14 10 17 - The Paginator. 1 / No. 2 † Winter 2012 14 10 17 6 Upcoming Event Western PA Turfgrass Conference, Feb. 26–28... Program & Details 10 Cover Story State of the Art —

Vol. 1 / No. 2 • Winter 2012

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10 17

6 Upcoming EventWestern PA TurfgrassConference, Feb. 26–28...Program & Details

10 Cover Story State of the Art — Issuesand Technologies Used onNFL Playing Surfaces

14 Golf Course Notes Greens-type Poa annuaViolates the Laws of Genetics

Features Departments17 Lawn Care Tips

Preemergence CrabgrassControl Strategies for theLawn Care Operator

20 Research SummariesUpdates on Research byPenn State’s Turf Team

24 PTC Award WinnerTom Bettle Receives PTC’sDistinguished Service Award

26 Recent EventPenn State’s Golf TurfConference, Nov. 13–15

4 President’s Update

5 News from PTC

9 PTC Membership Application

25 Penn State News

28 Industry News

29 Calendar of Events

30 Penn State Turf Team

30 Index of Advertisers

President’s Update

4 Pennsylvania Turfgrass • Winter 2012

short years ago, I reveled in selfish indulgence, partaking in any such activities (advised and ill advised) that brought satisfaction to me (and sometimes to my wife, as well). In what

seems like the blink of an eye, I am now a father of three. Gone are the days of hardware-store splurges, golf until sunset and quick stops at the tavern. I am blessed to have found life’s greatest joy in the wonders of fatherhood, yet I can not help but be saddened by some of that which I can no longer do (for at least the next 18 years, anyways). When not with my family, I overcome this malaise with the company of friends. Be it rehashing tales of past recklessness, visiting their place of work or simply grabbing a bite to eat, I am always uplifted by spending time with friends.

Similarly, although we all may be doing well enough as individuals, we all experience difficult times, say goodbye to and/or lose things every year. We all know that only a short drive, text message or phone call away is a friend who shares the same struggles and victories, highs and lows, good and bad. Many of us are lucky to have more than one person we share these experiences with. Now more than ever, we should take stock of that which we have through thick and thin — our friends.

Another difficult year has affected us all. We have been burdened by financial uncertainty… we have been battered by unprecedented weather, yet again… we have been crushed by the loss of dear friends and mentors… and year after year, times just don’t seem to be the way that they were. Perhaps age does that to us all. I offer, however, that we refuse to accept that reality. Let’s fight back this off-season. Although there is a chance that times may be tough for you right now, someone you consider a friend may be struggling even more. Call your friends as often as you can this winter. Visit a colleague when the opportunity presents. Give your time to those who enrich you. I suggest that you will feel a greater connection to your past and a brighter outlook for your future.

As I initiate my term as president of the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council, I would like to take a few moments to offer thanks to our past president, Matt Shaffer. Matt’s service throughout the past two years has ushered many exciting improvements while maintaining a positive trajectory for the future. Thanks to Matt, the PTC has estab-lished a framework for great growth. The PTC is optimistic that we will be providing increased funding for future turfgrass research at Penn State. Ultimately, this research will provide you with greater tools for success.

Please take the time to share this publication with your friends this winter. Thank you for your support — now go reach out to a friend!

Jason Hurwitz2013 PTC PresidentFox Chapel Golf Club

Two

Reach Out to a Friend!

News from PTC

5Winter 2012 • Pennsylvania Turfgrass

the Golf Turf Conference in November, the following

officers and board of directors were elected and installed to lead the Penn-sylvania Turfgrass Council for 2013. 7

PRESIDENTJason HurwitzFox Chapel Golf ClubPittsburgh, [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENTAndrew DooleyBerkshire Country ClubArdmore, [email protected]

SECRETARY-TREASURERPete RamseyRange End Golf ClubDillsburg, [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTMatt ShafferMerion Golf ClubArdmore, [email protected]

DIRECTORSDarrin BatiskyJacobsen - A Textron CompanyPittsburgh, [email protected]

Tom BettleLeechburg, [email protected]

Mark DelSantroPocono Turf SupplyGlenmoore, [email protected]

Greg Fantuzzi, CGCSCarlisle Country ClubCarlisle, [email protected]

Jim JonesFairview Golf CourseLebanon, [email protected]

Shawn KisterLongwood GardensKennett Square, [email protected]

Scott KrollSunnybrook Golf ClubPlymouth Meeting, [email protected]

Dr. Peter LandschootPenn State UniversityUniversity Park, [email protected]

Rick PagettThe Penn State Golf CoursesState College, [email protected]

Chase RoganPure Turf ConsultingPittsburgh, [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORKimberly Pagett P.O. Box 550Boalsburg, PA 16827-0550Phone: 814-237-0767Fax: [email protected]

At

Pennsylvania Turfgrass CouncilP.O. Box 550Boalsburg, PA 16827-0550Phone: (814) 237-0767Fax: (814) 237-0767

Publisher:Leading Edge Communications, LLC206 Bridge St.Franklin, TN 37064Phone: (615) 790-3718Fax: (615) [email protected]

Executive DirectorKimberly Pagett [email protected]

Pennsylvania Turfgrass EditorJohn Kaminski, Ph.D.Penn State • [email protected]

PresidentJason HurwitzFox Chapel Golf Club • Pittsburgh, PA(412) 447-4434

Vice PresidentAndrew DooleyBerkshire Country Club • Ardmore, PA(610) 374-2952

Secretary-TreasurerPete RamseyRange End Golf Club(717) 432-3711

Past PresidentMatt ShafferMerion Golf Club • Ardmore, PA(610) 642-4515

Directors

Darrin BatiskyJacobsen - A Textron Company

Tom Bettle

Mark DelSantroPocono Turf Supply

Greg Fantuzzi, CGCSCarlisle Country Club

Jim JonesFairview Golf Course

Shawn KisterLongwood Gardens

Scott KrollSunnybrook Golf Club

Dr. Peter LandschootPenn State University

Rick PagettThe Penn State Golf Courses

Chase RoganPure Turf Consulting

Meet your New 2013 PTC Offi cers & Directors


Upcoming Event

Registration Open: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Trade Show Open: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Silent Auction Open: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

GCSAA Education Points (full-day attendance): 0.55

MORNING GENERAL SESSION9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Session Chair: Ms. Tracey Harpster, Penn State

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Turfgrass Nutrition: Strategies for Assessingand Optimizing Nutrient AvailabilityDr. Max Schlossberg, Penn State

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.What Herbicides Can Be UsedIn Landscape Beds?Dr. Jeff Derr, Virginia Tech2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 06, 18, 23

11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Two Forms of Moisture for Gray Leaf SpotEpidemic DevelopmentDr. Wakar Uddin, Penn State1 Pesticide Credit in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

AFTERNOON GENERAL SESSION1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Session Chair: Mr. Matt Naedel, Penn State

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.An Alternative Way to Manage Your Lawn CareLandscape Regulatory Compliance Issueson the Local, State and Federal LevelsMr. Chase Rogan, PureTurf Consulting2 Pesticide Credits in Core 00

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Controlling Unwanted Plants fromIndustrial to Ornamental SettingsMr. John Johnson, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 06, 07, 10, 18, 23

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.Plant Safety, Control and Identification IssuesMr. Matt Naedel, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Core 00

February 26–28, 2013 • Four Points Sheraton Pittsburg North • Mars, PA

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 GOLF MORNING SESSION9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Session Chair: Mr. Eric Wygant, Shannonpin C.C.

