Turf Grass Research Articles

Man-made impact on green areas in buffer zones along Moscow highways

Turf grass in a metropolis is not only responsible for improving environmental conditions. It contributes to a comfortable visual urban environment. The state of lawn grasses investigated in the buffer zones along highways in the city of Moscow signified their unsatisfactory state, which can be attributed both to incorrect selection of turf grass blending ratios and imperfection of technological operations for lawn care. High concentrations of heavy metals were found to be present in the soil and biomass of lawn grasses, which requires activities and compliance with the regulations to ensure bioremediation of territories. The use of anti-ice reagents in winter leads to a changing acidity of the soil along the transport routes, which additionally affects the initial growth of lawn grasses in spring after snow melt. To promote sustainable ground cover in the city, it is recommended to use resistant perennial plants.

Growth and physiological potential of various turf grass species under graded shade levels

An study was carried out to evaluate the effects of graded shade levels on the growth and quality of turf grass species Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass), Zoysia matrella (Manilla grass), Stenotaphrum secundatum (St. Augustine grass), Paspalum notatum (Bahia grass), Paspalum vaginatum (Seashore Paspalum), Dactyloctenium aegyptium (Crowfoot grass), Axonopus affinis (Mat grass/Carpet grass) and Eremochloa ophiuroides (Centipede grass). These species grown under shade nets with different shading intensity of 25%, 50%, and 75% along with control (without shade net) were investigated at Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, IARI, New Delhi during 2017-19. Among the all species, Crowfoot grass and Zoysia found good under reduced irradiance conditionas compared to open conditions, while, St. Augustine, Bahia and Seashore Paspalum performed well from 25-50% reduced irradiance level but these were best under open conditions. Performance of Bermuda grass, Carpet grass and Centipede were not satisfactory under reduced irradiance level.

Effect of land use change on summertime surface temperature, albedo, and evapotranspiration in Las Vegas Valley

Urban surfaces affect the surface energy budget, which plays a defining role in outdoor water requirements changing an area's evapotranspiration. They also affect thermal comfort levels for humans, animals, and vegetation by causing the surface temperature to vary. This study analyzes the effects of land use change on the surface albedo, land surface temperature (LST), and evapotranspiration (ET) of the arid Las Vegas Valley (LVV). The changes in land use considered include transitions from barren and rural surfaces into urban surfaces covered with residential, commercial buildings, roadways, and turf grass. The impacts of these changes were determined by analyzing trends over the summer periods from 1990 to 2017. Remote sensing data acquired by Thematic Mapper (TM) and Operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard Landsat satellite were used to retrieve various geophysical characteristics, including albedo and LST. The ET was estimated using the Mapping of Evapotranspiration using Internal Calibration (METRIC) model with remote sensing input data. The geophysical characteristic trends, in response to urban land use change, were quantified using Mann Kendall's trend analysis.The results showed that commercial buildings and roadways are the main contributors to increased LST. Land use change from rural to commercial buildings decreased surface albedo by 0.4 ± 0.01 with a Sen's slope (S) of 0.001–0.003 units/summer/year, and increased temperature by 7 ± 0.2 K with S = 0.2 and 0.4 K/summer/year. Turf grass removal increased temperatures by 20 ± 0.3 K, while urbanization, in general, increased LST by 5 ± 0.3 K. Roadway surfaces, primarily covered with asphalt, were the main contributors to temperature increase of LST 17 ± 0.1 K and S = 0.2–0.8 K/summer/year, while decreasing albedo by 1 ± 0.01 with S = 0.001–0.003 units/summer/year. Turf grass development maintained LST in the valley throughout the study period, showing significant ET increase (S = 0.04–0.06 mm/summer/year), with an average increase of 1 ± 0.07 mm/day. This study can help water managers and urban planners to understand the role of land use change in irrigation water demand and urban thermal comfort.

Phase partitioning, transport and sources of Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Stabilizers during a runoff event

Benzotriazole Ultraviolet Stabilizers (BT-UVs) are ubiquitous in the environment, given their wide use as additives in consumer products. Their bio-accumulative and toxic properties are increasingly being scrutinised, evinced by the recent proposition to add UV328 to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Here, we measured concentrations of six BT-UVs in the dissolved and particulate phases of stream water collected from an urban and rural stream during a runoff event. Under baseflow conditions, the less hydrophobic BT-UVs were present at low concentrations in the dissolved phase, while much higher loads of particulate BT-UVs occurred during stormflow, especially in the urban creek. Time-weighted average BT-UV concentrations were up to 4 times higher in the urban than in the rural creek. BT-UVs were found to be prevalent in water obtained from laundering textiles, which plausibly constitutes a major portion of domestic wastewater, and can serve as a BT-UV source to aquatic waterways. However, the observed dilution of a sewage tracer during the run-off event suggests that unregulated wastewater seepage is not responsible for the high BT-UV loads in storm water. High levels of UV328 and UV234 were detected in a select few plastic debris items collected from the urban watershed and in artificial turf grass, respectively. Whereas this may allow for the leaching of those BT-UVs into the creek, most plastic debris is more likely a sink than a source of BT-UVs. The observed input of particle-bound BT-UVs at the onset of the rain event indicates that most of the BT-UVs reach the creek with contaminated particles that had built up on surfaces during the antecedent dry period. UV328 was the dominant BT-UV in those particles. If such particle build-up occurs on road surfaces, it may suggest that the use of UV328 in automotive applications contributes to their presence in urban storm water.

