MOWER EFFECTS ON TURFGRASS QUALITY

Abstract

The type of mower used can affect turfgrass quality. Mowing can affect height uniformity and can cause tipshredding and/or browning of the turf. The mowing performances of rotary and flail mowers were compared on 11 warmseasonturfgrasses. Standard Y-shaped blades and experimental T-shaped blades were used on the flail mower.<br><br>Turfgrass quality at a 33-mm cutting height was better with the flail mower than with the rotary mower. Noimprovement in turf quality was seen with experimental T-shaped blades compared with Y-shaped blades. The bestturfgrass quality obtained at a 33-mm cut was only marginal for a home lawn and inadequate for high-maintenance turfsuch as golf greens or even fairways.<br><br>Turfgrass quality at a 76-mm cutting height was superior with the rotary mower. The quality was improvedsignificantly at the higher cut with the rotary mower, but the flail mower yielded the same quality of cut at either height.Leaf tearing at 76 mm was worse with T-shaped flail blades and least with the rotary mower.