scholarly journals Water Flow Through Sand-based Root Zones Atop Geotextiles

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 1543-1547
Author(s):  
Keisha Rose-Harvey ◽  
Kevin J. McInnes ◽  
James C. Thomas

An alternative to the time-tested gravel drainage layer beneath a sand-based root zone of a sports field or golf putting green can be constructed from a geotextile atop a highly porous drainage material or structure. The geotextile serves to support the root zone mixture on the drainage layer whose pores can be too large for the sand to support itself by bridging. In such an application, the geotextile should have high enough strength and resistance to stretching to support the root zone mixture atop the pores of the drainage layer and should contain internal pores of appropriate size to retain the bulk of particles in the root zone mixture and to allow free passage of drainage water and eluviating fine particles. The objective of this study was to determine whether geotextiles selected to meet these criteria affect the drainage rates of sand-based root zones and whether they affect the size of particles lost from the root zone–geotextile systems. In a 1-year laboratory study that made use of 150-mm diameter polyvinyl chloride (PVC) test cells, measurements of drainage rates and saturated hydraulic conductivities were made on replicated combinations of 10 geotextiles and three 300-mm deep root zone mixtures. Size distributions and total masses of particles that passed from the root zones through the geotextiles were measured. Statistical analyses showed that drainage rate, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and size distribution and mass of eluviated particles were unaffected by the properties of the geotextiles. The results gave of no reason to prohibit the use of geotextiles to support sand-based root zones in golf putting greens or sports fields.

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 275-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. McInnes ◽  
James C. Thomas

Chronic dry spots that occur on the upper reaches of slopes on golf putting greens lead to increased frequency of irrigation to maintain a healthy turfgrass surface. To limit one cause of dry spots, the downslope wicking of water, we investigated the use of subsurface barriers to interrupt the capillary connectivity of the bottom portion of the root zone on a 3.5-m long, laboratory-simulated section of a green having a 5% slope. We evaluated the effectiveness of the barriers on a green constructed with a sand root zone over gravel drainage and on a green constructed with a sand root zone over a geotextile atop a porous plastic grid for drainage. With sand over gravel, the barriers were effective at reducing downslope wicking and the consequential loss of stored water in the root zone on the slope. In the top 0.5 m of the slope, there was 24 mm more water stored in the root zone profile of the green constructed with barriers compared with that in the green constructed without barriers. With sand over geotextile atop a plastic grid, the barriers were effective at reducing wicking of water, but only when the downslope continuity of the geotextile was broken. In that case, there was 35 mm more water stored in the root zone profile at the top of the slope in the green constructed with barriers and a discontinuous geotextile compared with the greens constructed with barriers and continuous geotextile or with sand over gravel and no barriers.


2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Fidanza ◽  
P.F. Colbaugh ◽  
M.C. Engelke ◽  
S.D. Davis ◽  
K.E. Kenworthy

Fairy ring is a common and troublesome disease of turfgrasses maintained on golf course putting greens. Type-I fairy ring is especially destructive due to the development of hydrophobic conditions in the thatch and root zone, thus contributing to turfgrass injury and loss. The objective of this 2-year field study was to evaluate the application and novel delivery method of two fungicides and a soil surfactant for curative control of type-I fairy ring in a 20-year-old creeping bentgrass [Agrostis palustris (synonym A. stolonifera)] putting green. In both years, all treatments were applied twice on a 28-day interval. In 1998, flutolanil and azoxystrobin fungicides were applied alone and in combination with Primer soil surfactant by a conventional topical spray method, and fungicides without Primer applied via high-pressure injection (HPI). Acceptable type-I fairy ring control was observed in plots treated with flutolanil plus Primer, HPI flutolanil, azoxystrobin alone, azoxystrobin plus Primer, or HPI azoxystrobin. In 1999, treatments were HPI flutolanil, HPI flutolanil plus Primer, HPI azoxystrobin, HPI water only, and aeration only. Acceptable type-I fairy ring control was observed in plots treated with HPI flutolanil plus Primer or HPI azoxystrobin. HPI of fungicides alone or in combination with a soil surfactant may be a viable option for alleviating type-I fairy ring symptoms on golf course putting greens.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
John R. Brewer ◽  
Shawn D. Askew

