Browsing by Subject "Turf"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Developing Salt-Tolerant Sod Mixtures for Use as Roadside Turf in Minnesota
    (Center for Transportation Studies University of Minnesota, 2014-12) Friell, Joshua; Watkins, Eric; Horgan, Brian
    Failure of roadside grass installations due to high levels of road salt is a common occurrence in Minnesota. Several species that are not currently included in the MnDOT recommendations for these sites have performed well in low-input turfgrass evaluations in Minnesota and warranted evaluation for salt tolerance and suitability for roadside environments. The goal of this project was to develop a recommended mixture or a set of mixtures that provide salt-tolerant sod for roadsides. In the first part of this research, cultivars of cool-season turfgrass were assessed for their ability to establish and survive on roadsides in Minnesota. Concurrently, these grasses were evaluated in a hydroponic system in the greenhouse for salinity tolerance. Together, these studies identified several species and cultivars that were promising for use on Minnesota roadsides. These top-performing grasses were then evaluated in a series of mixtures in three research trials: (1) a roadside evaluation at two locations in Minnesota; (2) a sod strength trial planted at two locations in Minnesota; and (3) an acute drought evaluation utilizing an automated rainout shelter. From these results, we identified species that should be components of a salt-tolerant turfgrass mixture for use on roadsides in Minnesota. Mixtures that included high proportions of fine fescues, especially hard fescue and slender creeping red fescue, performed the best in our trials indicating that these species should be utilized in MnDOT recommendations for turf grown on roadsides.
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    Evaluation of the genetic potential of prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) for use as a low-input turfgrass
    (2010-05) Clark, Matthew Daniel
    Prairie junegrass [Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Shultes] is a perennial, shortgrass prairie species distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. This species demonstrates tolerance to many environmental stresses found in Minnesota. In June 2007, 48 K. macrantha accessions from the United States National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) were grown and evaluated in two experiments; (i) seed production characteristics and (ii) turf quality characteristics in 2 locations (St. Paul, MN and Becker, MN). In the seed production experiment, seed was harvested in 2008, and significant variation was found among accessions for several seed production traits including harvest date, plant height, seedhead number, and seed yield. A significant correlation between seedhead number and seed yield was found, which can be utilized for indirect selection in the production nursery. Plant growth and seed yield were highest at the Becker location demonstrating the species’ preference for well drained soils. In the turf quality experiment, mowed space plants were evaluated from 2007- 2009, nineteen accessions at Becker and 30 accessions at St. Paul performed with an adequate turf quality rating of 5.0 or higher when averaged over the three-year study, suggesting the potential for use in low-input areas. Prairie junegrass from northern collection regions displayed the highest ratings in spring green-up which is an important turf trait in northern climates. There was a strong negative correlation between this trait and mowing quality at Becker (r = -0.44) and at St. Paul (r = -0.34). Several accessions demonstrated acceptable mowing quality and would be candidates for integration into a native prairie junegrass breeding program. In June 2007 a third experiment was conducted. Three hundred genotypes representing crossing blocks derived from Colorado, Nebraska, and Minnesota germplasm were grown and evaluated for turf quality characteristics in a randomized complete block design with five clonal replications at 2 locations (St. Paul and Becker) and evaluated for three years. Following establishment, plots received no supplemental irrigation or fertility and were mowed weekly to a height of 6.4 cm. Broad-sense heritability estimates were calculated on a clonal mean (Hc) and single plant (Hsp) basis for turf quality (Hc = 0.62, Hsp = 0.13), crown density (Hc = 0.55, Hsp = 0.09), mowing quality (Hc = 0.59, Hsp = 0.09), and genetic color (Hc=0.45, Hsp = 0.06). The heritability estimates indicate that selection for these traits should result in significant gains in germplasm improvement. Differences were observed for means and variances among clones, crossing blocks, and/or collection regions for many of the traits evaluated including rust (incidence and severity), spring green-up, plant height, lateral spread, vertical re-growth, and flowering traits. The positive correlations among some of these traits and those with moderate heritability estimates will allow for multi-trait selection in cultivar development. Rust (unknown Puccinia species) was present at both locations.
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    Expanding the Success of Salt-Tolerant Roadside Turfgrasses through Innovation and Education
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2020-02) Watkins, Eric; Trappe, Jon; Moncada, Kristine; Bauer, Sam; Reyes, Jonah
    Our project was based on the need to water new roadside installations more efficiently to ensure that the turfgrasses, especially the new salt-tolerant mixes, establish more successfully with a predictable and uniform amount of water during the establishment period. The first objective of this project was to do a preliminary investigation of alternative means of irrigating new installations of salt-tolerant seed and sod mixtures. We completed the testing of four drip-tape-style irrigation systems placed both above and below sod, two above-ground sprinkler system configurations, and eight water truck nozzles. We then evaluated these new irrigation methods compared to current practices. We also developed an online voluntary training and education program for installers of roadside turf. And finally, we developed online maintenance training for homeowners to maintain new roadside turf installations. Based on our research, we recommend the use of 18-inch (45.7-cm) irrigation tape laid above the germination blanket (when seeding), or above sod when using a hydrant adapter with a programmable irrigation system as this system is easier and cheaper to install, can be removed and possibly reused after establishment, and results in reduced water use.
