and enhancing carbohydrate reserves and root development. This practice enhances chlorophyll and photosynthate production both in the fall and the following spring, thus enabling the grass to better tolerate subsequent spring and summer stresses by reducing the levels of free radicals.
There are still benefits to spring and even some summer nitrogen fertility programs, but remember what the plant is programmed to do as a response at that time of year: the focus is on leaf development and not roots and carbohydrate storage. Hence, it is very important to pay attention to the levels and frequency of the applications in order to achieve the usual goals of color and desirable growth/recovery rates. Keeping cool season plants active during more stressful environmental periods has been shown to improve recovery rates from spring/summer disease complexes. Of course, being too aggressive with nitrogen fertilization almost always increases disease susceptibility. Research in a controlled environment at Virginia Tech showed that applying N at 0.15 lb per 1000 square feet biweekly improved turf quality, photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll content, N and amino acid content, and antioxidant activity in shoot and roots of creeping bentgrass subjected to heat stress. Such spoon-feeding strategies are now the norm in most creeping bentgrass summer management programs, a practice that was almost always discouraged a few decades ago.
Warm season grasses such as bermudagrass have a very different set of cycles in how they conduct photosynthesis than cool-season grasses. Carbohydrate accumulation and root and top growth are all maximized during the warmer part of the year. Therefore, it is desirable to fertilize with nitrogen during the warmer seasons of the year. However, in Virginia we have found advantages with early fall nitrogen fertilization on bermudagrass. Dr. Goatley refers to this as ‘responsible’ N fertilization of the bermudagrass with the intent being to maintain activity as long as possible so that the plant continues to photosynthesize and store carbohydrates. He recommends flexible N fertility programs ap-
plying up to 0.25 lb N per 1000 square feet every couple of weeks prior to killing frost, but during the period when bermudagrass growth is still active but slowing due to the shorter days and cooler temperatures. Bermudagrass fertilized in such a manner maintained a better color during fall and continued to conduct photosynthesis and accumulate carbohydrates than bermudagrass not fertilized in early fall. The desirable responses were further enhanced with the addition of iron and biostimulants treatments to sustain bermudagrass activity as long as possible without sacrificing winter hardening.
Let us consider some more Virginia Tech research findings regarding iron fertilization. Iron is a micronutrient that has long been used by turfgrass professionals for its ability to trigger a rapid color response without a flush of shoot growth. There were many early research trials that showed how effective iron fertilization was for maintaining desirable color on bentgrass greens during warm weather without the undesirable effects of excessive nitrogen fertilization. Another interesting observation in the field that led to more extensive research occurred during an extremely dry winter in the 1970s that resulted in the loss of many bentgrass plots in fertility trials at Virginia Tech. However, a pattern was observed in that all plots that survived that winter drought had fertilizer applied that contained iron. The following year samples were taken from plots fertilized with and without iron and placed in a rainout shelter during the winter. Again, the samples taken from plots that were fertilized with iron best survived the lack of moisture during the winter. Subsequently more research was initiated using iron fertilization, and additional work with iron fertilization in sod production systems showed that iron fertilization enhanced sod maturity as well as helped reduce the impact of drought.
Iron is the fourth most abundant element in the earth’s surface and yet it is very often deficient in our turfgrasses, even though it is required in very small amounts. The main reason iron deficiencies occur is because the earth’s atmosphere is conducive to oxidation. Most plants cannot readily take up oxidized forms of iron. Soils high in alkalinity, phosphorus or calcium may also contribute to a plant’s iron deficiency. Grasses have evolved a very unique strategy to absorb oxidized iron by way of a metabolic process that involves the synthesis and release of a nonprotein amino acid from the roots that is called a phytosiderophore. These compounds chelate the oxidized iron, enabling it to be more readily absorbed into the roots and transported to the leaves where it is reduced and is utilized by the plant as a precursor to chlorophyll production and in energy transfer reactions. Many of you likely apply chelated micronutrient sources, so you are mimicking the chelation strategy of nature that occurs by way of the phytosiderophores. However, when the grass is under stress, the rate of phytosiderophore production can become limiting such that iron is not being sufficiently chelated and absorbed by the roots. Under these conditions grasses readily respond to iron fertilization and it is not uncommon to see cool season grasses instantly green while liquid iron is being applied during hot weather. Don’t forget the possible color, growth, and overall turfgrass health responses associated with supplemental iron applications as part of your seasonal fertility programming.