Abstract Only four herbicides are registered for smooth crabgrass or goosegrass control on creeping bentgrass golf putting greens. None of the four herbicides control weedy grasses for the entire season or control weeds postemergence when applied once at labeled rates. Three of these have product labels that prohibit repeated use or application during stressful summer conditions. We hypothesized frequently applying herbicides at low doses could provide season-long control of summer grasses while minimizing turf injury. Seven field experiments were conducted on creeping bentgrass putting greens to evaluate various herbicides applied monthly, biweekly, or weekly for postemergence and residual control of goosegrass and smooth crabgrass as well as creeping bentgrass putting green tolerance. Metamifop applied twice monthly at 200 g ai ha−1, topramezone applied eight times weekly at 1.5 g ae ha−1, and siduron applied weekly at 5.6 kg ai ha−1 or four times biweekly at 11 kg ha−1 did not injure creeping bentgrass greater than 10% and maintained creeping bentgrass quality and cover equivalent to nontreated turf. Weekly or biweekly programs of fenoxaprop or quinclorac caused unacceptable injury and quality decline. Metamifop applied monthly and either fenoxaprop program controlled both smooth crabgrass and goosegrass 97 to 99% throughout the growing season. Programs containing either quinclorac or siduron controlled smooth crabgrass 99 to 100% but did not control goosegrass greater than 39%. All topramezone programs controlled smooth crabgrass 69 to 77% and goosegrass 93 to 98%. In additional studies, siduron applied five times biweekly did not injure creeping bentgrass putting greens and controlled smooth crabgrass greater than 90% at seasonal, cumulative rates between 17 and 65 kg ai ha−1. This method of frequent, low-dose herbicide treatment to control smooth crabgrass and goosegrass on golf putting greens is novel and could be legally implemented currently with siduron.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1188-1190 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.L. Berndt ◽  
J.M. Vargas

Biological production of sulfide (S2-) in soil has been reported to depend on system redox potential and on the concentrations of available sulfate (\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{SO}_{4}^{2-}\) \end{document}) and organic carbon (OC). The purpose of this laboratory study was to determine whether elemental sulfur (So) could influence redox potential and S2- production in sand used to construct putting greens. Treatment with So depressed redox potential as pe + pH, and stimulated accumulation of both free H2S and acid-soluble S2-. Organic carbon as lactate (C3H5O3Na) intensified the effects of So, primarily by influencing pH. Thus, So application could induce anaerobiosis and subsequently affect turf quality by heightening production of free hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It could also contribute to S2- accumulation possibly expressed as a black layer or blackening of the root zone.


HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 452-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ty A. McClellan ◽  
Roch E. Gaussoin ◽  
Robert C. Shearman ◽  
Charles S. Wortmann ◽  
Martha Mamo ◽  
...  

Nutrient and chemical changes in turfgrass sand-based root zones are not well understood. This study was conducted to characterize nutrient and chemical properties in putting greens influenced by root zone mixture and establishment treatment, putting green age, and soil depth. Putting greens were constructed and established with Agrostis stolonifera L. in sequential years from 1997 to 2000. Treatments included root zone mixtures of 80:20 (v:v) sand and sphagnum peat and 80:15:5 (v:v:v) sand, sphagnum peat, and soil, and accelerated versus controlled establishment. In the establishment year, the accelerated treatment received 2.6-, 3.0-, and 2.6-fold more nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively, than the controlled treatment. Soil samples were taken in Fall 2001, Spring 2004, and Summer 2004 and were analyzed for nutrient and chemical properties such as pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter (OM), total soluble salts (TSS), and 12 nutrients. The root zone mixture and establishment treatments had minimal effects on most nutrient and chemical properties with the exception of phosphorus and pH. Cation exchange capacity, OM, TSS, and all nutrients decreased with soil depth, whereas soil pH increased. The putting green age × soil depth interaction was significant for many of the nutrient and chemical properties, but separating soil samples into mat and original root zone instead of predetermined soil sampling depths eliminated most of these interactions. The mat layer had higher CEC and OM values and nutrient concentrations and lower pH values than the original root zone mixture.


1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 309-313
Author(s):  
Jan Šálek ◽  
František Marcián ◽  
Iman Elazizy

Vegetative root zone methods are based on self-purifying processes that take place in the soil, wetland and vegetation containing water media. Our studies are concentrated on the course of puryfying in relation with the length of the filtration bed and on the progress of eliminating the ammoniacal pollution. The research proved that the essential part of the puryfying process takes place within the inlet zone (Figs 1 and 2). The decomposition of ammonia proceeds very slowly. The process of nitrification is affected by the lack of oxygen in the filtration media. To improve the effectiveness of vegetative root zone methods we suggest specific steps: an adjustment of the inlet zone, a system of cascades, a water level pulsation system and combinations of different types and arrangements of vegetative root zones.


Weed Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 642-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zane Raudenbush ◽  
Joshua L. Greenwood ◽  
D. Nicholas McLetchie ◽  
Sarah M. Eppley ◽  
Steven J. Keeley ◽  
...  