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.Presidents’ Turfgrass Update Mr. Neil Gartland, Sinking Valley C.C.; Mr. Toby Kiggins, Green Oaks G.C.; and Mr. Michael Bochert, Elk Valley G.C.

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.The Evolutionary Arms Race Taking PlaceBetween Superintendents and Poa annua ControlDr. David Huff, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Why Nuisance Problems — Fairy Ring,Earthworms, Ants and More — Have Become Major Management IssuesMr. Darin Bevard, USGA Green Section2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Pesticide Use in 2012:Product Performance and SafetyMr. Keith Happ, USGA Green Section1 Pesticide Credit in Core 00

GOLF AFTERNOON SESSION1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Session Chair: Ms. Tracey Harpster, Penn State

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.Utilizing Preemergence Herbicideswith Mulch in Ornamental BedsDr. Jeff Derr, Virginia Tech2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 06, 18, 23

2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Why an Early Spray Program forDollar Spot Management: Pros & ConsDr. Wakar Uddin, Penn State1 Pesticide Credit in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.An Alternative Way to Manage YourGolf Course’s Regulatory ComplianceIssues on the Local, State and Federal LevelsMr. Chase Rogan, PureTurf Consulting2 Pesticide Credits in Core 00

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS CONFERENCE

Presented by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council and Pennsylvania State University

Registration Open: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.Trade Show Open: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.Silent Auction Open: 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.


MORNING GENERAL SESSION9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Session Chair: Mr. Danny Kline, Penn State

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Application Strategies and Fungicide UpdateDr. John Kaminski, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.Rethinking Lawn Care: Pesticide ApplicationTimings, Nitrogen Sources and Much More!Dr. Cale Bigelow, Purdue University2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Pesticide Inputs to the Landscape:Do Not Forget the Wetting AgentsDr. Nathaniel Mitkowski, Univ. of Rhode Island2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

AFTERNOON GENERAL SESSION1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Session Chair: Ms. Dianne Petrunak, Penn State

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.Ticks and Lyme Disease: Personal Safety,Protection and Control IssuesMr. Steve Jacobs, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Core 00

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.Pre- and Post-Emergence Weed-Control StrategiesDr. Shawn Askew, Virginia Tech2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.New and Invasive Landscape Pests: What to Watch Out For and How to Manage ThemDr. Frank Wong, Bayer Environmental Science2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27GOLF MORNING SESSION8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Session Chair: Mr. Roy Knupp, Penn State

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.Diagnosing and Managing Nematode Problemson Golf Courses without NemacurDr. Nathaniel Mitkowski, Univ. of Rhode Island2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Update on Bacterial Diseases ofCreeping Bentgrass and Annual BluegrassDr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University1 Pesticide Credit in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Annual Bluegrass Seedhead Suppression:What Happened This Year?Mr. Keith Happ, USGA Green Section1 Pesticide Credit in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

10:30 a.m. – 11: 30 a.m.Ticks and Lyme Disease: Personal Safety,Protection and Control IssuesMr. Steve Jacobs, Penn State2 Pesticide Credits in Core 00

GOLF AFTERNOON SESSION1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Session Chair: Mr. Roy Knupp, Penn State

1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.Strategies to Control Summer Patchon Golf CoursesDr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University1 Pesticide Credit in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Plant Growth Regulators to Promoteand Suppress Annual BluegrassDr. Cale Bigelow, Purdue University2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.Algae Management for Putting GreensDr. John Kaminski, Penn State University 2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

SILENT AUCTION CONCLUDES2:00 p.m.


Upcoming Event • continued

Registration Open: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.


MORNING SESSION9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Session Chair: Mr. Tom Bettle

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.Getting on Top of Spring Diseases: Fairy Ring,Waitea and Dollar Spot — Tips and Tricksfor Successful ManagementDr. Frank Wong, Bayer Environmental Science2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.New Herbicides to Control Annual BluegrassDr. Shawn Askew, Virginia Tech2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.Best Management Practices for the Controlof Anthracnose on Golf Course Putting GreensDr. Bruce Clarke, Rutgers University2 Pesticide Credits in Cat. PC, 07, 18, 23

• To be eligible for the Multi-Member discount, all members must be from the same club/company. Name badges are required for admission to the Educational Sessions and Trade Show and will be available on site.

• Although registration fees are waived for those over 65 years of age, for the spouses of paid attendees, and for students, these individuals must be registered to receive a name badge. Registrants whose fees are waived may purchase tickets for the lunch buffet for $30 per person per day.

Per PTC Member

Per Non-Member

Full Conference (1 to 2 registrants) $195 $205

Full Conference(3 or more registrants) $140 $155

Two-Day Conference(1 to 2 registrants) $150 $160

Two-Day Conference(3 or more registrants) $120 $135

One-Day Registration $75 $85

Per PTC Member

Per Non-Member

Full Conference (1 to 2 registrants) $210 $220

Full Conference(3 or more registrants) $155 $170

Two-Day Conference(1 to 2 registrants) $165 $175

Two-Day Conference(3 or more registrants) $135 $150

One-Day Registration $90 $100

ADVANCE ATTENDEE REGISTRATION FEES — by January 26

ADVANCE ATTENDEE REGISTRATION FEES — After January 26

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

TO REGISTER OR RESERVE A TABLEGo to — www.paturf.org

For more information, contact — [email protected]

Early Registration deadline — January 26

Deadline for discounted room rate ($115 per night) at the Four Points Sheraton — February 12, 2013.When making your room reservation (888-627-8175), identify yourself as being with the PTC to receive the discounted room rate, which includes a full, hot breakfast. 7

www.facebook.com/psuturf www.twitter.com/psuturf www.turf.psu.edu

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION


Cover Story

By Andrew McNitt, Ph.D., Professor of Soil Science, Penn State University


over and over again from golf course superintendents and others in the turf business: “If I could mow at one inch, I’d be able to have pristine-looking turf-grass on all those NFL stadiums.” I politely reply that if those kinds of skills and knowledge existed anywhere, lots of smart people would already be using them to improve their turf surfaces.