Finally, another research area briefly mentioned above that Virginia Tech has been a leader in for many years that fits well in the development of fertility programs is the use of biostimulants. Much of our earliest work was done in sod production systems where we observed these organic materials, when used in small quantities, enhance plant growth and development in ways that cannot be attributed to traditional plant nutrient responses. These compounds don’t replace plant nutrition requirements, but they have been shown to improve nutrient use efficiency, provide hormonal growth responses, or stimulate a desirable plant stress response. And that final point is key – biostimulants are most valuable when coupled with stress management programs for your turf, be it cool- or warm-season grasses.
Biostimulants have also been called positive plant growth regulators or metabolic enhancers. A lot of our research has evaluated biostimulant function in conditioning plants to better tolerate environmental stresses. Biostimulant-treated tall fescue sod produced better initial rooting than non-treated
sod after being subjected to a controlled heated chamber designed to simulate conditions conducive to warm weather field environments. This treatment could lessen loss of installed sod during hot weather. In another study, biostimulant-treated turf irrigated with saline water showed less sodium uptake. This is an indication that brackish water may have use for turfgrass irrigation when the plant is properly conditioned with biostimulants. At Virginia Tech we have demonstrated that seaweed extracts, humic acid, triazole fungicide, amino acid, protein hydrolysates, potassium silicate, 24-Epibrassinolide, methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, and the microorganism Bacillus subtillis all have biostimulant properties. These responses are hormonal in nature. For example, seaweed contains cytokinin and auxin, humic acid is high in auxins and chelated organic nutrients. Amino acids can be absorbed by plants and directly incorporated into nitrogen metabolism pathways. Biostimulants utilize multiple modes of action to maximize plant health in an integrated, balanced fashion.
Another way that biostimulants benefit plants is their ability to lessen the potential for excessive energy captured by the plant to cause damage. This sounds somewhat counter-intuitive when we know that sunlight is what drives photosynthesis, but what if the plant simply can’t use all of that solar energy it is being bombarded with? Under favorable conditions molecular oxygen inside the plants accepts electrons (energy) during metabolic processes. Under unfavorable conditions the oxygen-accepting electrons produce toxic reactive oxygen species, referred to as free radicals; this form of reactive oxygen species is detrimental to a variety of plant membranes and other compounds etc. Free radicals cause pigment breakdown and loss of photosynthetic efficiency and eventually can lead to plant death. Biostimulants enhance development of compounds that serve as ‘antioxidants’, compounds that scrub the free radicals (i.e. mitigate all of that excessive energy that the plant cells cannot utilize) to produce nontoxic metabolic activity conditioning and plants that better tolerate
stress. Plant stress reductions to drought, heat, salinity, UV radiation, and nematode infestation have been associated with antioxidant enhancement. Certain herbicide effectiveness has been enhanced with applications of endogenous biostimulant application.
In summary, many of the turfgrass nutrition principles that we knew to be true in the middle of the last century remain pertinent today. Where we have grown is in better understanding of how and why these fertilization sources and strategies have worked and how they have been improved by further refinement from research in the lab and the field, especially with the strategies where programs are enhanced by iron and biostimulants. By incorporating the proper timing and rates of nitrogen fertilization to the season, the plant, and the plant’s particular use and needs at that time, along with the use of supplemental iron and biostimulant applications, turfgrass managers may obtain and sustain healthy turf, even during sub-optimal growing conditions.
Better Built. Quality Results. Period.
SPRING DEAD SPOT
The Disease that is ‘Springing’ to Influence Player Safety on Athletic Fields
By Ava Veith, Travis Roberson, Aaron Tucker, David McCall Ph.D. and Mike Goatley Ph.D.
TheTurfgrass Pathology lab at Virginia Tech has placed a major effort on managing and better understanding spring dead spot (SDS) of hybrid bermudagrass. We have written several articles in the Virginia Turfgrass Journal about the most effective ways to manage the disease over the last few years. Why such an emphasis on this one particular disease? Aesthetics are always an important part of properly maintained turfgrasses, but the most critical factor is how spring dead spot impacts the surface dynamics of the playing surface. More specifically, do these dead patches actually change the characteristics of a turfgrass playing surface enough to affect the playability of the field and safety of the athletes using these fields? We know that SDS disrupts the surface, but we have never taken a deep dive into how that impacts field uniformity until now.
