member-driven research

Check out our team’s latest efforts in educating the public about our work.  We have a podcast and two articles!

WCCO’s Smart Gardens September 15 podcast, featuring Jon Trappe and Mary Meyer, answers listeners' questions on gardening and lawns

The September issue of the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association's Hole Notes features an article, "UMN Member Driven Research: Irrigation Sensors", by Chase Straw and Brian Horgan

By Ryan Schwab

The University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science Team has partnered with the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association (MGCSA) to perform on-site research determined by the members themselves. As part of this project, we conducted a study at Centerbrook Golf Course. We examined the following research question: Can a surfactant with the right chemistry also function as a wetting agent to combat wilt from dry spots?

Water repellency of turf can lead to localized dry spots and can cause waste of irrigation water.  Not only that, it also can cause the turf to repel other products, such as pesticides, that after application need to reach the root zone of turfgrasses to be effective.  Wetting agents are surfactants used to increase water penetration.

The University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science Team has partnered with the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association (MGCSA) to perform on-site research determined by the members themselves. As part of this project, we conducted a study at the Stillwater Country Club in 2017. We examined the following research question: How well would turfgrass species other than creeping bentgrass work under wet and shaded condition on a Par 3 tee box?

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris) is a stolon-forming cool season grass commonly used on golf courses.  It has good shade tolerance, but if shaded, it will also need good drainage to thrive.  One of our MGCSA-member partners recently experienced what can happen when creeping bentgrass grows in shady and poor drainage conditions.

The University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science Team has partnered with the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association (MGCSA) to perform on-site research determined by the members themselves. As part of this project, we conducted a study at the Rush Creek Golf Club in 2017. We examined the following research question: Will early spring paclobutrazol applications eliminate annual bluegrass?

Paclobutrazol is a plant growth regulator used to inhibit annual bluegrass (Poa annua) growth.  This suppression makes the desirable turfgrasses more competitive, allowing them to crowd out the weedy annual bluegrass.

When warm February weather occurs in Minnesota, it can cause damage to annual bluegrass.  We partnered with a MGCSA member to investigate whether warm February temperatures, in combination with an application of paclobutrazol, would give us the opportunity to push annual bluegrass over the edge and eliminate it from putting surfaces.

Research questions

The University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science Team has partnered with the Minnesota Golf Course Superintendents Association (MGCSA) to perform on-site research determined by the members themselves. As part of this project, we conducted a study at the Medina Country Club and the Les Bolstad Golf Course in 2017. We examined the following research question: Will installing covers during a February warm-up reduce the risk of injury to annual bluegrass due to deacclimation?

Plants that overwinter undergo physiological changes to acclimate to cold temperatures, allowing them to survive until spring.  However, when warm temperatures occur in winter, cold hardiness gained through acclimation can be lost, a process called deacclimation.