Let’s review a few facts that aren’t always in our frontal lobe while we watch an NFL game from the comfort of our homes on a late-season Sunday.

The challengesFirst, it’s November. It’s getting seri-ously cold now, and the light levels are extremely low. Think about the effects of “winter play” on a golf course.

Yes, most of the northern NFL fields have an ethylene glycol heating system running under the sand rootzone. Such heating systems provide some benefit by extending the growing season further into the fall and limiting frost develop-ment on areas that require painting; however, light is still limiting. The sun is low in the sky, and the stadium seating is being placed as close to the playing surface as possible. This means very steep seats and significant shade. Yes, south-facing end zones are some-times built lower or more open, but at many stadia, the sun never hits the field from the end zone through the 20-yard line at this time of year. In the fall, direct sunlight is very limiting, and if the heating system is used to push the turfgrass excessively, the turf becomes severely etiolated.

Also, the heating system can push moisture to the soil surface. In theory, the ideal setup for an NFL football game on a sand rootzone is to have ample moisture in the rootzone, but have it a little dry in the top half-inch or so. When the heating system is run-ning during cold weather, moisture in the rootzone vaporizes. It moves up through the sand and eventually encounters the cold air temperature, where it then condensates. This flips the moisture strata to where now it is

wet on the surface and dryer further down in the rootzone (Photo 1). So, while a tremendous help, underground heating systems are not a silver bullet for growing turf in cold conditions.

Light is a truly limiting factor in the fall and, in some stadia, throughout the season. Artificial lighting systems have been developed and are being used in Lambeau Field in Green Bay (Photo 2). Here at Penn State, we’ve been ex-perimenting with a rollable light tarp. This system contains a series of LED lights in the wavelengths needed for optimal growth (Photo 3). The wave-lengths can be varied to provide optimal growth conditions for particular species and, in some instances, for particular cultivars. We continue to work to get this system commercialized.

Besides limitations of light and heat well into the fall and winter, it’s impor-tant to realize the tremendous amount of traffic/damage that occurs to these surfaces. Football fields look big when you’re watching the game on TV. When you attend an NFL game, the entire stadium is large and bigger than life. This makes us subconsciously multiply the size of the field — it looks immense. Really, though, the majority of the game is played on a small area. Research has shown that for most games, about 80%

I’ve heard it

Photo 2. To counteract limited sunlight from stadium design, an artificial lighting system is being used in Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Photo 1. While a heating system under the field can provide substantial benefits, it can also create problems.

Photo 3. At Penn State, a rollable light tarp contains a series of LED lights in the wavelengths needed for optimal growth.


Cover Story • continued

of the traffic occurs between the num-bers and between the 20-yard lines. The area receiving 80% of the damage is about 15,800 ft2, or the size of about two-and-a-half putting greens (Figure 1). Think about that for a moment.

Most stadia in the NFL (except for three) are used for multiple and varied revenue-generating and charity events — NFL events, college football games, high school football games and the FOP versus the FOF charity event. Lacrosse championships, soccer tournaments and professional soccer events sometimes dot the schedule. Then, in summer when the temperatures are sometimes extreme, the stadium hosts between one and three summer concert events

Figure 1. On a football field, the area receiving 80% of the damage is about 15,800 ft2 or the size of about two-and-a-half putting greens.

and/or monster-truck rallies where at least parts of the turfgrass may be cov-ered for up to seven days and other parts must accommodate large cranes and countless passes with forklifts, trucks and other utility vehicles (Photo 4).

Considering the amount and kinds of events held on these surfaces, it’s a testament to the field managers that they are able to provide a safe and play-able surface, week in and week out. Remember, there are no frost delays. Unlike in baseball, nobody stops play-ing for a little rain… or even snow.

For those of you managing high school fields that host well over 100 events per year, the pure number of events on NFL fields may look unim-pressive. You should realize, however, that the kinds of events do differ. To give you a point of reference, when I evaluate the amount of damage caused by a Division I college football game on a Saturday compared to an NFL game on a Sunday, it’s like the differ-ence I observe on a high school field between a seventh-grade game and a varsity football game. Seriously, the difference is dramatic. It’s the size and speed of the players (energy = mass X velocity). It’s not how strong the players are — it’s how fast they can move their very large bodies. And when these large bodies have momentum and decide to change direction, the shear forces on the turf system are tremendous.

On these higher-end, sand-based systems, grinding out of the turf through abrasion is a secondary damage of the turf behind divoting. So, the manage-ment philosophy of an NFL field man-ager and a high school field manager are different.

Some strategiesA high school turf manager caring for a native-soil field receiving many, many events per week is trying to limit — and, more importantly, trying to constantly recover from — wear due to abrasion and soil compaction. Thus, the turfgrass needs ample nitrogen to help it recover, and it should have a higher cutting height to help reduce the effects of abrasion. Also, aeration is done to reduce soil compaction.

Photo 5. OM accumulation in the top 2” of the surface can begin to clog the macropores that conduct air and drainage water.

Photo 4. Stadium often host concerts and/or various vehicle rallies where at least parts of the turfgrass may be covered for up to seven days.


continued • Cover Story

Mowing heightOn the higher-end NFL and college fields that have lower numbers of events (perhaps only two per week) but where the events are at a much higher intensity, maintenance practices vary. A common mowing height for Kentucky bluegrass in the NFL is 1.25", although some fields are mowed at a lower height year-round. Research on Kentucky bluegrass grown on sand indicates that (within reason) a lower mowing height results in less damage due to divots. In the past, Beaver Stadium was mowed as low as 7/8” and typically exhibited a low amount of divoting.

Fertility and aerationDuring summer months, prior to the beginning of the football season, some nitrogen and water is withheld in order to “harden off” the bluegrass. Stressing the plants somewhat has proven to reduce divots compared to having suc-culent plants heading into the season. When the weather cools, additional nitrogen is applied in order to stimulate growth. Also, significant spring nitrogen applications are suggested during any cultivation or renovation procedures.

Cultivation followed by core harvest-ing on sand rootzones is done to reduce organic matter buildup in the rootzone. Organic-matter accumulation in the top two inches of the surface can begin to act like silt and clog the macropores that conduct air and drainage water (Photo 5).

Plant growth regulatorsTom Serensits, manager of Penn State’s Sports Surface Research Center (www.ssrc.psu.edu), has done significant work using Primo on sand-based fields. His research showed that if Primo is applied all growing season, stopping sometime in early August, a field can experience as much as a 20% reduc-tion in divoting into November. You can watch a video of Tom’s work by going to ssrc.psu.edu and selecting SportsTurfScoop in the left hand menu.