Lisfranc Injury During NCAA FBS Football Games On Artificial And Natural Grass Surfaces

Lisfranc injuries, although uncommon, can be devastating to an athlete’s health, performance, and well-being. Although artificial turf infill systems have been purported to duplicate the playing characteristics of natural grass, few long-term studies have specifically compared Lisfranc injury incidence rates between the two surfaces. PURPOSE: To quantify the long-term prevalence of game-related Lisfranc trauma in college football on artificial turf and natural grass. METHODS: 32 universities were evaluated over 10 competitive seasons across all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences. Outcomes of interest included injury severity, injury category, primary type of injury, player and skill position, injury mechanism and situation, elective imaging and surgical procedures, and field conditions. Injury incidence rates (lIR) were calculated using injuries per 10 games = (number of injuries ÷ number of games) x 10. RESULTS: Of the 1577 games documented, 783 games (49.7 %) were played on a 3-layer artificial turf (≥9.0 lbs/ft2) infill system versus 794 games (50.3 %) played on natural grass. In sum, 78 Lisfranc cases were documented with 34 (43.6 %) occurring on artificial turf, and 44 (56.4 %) on natural grass. MANOVAs indicated significant main effects by injury category (F3,74 = 6.439; P = .001), ) and injury mechanism (F5,72 = 3.372; P = .009) observed between surfaces, but not by injury severity (F2,75 = 0.720; P = .490), primary type of injury (F4,73 = 0.772; P = .547), overall player (F2,75 = 0.219; P = .804) and skill positions (F8,69 = 0.850; P = .563), injury situation (F10,67 = 1.030; P = .428), elective imaging and surgical procedures (F3,74 = 0.515; P = .673), or field conditions (F2,75 = 0.375; P = .688). Post hoc analyses indicated significantly greater incidences (P < .05) of Lisfranc trauma on natural grass attributed to shoe:surface interaction during noncontact play, and during no contact, foot rotation or planting. Ligament tears (n = 8; 57.1%), with minimal cases of subluxation/dislocations (n = 4; 28.6%) and fractures (n = 2; 14.3%) comprised grade 3 cases across both surfaces. CONCLUSION: In regards to Lisfranc trauma, a 3-layer, heavyweight artificial infill surface is as safe or safer than natural grass. The findings of this study may be generalizable only to this level of football competition.

The complete chloroplast genome of Agrostis capillaris L

Agrostis capillaris is a cool-season turf grass species that is found worldwide in temperate countries, and a good Pb phytostabilizer. In this study, the entire chloroplast genome sequence of A. capillaris was determined by Illumina sequencing. The complete chloroplast genome was circular and composed of 136,396 bp nucleotides with a GC content of about 38.5%. There were a large single-copy region (LSC, 81,659bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 12,593bp), and a pair of reverse repeat regions (IRs, 42,144bp) in the chloroplast genome. In total, the A. capillaris chloroplast genome contained 144 genes, including 96 protein-coding genes, 40 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. capillaris was closely related to A. gigantean. The sequence data of A. capillaris chloroplast genome could provide useful genetic information for the studies on phylogenetic and evolutionary of Agrostidinae.

Waterbirds in constructed suburban wetlands, Eastern Denton County, Texas, USA

ABSTRACT Waterbirds were observed at 13 suburban wetlands in the Blackland Prairie of eastern Denton County, Texas, on 45 dates over a year. Five wetlands were built to improve ecosystem services in areas impacted by Lewisville Lake flood control operations; these habitat restoration wetlands were planted with diverse native flora to enhance the recovery of vegetation communities from natural seedbanks. Eight other wetlands, built to manage stormwater in residential developments, are surrounded by mixed monocultures of groomed turf grasses, with sparse shoreline plants and submerged vegetation in the littoral zone. Thirty-one species of 5,724 birds were observed, including one to nine species in each of six guilds: dabblers, divers, open water waders, dense vegetation waders, moist soil foragers and aerial piscivores. Dabblers were most abundant in count and number of species present, followed by divers and open water waders. Highly represented species were mallards, gadwalls and American coots among dabblers; lesser scaup and ringed-neck duck among divers; and great blue heron and great white egret among open water waders. Abundance averaged 539 individuals at habitat restoration wetlands and 379 individuals at stormwater management wetlands.