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    Regional Optimization of Roadside Turfgrass Seed Mixtures
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2019-12) Watkins, Eric; Sessoms, Florence; Hollman, Andrew; Laskowski, Michael; Moncada, Kristine
    Current MnDOT specifications for roadside turfgrasses suggest statewide planting of mixtures that are grouped into five broad categories such as low maintenance turf and high maintenance turf. The objective of this research was to identify turfgrasses that possess traits necessary to survive in the harsh roadside environments found throughout Minnesota. We investigated the impacts of possibly the three most limiting environmental conditions (heat, salt and ice cover) on multiple cultivars from up to fifteen individual turfgrass species. Salt stress screening revealed several species with good levels of adaptation including alkaligrass and tall fescue. In the heat stress trial, we found cultivars and selections of Canada bluegrass, tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, strong creeping red fescue and slender creeping red fescue were among the top performers. Finally, in our ice cover screening, tall fescue and Chewings fescue did well; however, these results did not correlate well with our typical field observations. For each of these stresses, we identified top-performing cultivars that will be evaluated in field studies with the goal of identifying optimized mixtures for stakeholders in Minnesota.
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    Regional Optimization of Roadside Turfgrass Seed Mixtures Phase 2: Regional Field Trials and Economic Analysis
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2022-07) Watkins, Eric; Christensen, Dominic; Yue, Chengyan; Moncada, Kristine
    Our goal was to develop seed mixture recommendations to improve establishment and development of roadside vegetation in Minnesota. We selected 14 research sites across Minnesota and seeded 40 turfgrass mixtures. Turfgrass coverage was assessed at each site twice a year and the weed seed bank was examined. We found that greater seeded turfgrass species richness was important for increasing and stabilizing roadside turfgrass coverage across space. We also found differences in the type and density of the weed seed bank at many sites, but its impact was relatively low on weed coverage over time. We considered soil and weather variables and found three significant seeding clusters for Minnesota consisting of two geographical seeding clusters (north and central/south) and one non-geographical cluster for sites with poor soil quality. Three new mixtures for each cluster were recommended for Minnesota. Implementing these mixtures will reduce soil erosion, improve aesthetics, save local communities' financial resources, and improve the overall environment we occupy. As a complement to the field research, we developed cost prediction models that were incorporated into a detailed enterprise budget tool to calculate the roadside establishment costs that include labor, water, seed, sod, fertilizer, and other factors. This Excel-based tool can be used by local and state officials in determining budgets for roadside installations and which types or combinations of turfgrasses would be most cost effective, while also generating optimal performance.
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    Regional Roadside Turfgrass Testing Program
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2019-08) Watkins, Eric; Trappe, Jon; Moncada, Kristine; Renz, Mark; Soldat, Doug; Kreuser, William; Murphy, James; Frank, Kevin
    Roadsides are a challenging environment for successfully establishing turfgrass. Site-specific stresses demand multi-site testing of grasses and grass mixtures. This study evaluated 60 entries that varied by cultivar, species, or mixture by establishing on-site trials in MI, MN, NE, NJ, and WI. The entries tested included 50 individual cultivars and 10 standard mixtures, two from each participating state based on their current specifications. One location in each state was along an urban or suburban street with a curb, while the second location was along a rural highway without a curb having a ditch that slopes away from the road with a daily traffic volume of at least 30,000 vehicles. Plots were seeded at most sites in late summer 2016, and data were collected through spring 2018. Turfgrass performance was assessed by counting living turf cover, weed cover, and bare soil using the grid intersect method in the spring and fall of each year. Species and cultivar performance varied among locations. Several species showed potential for inclusion in effective mixtures. Other species performed well at some locations and poorly at others. Performance of standard mixtures was also inconsistent across locations. This research demonstrates the need for locally generated data on roadside turfgrass performance.
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    Turfgrass Seed Variety Evaluation Process
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2023-05) Watkins, Eric; Yue, Chengyan; Hollman, Andrew; Moncada, Kristine
    Our project addresses two critical needs: to update existing MnDOT turfgrass recommendation lists and to develop a new process to keep lists continually updated in a fair manner with data-driven recommendations. We evaluated the current list of MnDOT-approved turfgrass varieties and found underperforming varieties that should be removed. We then found new, improved varieties that should be considered for inclusion on the MnDOT lists. To facilitate a process to keep lists updated for the future, we first conducted a survey of seed distributors. Using their input, we developed a new process that MnDOT can use to approve turfgrass varieties for inclusion as official seed mixtures. Ultimately, this will lead to a more nimble, consistent, and clear process so that existing and new seed vendors can have complete confidence in data-driven decision making by MnDOT.