Cultivar selectionKentucky bluegrass cultivar selection is also a factor. Personally, I believe

Photo 6. Most natural-grass NFL stadia resod their fields at least 1.5 times per year and as many as 4 times per year, bermudagrass fields included.

that Kentucky blue breeding is moving away from what sports fields need. I believe that the cultivars we used 20 years ago were more divot resistant than the cultivars today. We are looking for aggressive rhizome producers, but typically those cultivars are poor seed producers and have been abandoned by growers in Oregon due to the low yields per acre during seed production. While today’s cultivars are more attractive and more disease resistant, they are also more prone to divoting. We have begun to work with some old cultivars to determine their divot resistance and see if selections can be made in order to breed grasses specifically for high-end, sand-based fields.

ResoddingUsing all of these techniques often isn’t enough to allow the turf manager to maintain a consistent turf stand. Thus, all but a handful of natural-grass NFL stadia resod at least 1.5 times per year and as many as 4 times per year, bermudagrass fields included (Photo 6). We have been working with sod companies to improve the quality of their sod for these in-season resod jobs. This has truly become a science. For instance, if the team is on the road next week, it is decided that the old sod will be stripped, new sod will be

harvested and laid, and a game will be played on it 10 days later.

Many of the techniques suggested above are employed in the sod field, prior to harvesting, to reduce the divot potential of newly laid sod. Evan Mascitte, an MS candidate working in our project, has decided to seriously investigate the pre-harvest conditioning of sod to be used for in-season resod-ding. We’ll report on that work in another issue.

Final thoughtsThere’s lots more to discuss, as we have only scratched the surface here. So as a teaser, be sure to watch for future articles regarding technology in sports fields. Future topics will include advances in synthetic turf, modular and mobile turf systems used in the NFL, fiber-reinforced sand for football field rootzones, and NFL rec-ommended practices and field Gmax testing, to name a few.

For more detailed information, check us out at www.ssrc.psu.edu, and you can like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. And remember — some of the best people, in any business, are so good, they make their jobs look easy, when in reality they are hard-working professionals performing well. It’s easy to be a critic. 7


Golf Course Notes

annua L. is one of the most prev-alent invasive weed species in managed turfgrasses worldwide.

The dwarf perennial greens-type form of Poa annua, however, has long been known to produce high-quality putting green surfaces. In fact, as early as 1927, the first chairman of the USGA Greens section, Charles Piper, described the great utility that Poa annua has for the golf industry.

During the past 60 years, several attempts have been made to breed a commercial cultivar of the greens-type form of Poa annua, although with little sustained success. Since 1995, the turfgrass breeding program here at Penn State has also been working at breeding a commercial cultivar of greens-type Poa annua for the golf industry. During that time, the Penn State Poa annua breeding program has developed some very promising cultivars that have exhibited superior turf quality compared to resident Poa annua on golf course putting greens through-out the Northeast, along the northern Pacific coast and even under warmer growing conditions like southern

California. Most of these cultivars also exhibit good field tolerance to diseases, including anthracnose and dollar spot, and some even possess moderate to good salinity tolerance during seed germination and vegetative growth, relative to other cool-season turfgrass species.

A perplexing problemThe main problem we have faced is that the phenotype of the greens-type Poa annua tends to be lost after several years of seed production, resulting in seed-progeny plants that morphologically resemble wild, weedy annual types. This reversion of greens types back to annual types is very perplexing because according to the Laws of Mendelian genetics, such reversions should not be taking place.

Morphological traits such as tiller density, leaf length, inflorescence height, etc., are controlled by the expres-sion of various genes located in the DNA of the plant’s cells. The array of genetic information of any particular plant is known as its genotype and is inherited intact, with the exception of genetic recombination, generation after generation. In addition, the outward appearance of any

Greens-type Poa annua

Violates the Laws of Genetics

Poa

By David R. Huff, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics, and

Jonathan M. La Mantia, former Graduate Research Assistant, Penn State University


particular genotype, or what we see, is also modified by the environmental growing conditions of the plant. Thus, the morphology of a plant is determined by both its genotype and its environment, resulting in what we call its phenotype — i.e., genotype + environment = phenotype.

When the same genotype is grown under different environments, it is not uncommon to observe different phenotypes; for example, a turfgrass genotype will typ-ically look very different when grown under high levels of nitrogen versus low levels. However, we were observing the loss of the greens-type Poa annua phenotype under the uniform environment of the seed production field. The genotype-phenotype relationship is the basis of all breeding programs, from dairy cows to Easter lilies, and so it made no sense to us that Poa annua should be an exception to the fundamental principles of basic biology. In order to explain our observations, we have embarked on a quest to determine how and why greens-type Poa annua would appear to defy the basic laws of genetics.

Our search for an explanationWe first crossed an annual type with a greens type, and the resulting progeny showed an intermediate morphol-ogy between the parental extremes with a double-branch inflorescence, and thus we classified it as an annul type. The F1 progeny were then self-pollinated to yield an F2 generation. As typical with F2 populations, we observed a wide range of segregation, from large robust annual types to dwarf greens types in a ratio approximating what genetic theory predicts will occur, which is a 3:1 ratio. At this stage of our experiments, Poa annua was following the Mendelian Laws of genetics and appeared to be behaving as a normal organism.

We continued to assess the genetic nature of Poa annua by advancing the F2 population to the subsequent F3 and F4 generations. It was in these advanced gener-ations that we began to observe Poa annua violate the laws of genetics. Greens-type Poa annua plants of the F2 generation, which are genetically homozygous for the recessive allele, and thus should only produce greens-type progeny, began to produce annual-type progeny in the F3 and F4 generations in ratios of 65:33, 82:73, 58:65 and 39:44 annual type to greens type in four separate crossing experiments, respectively. How was this possible? We repeated our experiments under enhanced isolation conditions to ensure that no foreign pollen was contam-inating our experiments, and we similarly observed that advanced generations of greens-type X greens-type crosses would produce segregation ratios of 72:23 and 58:64 annual types to greens types.

During the course of time that it took to repeat our experiments and re-analyze our results, we made an interesting observation in the greenhouse (Photo 1). We found that when left unmowed, the greens-type plants would spontaneously begin to produce annual-type shoots. In other words, the phenotype of the greens-type plants was reverting back to an annual-type phenotype

Poa annua genetic spectrumEvolution

Perennial greens-type

PerennialBiotype

AnnualBiotype

IntermediateBiotype

Annual, weedy-type

Under mowing management

Dies from heat and drought stress

Increasing perenniality

3 6 9 11 13 16 52

# of Daughter tillers

Distinct demarcation

Figure 1. Poa annua exhibits a spectrum of morphological and life-history characteristics, ranging from wild, weedy annual types to high-shoot-density, perennial greens types. Under the mowing pressure of golf course putting greens, annual types are capable of gradually evolving into greens types with increasing tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and an enhanced number of daughter tiller and hence perenniality. (Figure design by J. Dai).

Photo 1. The dwarf, single-branch inflorescence greens-type phenotype in Poa annua is observed to revert to a large, double-branch inflorescence annual type over time when left unmowed in the greenhouse.


