Divot recovery of cool‐season turfgrass species and mixtures in low maintenance fairways

Abstract

AbstractThere is a need to identify turfgrass species and mixtures for golf course fairways that can be managed sustainably with reduced fertility, pesticides, and irrigation. The current study evaluated Agrostis stolonifera L. (creeping bentgrass [AST]), Agrostis capillaris L. (colonial bentgrass [ACP]), Agrostis canina L. (velvet bentgrass [ACN]), Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin (Chewings fescue [FRC]), Festuca brevipila Tracey (hard fescue [FBP]), and Festuca rubra L. ssp. littoralis (G. Mey) Auquier (slender creeping red fescue [FRL]) planted as monostands and in mixtures to determine the ideal choice for low maintenance fairway management. Plots were established in the fall of 2014 in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Turf quality and disease resistance were evaluated visually from 2015–2018. Divots were mechanically created during the growing seasons of 2017 and 2018 and evaluated visually for initial divot injury and recovery every two weeks. Monostands and mixtures of ACN had the best turf quality and least brown patch (caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn) but took longer to recover from divots. A. capillaris monostands and mixtures exhibited above average turf quality but were more susceptible to brown patch disease. Compared to all other entries, monostands and mixtures of AST had the lowest turf quality and most dollar spot (caused by Clarireedia jacksonii C. Salgado, L.A. Beirn, B.B. Clarke, & J.A. Crouch sp. nov.). Festuca L. spp. (fine fescue spp.), when mixed with improved ACP cultivars such as ‘Puritan’ and ‘Capri’, exhibited above average turf quality but had below average performance in monostands or when combined with older ACP cultivars such as SR 7100. Divot resistance and recovery were variable between years but the FRL cultivar Shoreline and most FRC cultivars recovered quickly in both years, while ACP cultivar Capri and FBP cultivar Beacon were slow to recover in both years. Most species and mixtures were comparable and, in some cases, better than AST for divot recovery indicating that the alternative species tested in this study could provide sustainable turfgrass management on golf course fairways.