AbstractSilvery-Thread Moss (Bryum argenteum Hedw.) is an undesirable invader of golf course putting greens across North America, establishing colonies and proliferating despite practices to suppress it. The goal was to grow genotypes of green (growing in putting greens) and native (growing in habitats outside of putting greens) B. argenteum in a common garden experiment, allowing an experimental test of life-history traits between genotypes from these two habitats. Seventeen collections of green and 17 collections of native B. argenteum were cloned to single genotypes and raised through a minimum of two asexual generations in the lab. A culture of each genotype was initiated using a single detached shoot apex and was allowed to grow for 6 mo under conditions of inorganic nutrients present and absent. Compared with genotypes from native habitats, genotypes of B. argenteum from putting greens exhibited earlier shoot regeneration and shoot induction, faster protonemal extension, longer (higher) shoots, lower production of gemmae and bulbils, and greater aerial rhizoid cover, and showed similar tendencies of chlorophyll fluorescence properties and chlorophyll content. Cultures receiving no inorganic nutrients produced less chlorophyll content, greatly reduced growth, and bleaching of shoots. Mosses from putting greens establish more quickly, grow faster, produce more abundant rhizoids, and yet do not produce as many specialized asexual propagules compared with mosses of the same species from native habitats. The highly managed putting green environment has either selected for a suite of traits that allow the moss to effectively compete with grasses, or genotypic diversity is very high in this species, allowing a set of specialized genotypes to colonize the putting green from native habitats. Successful golf course weeds have been able to adapt to this highly competitive environment by selection acting on traits or genotypes to produce plants more successful in competing with golf course grasses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6362
Author(s):  
Amninder Singh ◽  
Nigel W. T. Quinn ◽  
Sharon E. Benes ◽  
Florence Cassel

Environmental policies to address water quality impairments in the San Joaquin River of California have focused on the reduction of salinity and selenium-contaminated subsurface agricultural drainage loads from westside sources. On 31 December 2019, all of the agricultural drainage from a 44,000 ha subarea on the western side of the San Joaquin River basin was curtailed. This policy requires the on-site disposal of all of the agricultural drainage water in perpetuity, except during flooding events, when emergency drainage to the River is sanctioned. The reuse of this saline agricultural drainage water to irrigate forage crops, such as ‘Jose’ tall wheatgrass and alfalfa, in a 2428 ha reuse facility provides an economic return on this pollutant disposal option. Irrigation with brackish water requires careful management to prevent salt accumulation in the crop root zone, which can impact forage yields. The objective of this study was to optimize the sustainability of this reuse facility by maximizing the evaporation potential while achieving cost recovery. This was achieved by assessing the spatial and temporal distribution of the root zone salinity in selected fields of ‘Jose’ tall wheatgrass and alfalfa in the drainage reuse facility, some of which have been irrigated with brackish subsurface drainage water for over fifteen years. Electromagnetic soil surveys using an EM-38 instrument were used to measure the spatial variability of the salinity in the soil profile. The tall wheatgrass fields were irrigated with higher salinity water (1.2–9.3 dS m−1) compared to the fields of alfalfa (0.5–6.5 dS m−1). Correspondingly, the soil salinity in the tall wheatgrass fields was higher (12.5 dS m−1–19.3 dS m−1) compared to the alfalfa fields (8.97 dS m−1–14.4 dS m−1) for the years 2016 and 2017. Better leaching of salts was observed in the fields with a subsurface drainage system installed (13–1 and 13–2). The depth-averaged root zone salinity data sets are being used for the calibration of the transient hydro-salinity computer model CSUID-ID (a one-dimensional version of the Colorado State University Irrigation Drainage Model). This user-friendly decision support tool currently provides a useful framework for the data collection needed to make credible, field-scale salinity budgets. In time, it will provide guidance for appropriate leaching requirements and potential blending decisions for sustainable forage production. This paper shows the tie between environmental drainage policy and the role of local governance in the development of sustainable irrigation practices, and how well-directed collaborative field research can guide future resource management.


2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-198
Author(s):  
M Aslam ◽  
HM Nasrullah ◽  
M Akhtar ◽  
B Ali ◽  
M Akram ◽  
...  

Sesame is a well known oil seed crop in arid and semiarid region of Pakistan and its productivity is affected due to sensitiveness to water logging in the root zones. The experiment was conducted at research area of Agronomic Research Station, Bahawalpur during the year 2010 and 2011. The crop was sown by three different planting techniques i.e. flat sowing with 45cm apart rows, ridge sowing with 45cm apart, bed sowing with 60/30 cm i.e. 60 cm wide beds with 30 cm furrow between the beds. The data revealed that maximum number of plants wilted in flat planting as compared to other methods of planting were taken in this experiment. It was also recorded that bed planting at 90cm apart beds gave maximum grain yield of 843 kg ha-1 followed by ridge planting (seed spreading by broadcast and with augmented furrows) with a grain yield of 811 kg ha-1. The lowest yield was obtained from conventional method of sowing which gave 349 kg ha-1 grain yield. Water logging stress in the root zone can successfully be avoided by planting sesame on beds or ridges under climatic conditions of Bahawalpur.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 50(3), 193-198, 2015


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