Golf Course Notes • continued

not through the process of sexual recombination but rather through the mitotic cell division of normal growth and development of the greens-type plant itself. It was this observation that led us to hypothesize that the greens-type phenotype may be the result of an epigenetic mechanism.

Epigenetics is a newly discovered field of genetics that involvesvery complicat-ed mechanisms of genetic inheritance. Traits that are epigenetically controlled do not follow Mendelian inheritance. Instead, they involve changes in gene expression controlled by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA nucleotide sequence. Most often, it is the environment itself that controls the epigenetic expression of genes. Once the organism is removed from the environment, the expression patterns of its genes may continue for several generations and then revert back to whatever the gene-expression patterns were prior to the environment that induced the epigenetic change.

The answerIn an effort to determine what environ-mental factor might be inducing such epigenetic changes in Poa annua, we treated an advanced generation line of F8 individual seedlings, initially derived from a greens-type X greens-type cross, to mowing in the greenhouse (Photos 2A & 2B). We observed that 24 out of 24 individual seedlings retained the greens-type phenotype when mowed (Photo 2A), whereas only 6 out of 96 individual seedlings retained the greens-type phenotype when left unmowed (Photo 2B).

This result suggests that it is the action of mowing that is the environ-mental parameter that induces the epigenetic change in gene expression that results in the greens-type Poa annua phenotype. This result also explains why the greens-type phenotype would be apparently lost in the seed progeny over time during the process of seed production in the unmowed seed fields.

(NOTE: The details of this research and a more in-depth discussion of its results may be found in La Mantia, J.M. and D.R. Huff. 2011. Instability of the greens-type phenotype in Poa annua L. Crop Science 51:1784-1792.) 7

Photos 2A and 2B. Seedling progenies from an advanced F8 generation of a greens-type X greens-type Poa annua cross treated with either mowing (A) or left unmowed (B). All 24 plants retained the greens-type phenotype when mowed, whereas only 6 out of 96 plants expressed the greens-type phenotype when unmowed, with the remaining 90 unmowed plants expressing the annual-type phenotype.


Lawn Care Tips

pring of the year brings the return of warmer weather, robins and yard work. For

many homeowners, it is the end of a long hibernation away from the outdoors. Homeowners will most likely notice the aftermath of the winter. Their lawns may contain general debris, including tree limbs, gravel from plowing roadways and leaves that were never collected before the onset of cold weather. If you are a lawn care operator (LCO), you are getting calls about the services you can provide.

Just as any other property manager, the LCO needs to inform the public of turfgrass-management options for early spring. The LCO knows that crabgrass germinates in the spring of the year and can be controlled with a plethora of differing preemergence chemistries. Many great materials on the market today will provide season-long control of crabgrass.

By Jeffrey Borger, Instructor, Turfgrass Weed Management, Penn State University

S The crabgrass plant’sdevelopmental stagesFor the LCO to be effective, knowing the particulars about how the crabgrass plant germinates, develops and expires is essential. Two common species are found in the Mid-Atlantic region, large (or hairy) crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) and small (or smooth) crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum). The species appear very similar at first glance, but small crabgrass tolerates a closer mowing height and has a noticeably smaller inflorescence by comparison. Preemergence control options are, for the most part, identical.

Crabgrass germinates in the spring of the year (Photo 1). Experienced LCOs know, on average, when this happens in their respective regions. Never rely solely on the calendar to determine the germination patterns each year. To assist you in predicting crabgrass germination, nature has a

phenological indicator, which can be defined as any recurring biological phenomena such as one plant growth stage that happens at a similar time when another seasonal action is occur-ring. In the Mid-Atlantic region, the forsythia plant dropping its yellow flower petals can be a phenological indicator of the start of the germination of crabgrass. This timing can still prove to be a bit ambiguous. When exactly in the petal-drop process will the crab-grass germination happen? Refer to Photos 2 and 3 to see some stages of forsythia petal drop.

To more accurately predict crabgrass germination in the spring, you should monitor and record soil temperature and moisture. Crabgrass germination happens when moisture is present and the soil temperature at a 1/4" depth maintains a temperature of 50˚F to 55˚F for three consecutive days and nights.

In our region, crabgrass germination typically begins sometime from late


Lawn Care Tips • continued

March to mid-May. Generally, the major-ity of the crabgrass seeds will stop germi-nating about mid-July. The crabgrass plant will mature and be eliminated from the sward at the first heavy frost. Sometimes, a late heavy frost in the spring of the year can also eliminate newly germinated crabgrass popula-tions. Following a heavy frost in spring, however, crabgrass will continue to germinate and still be a problem if not attended to in some fashion.

Formulate a preemergence management strategy to control crabgrassA strategy to control crabgrass utiliz-ing preemergence material can seem simple. The difficult part of most strategies is the implementation phase. Many things can be controlled by the LCO, and equally as many cannot. Although the list of things that cannot be controlled is long, the most unpre-dictable is the weather. Remember: formulate the management strategy, and be prepared to change it often.

There are two distinct preemergence crabgrass control strategies. They are (1) apply preemergence materials only once or (2) apply them twice. There are several additional things to consider. If the product will be applied only once, the product’s rate and longevity must be evaluated. For example, one product may have a five-week residual when applied at a certain rate, and a differ-ent product could have an eight-week residual. Product cost and longevity could be deciding factors. Conversely, the amount of labor to make more than one application of any material may top the list of deciding factors. These issues must be adjusted to accommodate each LCO’s specific requirements.

Photo 1. Newly germinated crabgrass in the spring of the year.

Photo 2. This forsythia is in full bloom. The yellow petal drop has not started.

Photo 3. Forsythia yellow pedal drop has begun. About this time, crabgrass will start to germinate.

1.

2.

3.


continued • Lawn Care Tips

In Figure 1, the graph titled “Pre-emergence Threshold” represents the application of preemergence materials and the expected length of time that crabgrass will be controlled. This graph shows how things are supposed to work. The X (horizontal) axis represents time and the Y (vertical) axis represents the concentration of preemergence herbicide in the soil where the crab-grass seed will be germinating.

Again, in the Mid-Atlantic region, typically crabgrass germination starts sometime in late April and continues until about mid-July. This is about three months, 12 weeks or 90 days. The pre-emergence material must have adequate concentration in the soil profile in order to prevent the crabgrass seed from ger-minating. This is represented by the yellow line on the graph. Any level of concentration of preemergence material above the yellow line will prevent germi-nation, and any level below will not.

The red line on the graph repre-sents the concentration level of a preemergence material applied once. The blue lines represent “split appli-cations” (two applications) of materials. As indicated on the graph, as time passes, the concentration of preemer-gence material decreases in the soil profile but in both cases lasts 90 days or more. This should control the majority of crabgrass germination.

