Dominic Petrella

A new, open access article co-authored by Dominic Petrella has been published in Crop Science. This study evaluated defatted soybean flour as a potential plant-based fertilizer option applied as a powder, drench, or spray to perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. 

A new, open access article by Gary Deters, Eric Watkins, and Dominic Petrella has been published in Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. The objective of this research was to determine whether rolling immediately after a contact fungicide application reduces disease suppression on putting greens.

Deters, G., Watkins, E., & Petrella, D. (2026). Rolling after the application of a contact fungicide does not reduce efficacy on putting greens. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management, 12(2), e70131.

Check out our team’s latest efforts in educating the public about our work! 

Read the April 2026 issue of MGCSA's Hole Notes for an update, Aurora green: managing turfgrass photoinhibition in the northern light by Dominic Petrella, or listen via the Hole Notes Podcast.

The goals of this study were to determine which component of DEET bug spray causes damage to turfgrass, quantify the level of damage, and determine the ability of turfgrass to recover. Learn more: N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) exposure produces rapid and permanent damage in turfgrass.

This article was originally posted on the WinterTurf project blog.

By Dominic Petrella

Learn more about our research! A new, open access article by Eric Watkins, Dominic P. Petrella, Trygve Aamlid, Dominic C. Christensen, Sigridur Dalmannsdottir, Andrew P. Hollman, and Gary Deters has been published in Crop Science. The authors tested five different turfgrasses for their ability to survive under ice. 

I’m excited to introduce myself as the newest member of the University of Minnesota Turfgrass Science group! My name is Dr.

Learn more about our research! A new, open access article by Florence Sessoms, Dominic Petrella, Gary Deters, Jillian Turberville and Eric Watkins has been published in Crop Science. Their study examined turfgrass mixtures and how the mixtures performed after short drought and recovery periods.

Breuillin-Sessoms, F., Petrella, D., Deters, G., Turberville, J., & Watkins, E. (2025). Response of cool-season turfgrass monocultures and two-way mixtures to sequential acute drought periods. Crop Science, 65, e21385. doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21385

Learn more about our research! A new, open access article by Florence Breuillin-Sessoms, Dominic Petrella, Nancy Ehlke, Donn Vellekson and Eric Watkins has been published in the journal Crop Science. This article discusses the research in which several cultivars of Chewings, hard and strong creeping red fescue were interseeded with spring wheat to examine the potential of this method for seed production in northern Minnesota. Unfortunately, this cropping system did not seem optimal for fine fescue seed production so more research is needed.