Previous studies have reported numerous factors that influence an athlete’s interaction with either the ball or playing surface such as a field’s pitch, grass species, construction (native vs. sand capped soil), soil organic matter, soil texture, soil moisture, firmness, uniformity, and/or cultural practices implemented by turfgrass managers. Each of these factors may have a positive or negative athlete interaction depending on how the athlete’s applied forces, either direct or indirect, respond to these variables. Athletes must commit to making swift decisions based on their anticipated response to the field’s surface or how a ball will roll/ rebound across the field. When a sports field’s surface is inconsistent, detrimental injuries can materialize such as concussions or severe ligament injuries. To date, there have been no studies that address how turfgrass diseases compromise field playability. Hybrid bermudagrass is one of the most widely used turfgrass species for sports field playing surfaces. Hybrid bermudagrasses grown in areas that experience winter dormancy (like Virginia) are susceptible to SDS. The pathogen causing SDS feeds on the bermudagrass’s stolons, rhizomes, and roots, weakening the plant as it approaches dormancy, leaving the grass vulnerable to winter injury. The results are SDS patches apparent at spring greenup (Figure 1). Observing these pitted areas are what stimulated the hypothesis that they could potentially compromise the field’s surface dynamics
After some promising preliminary data collection in 2020, we initiated research to investigate SDS impacts on field conditions at the Dorey Park Recreation Center in Henrico, Virginia in May 2022. Data were collected from three SDS-infested ‘Tifway 419’ hybrid bermudagrass athletic fields grown on native soil. At each field location, 20 SDS patches were randomly selected and compared against asymptomatic areas directly adjacent. We collected data on a series of metrics with a focus here on ball rebound (BR), clegg hammer (CH), soil moisture (SM), and shear strength (SS). Additionally, we collected data using the Field Marshall (Figure 2) developed by Sports Labs (Chattanooga, TN) that measures surface firmness, vertical deformation, and energy restitution of a surface all in one tool.
Figure 2. The Field Marshall measures several metrics of field dynamics in one portable tool.
Figure 1. Spring Dead Spot on a ‘Tifway 419’ hybrid bermudagrass field in Richmond, Virginia in May 2022 showing the severe depression left behind during the spring green up period.
Soil Moisture
We measured soil moisture in asymptomatic and diseased patches. Overall, soil moisture varied considerably by field location, with Field 8 being the wettest. Overall soil moisture may play a crucial role in player safety as it relates to field hardness and ground collision injuries. In our study, soil moisture was drier inside of spring dead spot patches in our study, regardless of field location. These effects were most evident in our wettest field. The influence of spring dead spot on soil moisture likely drives other metrics of field safety.
Ball
Rebound
We tested ball rebound from 6.5ft above the surface in accordance with FIFA standards. Our data indicates that diseased areas were firmer than surrounding asymptomatic bermudagrass as vertical rebound was four inches higher within spring dead spot patches ( Figure 3 ). However, we did not see this dynamic with our Clegg Hammer data (not shown), another metric of surface firmness. Field location also impacted ball rebound ( Figure 4 ). Rebound was lowest on the field that was also the wettest, though more research is needed to confirm whether the two metrics are related. Our data alludes to variable ball rebound dynamics during game play in the presence of spring dead spot, with a potentially greater effect when fields are also wet. This non-uniformity in the field surface may impact athletes’ perception of ball bounce and overall performance.
Figure 5. Means of field location (FL) x Treatment for all three locations for energy restitution (ER) and shear strength (SS).
Figure 3. The influence of spring dead spot on ball rebound (BR) and soil moisture (SM) across three bermudagrass athletic fields, all locations.
Figure 4. Mean separation of ball rebound (BR), Clegg hammer (CH), and soil moisture (SM) of all sampled locations for each ball field tested.
Energy Restitution
Energy restitution is a measurement of energy being returned from the field surface back to the athlete. It is influenced by firmness and soil moisture, among other things. Essentially, a field with low energy restitution is similar to jumping on a trampoline with worn out springs. More energy is needed to accomplish the same task. This is an important metric to consider when discussing the implications of a surface that is either too firm or too soft. A surface too firm facilitates a higher speed of play, which encourages collisions between players as well as an increase of ground-contact injuries such as concussions or fractures. On the contrary, a surface that is too soft absorbs more energy, causing less of this energy to be returned to the player. This leads to an increased risk of ligament and other leg injuries due to the accelerated rate of player fatigue. Energy restitution was calculated by evaluating the difference between the energy of a falling mass (player) before and after collision with the ground surface using Sports Labs new device dubbed The Field Marshal. Our results did not show a significance between field location or treatments alone, but an interaction affect. Overall, regardless of either SDS or H areas on locations did not have a significance except for SDS areas on F8 ( Figure 5 ).