Final considerationsProduct labels will have information about the residual (longevity) of the product and application rates. If you have not been able to attain preemer-gence control of crabgrass, reevaluate your strategy. Review the following questions. Has the correct rate of prod-uct been applied at the correct time of the year? When was the last time you calibrated your application equipment? Does the product have enough residual to last for the season using the single-application methodology? Should split applications of product be incorporated into the program? Was the product watered in, per the label instructions? These are some of the key questions to consider. Remember: you can make a plan, but plan to change it frequently to adapt to nature. 7

Figure 1. A visual representation of the preemergence herbicide concentrations in the top 1/4” of the soil profile following an application in the spring of the year.

Conc.

Time 90 Days

Preemergence Threshold


Research Summaries

Research UpdatesWeed Research Update

The Evolutionary Origin of Poa annua

Armyworm Invasion

The Weed and Plant Growth Regulator Research Team

has four members: Matt Naedel, Kyle Hivner, Melissa Arnett and Tracey Harpster. Our program evaluates new products and management strategies in many different areas, specifically pre- and post-emergence crabgrass control, annual bluegrass seedhead suppression and control, turfgrass tolerance, broadleaf weed control and PGR efficacy. This season, we have 48 different studies with more than 400 total treatments under our evaluation.Update submitted by Jeffrey Borger, Instructor in Turfgrass Weed Management.

Poa annua is one of the most widely distributed, variable

and difficult-to-control plant species in the world, but it also serves as an economically valuable part of the turf industry by providing high-quality putting surfaces. In order to explain such wide distribution and variability in Poa annua, many scientists have attempted to discover its evolutionary origin ever since the 1930s.

Our recent research used DNA sequence analysis to show that Poa infirma Kunth. (an annual grass pri-marily distributed along the coasts of southern and western Europe) and Poa supina Schard. (a perennial grass primarily distributed in the mountainous regions of central and northern Europe)

are the parental species of Poa annua, with Poa infirma serving as the maternal parent. We are now studying the chro-mosomal rearrangements in Poa annua, in an attempt to discover if all golf course superintendents are dealing with the same evolutionary entity or if we will need to view different sources of Poa annua differently in terms of evolution-ary potential for either control or man-agement purposes. Our research will explain the wide distribution and strong adaptability of Poa annua, which is unlike any of our other turfgrass species.Update submitted by Qing Mao, Doctoral student, and David R. Huff, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Breeding and Genetics.

One of the most voracious feeding insects that turf

managers must deal with is the fall armyworm. Although it is called “fall” armyworm, armyworms can appear at any time during our growing season in Pennsylvania. The adult armyworm moths are brought to Pennsylvania in storm systems that come from the south-ern states. The adults mate and lay eggs, and the eggs hatch into larvae that begin to feed immediately, usually in corn-fields. After consuming everything in their path, they will end up going next door, and if next door happens to be your golf course, they can cause severe damage. Just as their name suggests, they travel in large armies, sometimes leaving a visible path of destruction in their wake. Several outbreaks have been reported in Pennsylvania this year.

Sponsored by the Stanley J. Zontek Turfgrass Endowment.

Poa annua is one of the most widely distributed plant species in the world and a valuable plant species in terms of biodiversity and human utility.

The adult moths are gray, with a white spot on each forewing. They are strongly attracted to artificial lights, and they lay their eggs on light poles. The egg masses resemble grey cotton. Larvae are greenish brown, with tan stripes, and feed on a variety of crops, including turfgrass. At golf courses, they tend to start feeding in high grass, or no-mow areas, then move to the roughs. An application of a registered pyrethroid will take care of the problem, but re-peated applications may be necessary.Update submitted by Danny Kline, Research Technologist in Turfgrass Entomology.

Fall armyworm damage.


Thatch Collapse: A New Disease of Golf Course Turfgrasses

Irrigation Installation at “Valentine East”

T hatch collapse is a new disease globally affecting finely man-

aged turfgrasses on golf course tees, fairways and greens. Symptoms of this disease include darker green, circular patches of degraded thatch, resulting in an indentation of the playing surface. Several laboratory, growth-chamber and field-based studies have been initiated to iden-tify the causal organism and elucidate management of the disorder.

Since fall 2011, samples exhibiting symptoms were collected from golf courses across the U.S. The basidio-mycete Sphaerobolus stellatus, com-monly known as “artillery fungus”, was isolated from samples from California, Michigan, Montana and South Dakota. Growth chamber studies indicate that S. stellatus grows optimally at 68°F to 75°F in culture. In May 2012, field plots inoculated with S. stellatus-infested thatch result-ed in the development of circular

On a few days in April and May 2012, many

generous green industry volunteers helped install irrigation at the turf plots at the Penn State Berks Campus (Reading, PA). Mike Hartley (Turf Equipment and Supply Co.) led the effort, along with Brad Helcoski (Atlantic Irrigation), George Ley (George E. Ley Co.), golf course superintendents Jay Parisien (Bala G.C., Philadelphia, PA) and Jeff Edwards (North Hills C.C., Glenside, PA) and many others. George Skawski (Turf Equipment and Supply Co.) also installed TurfGuard soil sen-sors. Thank you to everyone who graciously donated their time, labor and materials!

The late Dr. David Casnoff, a Penn State turf alum (1975, 1978g),

was instrumental in convincing officials at Penn State Berks Campus to approve the installation of an irrigation well. Originally proposed in 2002, the well became a reality in November 2011. The “Valentine East” area is actually 10 acres (and expanding) of an extensive tree and shrub collection, demonstration gardens, a greenhouse, headhouse, shadehouse, overwintering house, and turf plots all to support teaching, research and outreach.Update submitted by Mike Fidanza, Ph.D., Professor of Plant and Soil Science.

recessed patches, indicating that the fungus is capable of degrading thatch at a rapid pace.

Currently, two field trials are being conducted to understand the impacts of nitrogen sources and fungicides on thatch collapse severity. Data

will be collected through the 2013 field season, and management strategies will be determined. Update submitted by Amy Baetsen, Master of Science student, and John Kaminski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Turfgrass Science.

Thatch collapse on a putting green approach.

Top Photo: George Ley (George E. Ley Co.) with Scott Keener and Mike Hartley (Turf Equipment & Supply).

Bottom Photo: Heat fusion of the HDPE.


Research Summaries • continued

Mowing a “naturalized” grass sward.

The Penn State Turf Program and Longwood Gardens

are working together on a five-year project to determine how reduced mowing of grass swards can lower main-tenance costs and impart a more natural appearance to institutional grounds. In particular, researchers want to see how different grass species and frequency of mowing influence weed encroach-ment, stand quality, and persistence.

Preliminary results show that weed encroachment was strongly influenced by grass species, with strong creeping red fescue and tall fescue allowing minimal weed cover. Plots of autumn bentgrass (a native species) and Ken-tucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass showed more than 50% weed cover, which resulted in poor stand quality.

