light quality

By Dominic Petrella

I am continually amazed by the impact that light has on turfgrass growth and development. We know that the quantity (intensity) of light impacts photosynthesis as well as alters overall growth and development, and we know that the quality or composition of light also alters gene expression, growth, and developmental responses in all plants.

By Dominic Petrella

Shade can be stressful for turfgrasses due to decreasing photosynthesis, causing turfgrass to produce leaves that are more susceptible to traffic damage and disease incidence.  Turfgrasses grown in shade may not perform very well due to decreased density.  While we understand that shade is stressful, it’s commonly forgotten that there are two different types of shade, qualitative shade and quantitative shade (both having different properties) that can lead to these detrimental changes in turfgrass growth.  To better understand how qualitative shade and quantitative shade can effect turfgrasses, we first need to discuss how light is measured and evaluated.