scholarly journals Using Humus on Golf Course Fairways to Alleviate Soil Salinity Problems

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 284-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huisen Zhu ◽  
Deying Li

Increased use of recycled water along with inherent soil salinity problems on golf courses make salinity an important issue for golf course management. The objective of this study was to investigate if using humus on golf fairways by topdressing or spraying can alleviate soil salinity problems and improve turf quality. The study was conducted from 2015 to 2017 at Aurora, CO, and Medora, ND. Treatments included an untreated control, topdressing (sand, sand + peat), and spraying of humic acid. Our results showed that the application of humus increased the soil microbial biomass and improved turf quality on fairways either with a soil salinity problem or irrigated with recycled water. The effects on turfgrass health and turf quality were dependent on the rates of humus applied. Humic acid at 3 gal/acre was equivalent to topdressing sand + peat (80/20 v/v) and consistently showed improved turf quality over the untreated control. Soil properties also were affected by the application of humus. Soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), bulk density, water infiltration, and microbial biomass may have had an indirect contribution to turf quality.

HortScience ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhung Lin ◽  
Yaling Qian

Golf courses in the western United States increasingly are being irrigated with recycled water. Research was conducted on eight golf courses in a semiarid region, including three courses with recycled water irrigation for 10 years, three courses with recycled water irrigation for 18 to 26 years, and two courses with surface water for irrigation for 15 and 18 years. Turf quality of kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) (KBG), the most widely used turfgrass species in the United States, was evaluated on 25 roughs from the aforementioned golf courses. Concurrently, KBG shoot samples and soil samples from these sites were collected. Shoots of KBG were analyzed for mineral concentrations, including sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), chlorine (Cl), boron (B), sulfur (S), phosphorus (P), manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum. Electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium absorption ratio (SAR) of soil saturated paste were determined. Recycled water irrigation for 10 and >18 years increased clipping Na by 4.3 and 9.9 times and Cl by 1.5 and 1.3 times, respectively. Compared with surface water irrigation, B concentration in KBG shoots increased by 3.5 times and K concentration reduced by 16% on sites with recycled water irrigation for >18 years. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the relationships between mineral concentration in shoots and turf quality. There was a negative linear relationship between turf quality and Na concentration in the shoots (R2 = 0.65). Soil SAR in 0 to 20 cm depth was highly associated with KBG shoot Na, as documented by a logarithmic regression of R2 = 0.70. Stepwise regression indicated that Na accumulation in the shoots was the leading plant variable causing the decline of turf quality under recycled water irrigation. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that water treatment and management practices that can reduce soil SAR and Na concentration in KBG shoots would improve turf quality and plant health.


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-58
Author(s):  
John Stier ◽  
Zac Reicher ◽  
Glenn Hardebeck

Abstract Proxy is a newly-labeled plant growth regulator (PGR) for use on golf course and commercial turfgrass areas. Four rates of Proxy (ethephon), 2.3, 3.6, 4.6, and 9.1 kg ai/ha (2.0, 3.2, 4.1, and 8.2 lb ai/A,) were compared to Primo (trinexapac-ethyl) at 1.0 kg ai/ha (0.9 lb ai/A) and an untreated control for clipping reduction and effects on aesthetics of creeping bentgrass maintained as fairway turf. Treatments were applied three times at 28-day intervals during 1998 at locations in Indiana and Wisconsin. Proxy was as effective at reducing clipping yields as Primo, although the magnitude of effects varied between the two locations. In general, Proxy was more likely to reduce turf quality and color than Primo. All rates of Proxy reduced clipping weights similarly, but low rates were less likely to reduce color or quality ratings. Turf density was not affected by Proxy or Primo. Effects of Proxy on creeping bentgrass occurred within two weeks after application and generally dissipated within four weeks, whereas Primo effects occurred within one week after application and generally dissipated within three weeks. Turf quality was occasionally reduced following application of Proxy.


1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 99-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takao Kunimatsu ◽  
Miki Sudo ◽  
Takeshi Kawachi

In the last ten years, the number of golf courses has been increasing in some countries as the game gains popularity. This indicates, a need to estimate the nutrient loading from golf courses in order to prevent the eutrophication of water bodies. Nutrient concentrations and flow rates of a brook were measured once a week from 1989 to 1990 at two sites: Site A of a brook flowing out from D-golf course (53 ha) and Site B of the same brook discharging into the golf course from an upper forested basin (23 ha) covered mainly with planted Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa SIEB. et ZUCC). The bedrock of the area was granite. The annual values of precipitation and mean temperature were 1947 mm and 13.5°C in 1989, respectively. The arithmetic average values of discharge from the forested basin and the golf course were 0.392 and 1.26 mg/l total nitrogen (TN), 0.0072 and 0.145 mg/l total phosphorus (TP), 0.82 and 3.53 mg/l potassium ion (K+, 5.92 and 8.24 mg/l sodium ion (Na+), 2.1 and 9.9 mg/l suspending solid (0.001–2.0 mm, SS), 0.087 and 0.147 mS/cm electric conductivity (EC), and 0.031 and 0.037 m3/km2•s specific discharge, respectively. The loading rates of the forested basin and the golf course were 5.42 and 13.5 TN, 0.133 and 3.04 TP, 8.84 and 33.9 K+, 55.0 and 73.0 Na+, and 54.3 and 118 SS in kg/ha•y. The leaching and runoff rate of nitrogen in the chemical fertilizers applied on the golf course was calculated as 32%. These results indicated the importance of controlling the phosphorus loading for the management of golf courses.


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