Mowing frequency (two, three or four times per year at a 5" height) had little influence on weed cover during the first two years of the study. Stand quality and persistence varied with grass species and mowing frequency. Strong creeping red fescue, Chewings fescue and tall fescue generally showed the highest quality ratings and persistence throughout the first two years of the test. For most grasses, stand quality was improved with four mowings per year compared to two and three mowings per year. 7

Penn State and Longwood Gardens Team Up to Look at Species and Mowing Frequency for “Naturalized” Grass Swards

Update submitted by Peter Landschoot, Ph.D., Professor of Turfgrass Science; Mike Fidanza, Ph.D., Professor of Plant and Soil Science; and Shawn Kister, Grounds Division Leader at Longwood Gardens.



PTC Award Winner

Thomas Bettle received the Dr. George Hamilton Distinguished Service Award on November 14, 2012, at the Penn State

Golf Turf Conference in University Park. The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council’s (PTC) highest honor, this award is presented to one individual each year who has exhibited outstanding service to Pennsylvania’s turfgrass industry.

Tom began his professional career in 1973 as a member of the grounds crew at Sunnehanna Country Club. He then moved on to Westmoreland Country Club in Export, where he served as assistant superintendent from 1977 to 1984 and as golf course superintendent from 1984 to 1989. In 1989, Tom became the superintendent of Quick-silver Golf Club in Midway, Pennsylvania. Here, he built new greens, bunkers and cart paths, and he installed a double-row irrigation system. He also prepared the course and worked with officials for Ben Hogan PGA Tourna-ments and PGA Senior Classic Tournaments.

Thomas Bettle Receives PTC’s 2012Dr. George Hamilton Distinguished Service Award at the Penn State Golf Turf Conference

Mr.

Tom Bettle with his daughter Lauren and wife Linda.

After a short stint at Deer Run Golf Club, Tom accepted the golf course superintendent position at Birdsfoot Golf Club in Freeport, where he coordinated and supervised construction of an 18-hole golf course and irrigation system. In 2009, Tom briefly switched careers and delved into sales of specialty products with Harrell’s. He recently returned to managing golf courses as a superintendent with Valley Crest.

In addition to his impressive professional resume, Tom has a long and distinguished record of service to turfgrass organizations in Pennsylvania. He became a member of the Greater Pittsburgh Golf Course Superintendents Association (GPGCSA) in 1983, serving on the board of directors from 1986 to 1998, and becoming board pres-ident from 1991 to 1992 and again in 1995.

While serving as board president for GPGCSA, Tom was elected to the board of directors for the PTC. During his many years with the PTC, he took on various leader-ship positions, including president from 2009 to 2010.

One of Tom’s most important contributions to the turfgrass industry was his role as chairman of the Western Pennsylvania Turfgrass Conference and Trade Show Planning Committee. As chairman, Tom worked many hours behind the scenes with exhibitors, hotel officials and committee members to provide education and product exhibitions to thousands of practitioners in Western PA.

Tom also served with other volunteers on the board of Pennsylvania Turfgrass Research Trust. Through its dedication and fundraising efforts, this organization raised over $300,000 for an endowment to fund graduate and undergraduate research in turfgrass science at Penn State.

In 2004, the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council announced that the Distinguished Service Award would be renamed to memorialize Dr. George W. Hamilton Jr., a professor in turfgrass management at Penn State, who died after a courageous battle with cancer. Tom Bettle exemplifies the spirit of this award and Dr. Hamilton’s passion for advancing the industry. The membership of the Penn-sylvania Turfgrass Council and the Penn State Turf Program congratulate Tom on being recognized for his accomplishments. 7

Tom Bettle (left) accepts the PTC’s 2012 Dr. George Hamilton Distinguished Service Award from Matt Shaffer, 2012 PTC President.


Penn State News

Nick Gialloreto (B.S. Turf ’10) is now Territory Manager at Walker Supply Inc.

Jeffrey Joedicke (B.S. Turf ’02) is now Superintendent at Schuyler Meadows Golf Club in Loudonville, NY.

Shawn Kister (B.S. Turf ’05) is now Grounds Division Leader at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA.

Larry Napora (Cert Turf ’84) hosted the Bridgestone Invita-tional at Firestone Country Club.

Tyler Otero (B.S. Turf ’06) is now Director of Grounds at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.

Do you have an update that you would like to see in a future issue? If so, please send your name, graduate date and program, and brief update to [email protected]. 7

Penn State TURF UPDATES


Recent Event

eld November 13–15, the 2012 Golf Turf Confer-ence brought more than 500 alumni and industry professionals back to campus for the 3-day event.

The conference was dedicated to the life and career of the late Stanley J. Zontek, who passed away earlier this year.

Stan had traditionally kicked off the conference with his “Year in Review,” and it was only fitting this year to once again have him there in spirit for the opening session. A special tribute video opened the conference and started with Stan himself talking about setup of the 2010 U.S. Open at Congressional. The video included clips from several friends and colleagues who shared their favorite “Stanisms” and discussed the widespread impact that he had on an entire industry. The video tribute, produced by Epic Creative, provided an inside view of Stan’s career with the USGA; his love of mentorship, travel and food; and an emotional closing in which some of his friends had the opportunity to say their goodbyes.

In addition to the tribute video, a Celebrate Stanley Zontek event was held at Champ’s Sports Bar. Close to 200 attendees came to raise a pint to cheers Stan. The event helped raise money for the newly renamed Stanley J. Zontek Turfgrass Endowment, which will support grad-

uate and undergraduate turfgrass research at Penn State. The endowment currently has over $300,000, and this year’s conference helped to raise more than $10,000 of additional funding.

The 2012 Golf Turfgrass Conference also saw a few new additions to the program. A successful pre-conference seminar with Dr. Peter Dernoeden from the University of Maryland was sold out in just a few weeks, and more room had to be added. The conference organizer, Dr. John Kaminski, commented on the reasoning behind the seminar. “We wanted to provide an additional focused educational option for those attendees who typically come to town Monday night. The fact that we had to add addi-tional seating to accommodate the demand just proved that these value-added seminars are worth considering in the future,” said Dr. Kaminski.

Also visible at this year’s conference was the increased support from various sponsors. Sponsorship opportuni-ties ranged from coffee breaks to the famous Creamery ice cream. According to Kaminski, “The support from the sponsors was overwhelming and really helped to give a spark to the program and draw attention to why people like to return to this conference each year — to learn, but

2012 Penn State Golf Turf Conference

Honors Stanley Zontek

H

Dr. Peter Dernoeden, from the University of Maryland, presented the pre-conference seminar on Tuesday morning.