Shear Strength
The shear vane is meant to simulate a player’s rotational cleat
force. It replicates the turfgrass’s ability to overcome the force generated by the athlete thus supporting their applied force as they change directions. In our study, we found that spring dead spot did not impact shear strength on two of three fields. However, shear strength was negatively impacted by spring dead spot on the wettest field tested, once again suggesting that soil moisture plays a prominent role in the extent of damage caused by spring dead spot. Our data suggests that athletes are more likely to slip in spring dead spot patches when the fields are wet. This higher likelihood of slipping could result in greater chances of sustaining ligament injuries though we have not tested this.
CONCLUSIONS
Spring dead spot will continue to be an important disease of bermudagrass on athletic fields and other recreational areas. We found several metrics to suggest that the disease has a negative impact on field uniformity. However, many of the differences we found are likely biologically insignificant in the real world. While we are just scratching the surface of how spring dead spot impacts player safety, soil moisture seems to guide the ship from what we have found to date. What we have found is that soil moisture magnifies many of the metrics associated with field uniformity in the presence of spring dead spot. We will continue to focus efforts on this in the future, as well as evaluate how other diseases with different symptomology impact player safety.
Figure 6. Ball rebound device, suspending a soccer ball by a magnet to be released in a steady and consistent fashion.
Figure 7. Rotational resistance device used to measure the force required to shear the playing surface and simulates an athlete’s rotational force of a cleat.
Figure 8. Spectrum soil moisture TDR with 1.5” probes used to measure soil moisture for all sampled areas.
YOU, Me and the BEEs
We
as consumers rely on bountiful fruit and vegetable crops, and Virginia agriculture depends greatly on the honey bee for pollination. Honey bees account for the majority of all insect pollination for over 80 food crops in Virginia. Without such pollination, we would see a significant decrease in the abundance and affordability of fruits and vegetables.
DID YOU KNOW? Foragers are the oldest worker bees in a hive and are the only honey bees that most people ever see going from flower to flower. These bees are all females and make up the largest number of bees in the colony. They forage for food (pollen and nectar from flowers), build and protect the hive, clean, circulate air by beating their wings, and perform many other societal functions.
DID YOU KNOW? It takes about 556 workers traveling over 55,000 miles visiting 2 million flowers to gather enough nectar to make 1 pound of honey. The average worker honey bee makes 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. That is 5 drops of honey! Amazing!!
DID YOU KNOW? Virginia Beach officially became a certified Bee City USA affiliate on November 20, 2020, as one of only six Virginia cities to achieve this distinction. This certification was granted by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Bee City USA’s mission is to “galvanize communities to sustain pollinators by providing them with healthy habitat, rich in a variety of native plants and free of insecticides”. The City of Virginia Beach committed to improving bee and pollinator habitats through landscaping efforts and through the reduction or elimination of pesticide use. Will you Pledge to Plant for Pollinators in 2023?
What YOU Can Do
• Include native plants in your home landscape.
• Choose plants that are rich in pollen and nectar to support all kinds of pollinators.
• Use fallen leaves as winter mulch in your garden beds.
• Wait until spring to cut down hollow stems in your gardens.
• Reduce the use of pesticides (synthetic and organic) in your landscape.
DID YOU KNOW? Homeowners and small business owners often spray our honey bees and other pollinators! Occasionally you may see a large mass of honeybees in your yard, perhaps on a branch or fence. This is called a SWARM and represents the old queen and thousands of worker bees looking for a new home. They are not aggressive or looking to sting you! This is a natural way honey bees reproduce to ensure their continued survival. PLEASE do not spray insecticide and kill this vital natural resource. The safe and most responsible thing to do if you see a swarm of honey bees is to call a beekeeper. For FREE, we will send a beekeeper to your home to collect these bees and place them in a hive where the bees will continue to pollinate our fruits and vegetables and make honey!
Homeowners and Business Owners spraying our honey bees has an immediate and long lasting effect on our ability to produce the food crops we all enjoy and want in our diet!!!
Norfolk Beekeepers is a Partner in Education with VA Beach Public Schools, and Nature Matters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit striving to connect children, teens and families to NATURE through fun, learning and stewardship. Together, we are on a mission to address honey bee and pollinator conservation, education and local sustainability – We Need You!