A full house filled the new room setup for Dr. Erik Ervin’s (Virginia Tech) session on biostimulants.


also to have a little fun and catch up with friends and colleagues.” One of the new additions this year was the Wednesday Happy Hour, where attendees mingled with old friends and enjoyed some food and libations, all made possible through sponsor support.

The conference wasn’t all about entertainment, though. This year’s presenters included industry professionals, USGA agronomists and faculty and graduate students from four different universities. Topics ranged from agronomics to career development. Another new addition to the pro-gram was a keynote address from J. Rhett Evans, CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Mr. Evans shared his insights on the state of the industry.

Overall, the 2012 Golf Turf Conference was a huge success, and preparations for next year are already under way. For more information on the Stanley J. Zontek Turf-grass Endowment or to watch the tribute video, please visit http://turf.gs/UD 8yXC.

Next year’s conference will take place at the Nittany Lion Inn on November 12–14. If you would like more information, have a suggestion for the event or would like to be a sponsor, please contact John Kaminski at [email protected] or (814) 865-3007. 7

Thank You to Our CORPORATE SPONSORS!

The conference drew several international attendees.

Dr. Karl Danneberger, with The Ohio State University, discussed the balance between moisture and firmness on putting greens.

Mark Kuhns (left) presented a $1,000 donation to Logan Murphy, President of the Penn State Turf Club, to support Club activities and members’ travel to the Turf Bowl.

Happy Hour on Wednesday evening was sponsored by Aquatrols, Floratine and Genesis Turfgrass.

Almost 200 conference attendees celebrated the life of Stanley Zontek at Champ’s Sports Bar on Tuesday evening.

AquatrolsBASF

Bayer Environmental ScienceCivitas

Epic Creative

Floratine

Genesis Turfgrass

Quali-Pro

Syngenta

Wives of Turf


Industry News

early October 2012, Syngenta announced that it had closed the acquisition of the DuPont Professional Products insecticide

business. As a result of this transaction, Syngenta now owns industry-leading insecticide brands Altriset®, Advion®, Arilon®, Acelepryn®, Calteryx® and Provaunt®. A number of DuPont Professional Products employees have also joined Syngenta.

“These key assets will provide the Lawn & Garden Turf and Landscape business with new offerings and capabilities to scale our business so that we can meet the needs of our growing customer base,” stated Tim Kroenke, head of Syngenta Lawn and Garden North America. “With the addition of these recognized brands, Syngenta can address critical customer needs in the pro-

fessional turf and pest control markets with an expanded portfolio of industry-leading, proven technology.”

Scott Reasons, head of Turf & Landscape North America, concurred. “The closing of the acquisition provides Syngenta with new capabilities to build upon our strong pest-management heritage with next-generation chemistry and expand our leadership position in turf.

We are excited about the range of offerings and addi-tional capabilities we can now provide our customers.”

In addition to targeting the professional turf- and pest-management markets, Syngenta will pursue adjacent market opportunities in ornamental horticulture and the consumer space. The closing price for the acquisition was $125 million. 7

Syngenta Acquires Insecticide Business from DuPont Professional Products

In


Calendar of EventsCalendar of Events

Scan the QR code: Download your favorite QR reader to your phone and scan the code to learn more about these companies.

Digital MARKETPLACE

January 312013 Northeastern PA Turf Conference and Trade ShowWoodlands InnWilkes Barre, PA

February 4–7NE Weed Society and Weed Science Society of AmericaHiltonBaltimore, MD

February 522nd LCAP Annual Winter Education Day(Lawn Care Assn. of PA)Holiday Inn Lehigh ValleyAllentown, PA

February 6–7Golf Industry ShowSan Diego Convention CenterSan Diego, CA

February 11–15TPI Mid-Winter Conference(Turf Producers Intl.)San Antonio, TX

February 14–15Chesapeake Green 2013 — A Horticulture SymposiumMaritime Institute & Conference CenterLinthicum Heights, MD

February 1517th Annual KAFMO/PRPS Athletic Field ConferenceHoliday Inn HarrisburgHershey, PA

February 26–282013 Western Pennsylvania Turfgrass ConferenceThe Four Points by Sheraton Pittsburgh NorthMars, PA

March 12Mid-Atlantic USGA Green Section Regional MeetingWoodholme Country ClubPikesville, MD

November 12–142013 Penn State GolfTurf ConferenceNittany Lion InnState College, PA


Index of Advertisers

Penn State Turf Team

Jeffrey A. Borger Instructor in Turfgrass Weed [email protected]

Michael A. Fidanza, Ph.D.Professor of Plant

& Soil [email protected]

David R. Huff, Ph.D.Professor of Turfgrass [email protected]

John E. Kaminski, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Turfgrass [email protected]

Danny KlineResearch Technologist in

Turfgrass [email protected]

Peter J. Landschoot, Ph.D.Prof. of Turfgrass [email protected]

Andrew S. McNitt, Ph.D.Professor of Soil [email protected]

Max Schlossberg, Ph.D. Assoc. Prof. of Turfgrass Nutrition / Soil Fertility 814-863-1015 [email protected]

Al J. Turgeon, Ph.D.Professor Emeritus of Turfgrass [email protected]

Wakar Uddin, Ph.D.Professor of Plant [email protected]

The Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council (PTC) 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, Pennsylvania Turfgrass, or its editors. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or PTC members, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Copyright ©2013 by the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council. Pennsylvania Turfgrass, is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to PTC members. Presorted standard postage is paid at Nashville, TN. Printed in the U.S.A. Reprints and Submissions: Pennsylvania Turfgrass, allows reprinting of material published here. Permission requests should be directed to the PTC. 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, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

Aer-Core, Inc. ................................................ 23www.aer-core.com

Aquatrols Corporation America................................ Inside Back Coverwww.aquatrols.com

BASF .................................... Inside Front Cover

Central Sod Farms of Maryland, Inc. .......... 29www.centralsodmd

Coversports USA .......................................... 19www.geogroup.com

Ernst Conservation Seeds ........................... 16www.ernstseed.com

Leading Edge Communications .................. 22www.leadingedgecommunications.com

Medina Sod Farms, Inc. ............................... 25www.medinasodfarms.com

Mottin Golf Course Renovations ................. 23www.mottingolf.com

Penn State World Campus .......................... 28www.worldcampus.psu.edu/paturf

Pennsylvania State University ......Back Coverwww.turf.psu.edu/certificate

Peter Dernoeden, University of Maryland ................................. 25

Seedway, LLC ............................................... 29www.seedway.com

Tech Terra Environmental............................. 30www.techterraenvironmental.com

Walker Supply, Inc. ................................. 29, 29www.walkersupplyinc.com

Wives of Turf ................................................. 29www.wivesofturf.org

Documents

14 10 17 - The Paginator. 1 / No. 2 † Winter 2012 14 10 17 6 Upcoming Event Western PA Turfgrass Conference, Feb. 26–28... Program & Details 10 Cover Story State of the Art —