Don’t you think there’s something undoubtedly alarming about research which shows that over 40% of insect pollinators are highly threatened globally, including our honey bees? Pollinators are responsible for nearly one in every three bites of food you eat, yet at the same time, 40 million people in the U.S. live in food-insecure households.
Glenwood Elementary is the most recent Partner with Norfolk Beekeepers and together we established an apiary near the raised bed gardens and green house behind the school. Principal David French was presented a beekeeping suit by the PTA and he has assumed the role as lead Apprentice Beekeeper. Principal French and first grader Brinley Lambert conducted their first hive inspection in May 2022. Their tireless efforts are appreciated!
Mr. Chris Freeman, the VBPS Environmental Studies Program Coordinator has been a long-standing Partner with Norfolk Beekeepers. Seniors Angelina Faunda and Ryleigh Greeves are among a number of his students enrolled in the Environmental Studies Program at the Brock Environmental Center where they assist in managing the apiary on the property. Angelina and Ryleigh are interested in horticulture and beekeeping as well as being fully engaged and performing hands-on real world
relevant work, where their voices can be heard and they can be a voice of positive change in Virginia Beach. These students are solving tomorrow’s problems today using science and sustainability as a foundation for change.
The art of gardening is not only a form of relaxation, but also of creating positive change for our environmental health. With every haven each of us create for bees, we make clear our stance on their importance, we designate ourselves as their allies, and we become leaders in the movement to create a world that is nourishing to the very creatures that nourish us too. Gardening is no longer a hobby - it is becoming a grassroots movement to promote and protect the honey bee.
Please start by communicating the importance of planting and maintaining native plants to your friends, neighbors and colleagues and how they also can help educate the public on the important role bees play in our world and our local communities when it comes to food sustainability. The lifestyle you save may be your very own!
You do not have to have a hive in your backyard to be a beekeeper. A beekeeper promotes, protects, and educates others on the importance of our pollinators and is highly vocal for people not to spray our swarms and feral honey bee colonies.
Please Pledge to Plant for Pollinators!
Frank S. Walker President, Norfolk Beekeepers Vice-President, Nature Matters
Recent Event
VTC-EI and COMMUNITY OUTREACH
“You know, folks really don’t like your industry.” That comment came from a well-respected and accomplished civic leader. But no matter the source, antiindustry comments and feelings abound throughout Virginia. One of the reasons we formed the Environmental Institute was to give our industry a voice - and presence - with persons and groups biased against our industry. We strive to be a bridge.
Serving as a bridge between adversaries places us in sometimes uncomfortable positions. Tension and discomfort must be accepted as a normal consequence of our pursuit. Whether meeting with leaders of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, regional river keeper groups, community activists, bureaucrats, or politicians, our message is the same: The lawn and landscape industry is valuable, and misconceptions must be destroyed so alliances that allow all to prosper can be built. An August phone call from Senator Hashmi’s office took our bridge construction into new territories.
Senator Ghazala Hashmi represents District 10, an area that includes western Richmond and several counties west and north of that city. She is on several important Senate committees, including Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources. She has become a strong ally for our industry.
The August phone call invited the Environmental Institute to set up a display at the inaugural “Community Resource Fest.” No money was expected. Our display was gratis. The Senator and her office valued our presence in the midst of organizations serving the people in District 10. We accepted the gracious invitation and on September 17th, Board Members Harris Wheeler and Sam Burris joined Director Tom Tracy on a parking lot at the Broad Rock Sports Complex.
The day was filled with meaningful discussions and gave us great opportunities to enlighten friends and foes alike about the value of our industry. Many of the persons we met were movers and shakers who had never had their misconceptions about lawn and landscape professionals challenged in a non-confrontational, safe environment. Remember, we were on their territory. They had the “home field” advantage.
What next? On October 12th, Richmond City Councilmember Michael Jones’s office contacted us. They want the Environmental Institute to have a display at the 5th Annual Turkey Give-Away. The event is widely covered by Richmond news media. We accepted the invitation and look forward to breaking down even more barriers and correcting anti-industry biases at that November 12th event.
The VTC Environmental Institute works for you, the industry professional. We are a 501-c3 organization and rely on donations to operate. Please give generously. You may donate online at https://vaturf.org/donate_institute/.
(Left to right): Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachin, Councilmember Mike Jones’ wife, Richmond City Councilmember Mike Jones, Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg, and Senator Ghazala Hashmi.
Richmond City Councilmember Mike Jones and Senator Ghazala Hashmi
(Left to right): Harris Wheeler and Sam Burris.
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