Southern sting nematode (Ibipora lolii): its occurrence and population dynamics in Western Australia and an assessment of resistance and tolerance to the nematode in turf grasses

Southern sting nematode (Ibipora lolii): its occurrence and population dynamics in Western Australia and an assessment of resistance and tolerance to the nematode in turf grasses

Estimation of Above-Ground Carbon-Stocks for Urban Greeneries in Arid Areas: Case Study for Doha and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Urban areas are significant sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which elevates air pollution. However, urban greenery has a positive effect on mitigating air pollution and the impact of CO2on the climate. Quantifying the benefits of greenery for urban environments involves complex calculations and requires significant resources. Such a quantifying exercise is not cost-effective. The satellite remote sensing method can analyze current and near-present carbon-stock dynamics through spectral band imaging. In this research study, field measurements determine above-ground carbon (AGC) stock. The field measurements are derived from three types of land use, comprising public parks and gardens, institutional parks, and street and avenue greenery in selected locations in Doha city in Qatar. These field measurements are then correlated with results from satellite images. Linear and non-linear regression models are established between AGC and five vegetative spectral indices (VIs) derived from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The AGC stock for the selected locations in Doha in 2014 is evaluated using the highest coefficient of determination with the highest accuracy expected. The results of the analysis reveal that both the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (R2= 0.64) and the relative ratio vegetation index (R2= 0.71) significantly correlate with the AGC in public parks. In avenue vegetation, all the VIs exhibit high R2, but the best fit is NDVI (R2= 0.87). The CO2equivalent range evaluated from the AGC in the plots studied in Doha is measured as 650.6 tons for the period between 2014 and 2020, with an annual sequestration rate of 108.4 tons per year. This CO2equivalent storage amount has the social value of USD 42,286, which is the equivalent of QR 155,192. The AGC-VI correlation in land-use groups may be influenced by the turf grass and impervious surfaces in the background of the images. Further study of urban landscapes and vegetation with high biomass is likely to show its positive effects for cities and that it can improve carbon dioxide abatement, resulting in more sustainable societies. This improvement in CO2abatement in Qatar can be useful for various environmental estimations for the upcoming mega event of World Cup 2022.

Injury incidence is higher on artificial turf compared with natural grass in high school athletes: a retrospective cohort study

Background: Prior investigations have demonstrated increased injury risk on artificial turf at the collegiate and professional levels. However, no prior study has examined this risk among high school athletics beyond football. The purpose of this study was to compare injury incidences on artificial versus natural playing surfaces among high school athletes. Methods: Data collected from 26 high schools was analyzed to compare injury incidences on artificial turf versus natural grass based on sport. Analyses were also performed to compare injury incidence by injury location (upper extremity, lower extremity, torso), sport, level of competitive play (freshman, junior varsity, varsity), and practice versus competition. Results: We identified 953 injuries, with 61% (n=585) occurring on turf and 39% (n=368) on grass. Athletes were 58% more likely to sustain injuries on artificial turf than natural grass relative risk ratio [RR] 1.5897, confidence interval [CI]: 1.4062 to 1.7971, P&lt;0.0001). Lower extremity (RR 1.9597, CI: 1.6169 to 2.3752, P&lt;0.0001), torso (RR 1.8636, CI: 1.1123 to 3.1225, P=0.0181), and upper extremity (RR 1.4494, CI: 1.1104 to 1.8919, P=0.0063) injuries were significantly more likely to occur on artificial turf. Football (RR 1.4572, CI: 1.2726 to 1.6687, P&lt;0.0001), girls soccer (RR 1.7073, CI: 1.1857 to 2.4583, P=0.0040), boys soccer (RR 1.8286, CI: 1.2296 to 2.7194, P=0.0029), and rugby (RR 23.0000, CI: 3.1998 to 165.3244, P=0.0018) had higher injury incidences on artificial turf. Conclusions: Athletes were 58% more likely to sustain an injury on artificial turf. Football, soccer, and rugby athletes were at a significantly greater injury risk on artificial turf. Upper and lower extremity and torso injuries also occurred with higher incidence on artificial turf. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Effect of the season on establishment of some turf grasses under the climatic conditions in eastern Morocco

The turfgrass establishment is an important criterion for the choice of turfgrass species. The faster a lawn is established the more benefits it has to offer for landscapers. The objective of this work is to study the growth speed and development of six species. Four of them are cool-season ones (temperate): Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea, Agrostis stolonifera and Poa pratensis while the other two are warm-season ones (tropical): Pennisetum clandestinum and Cynodon dactylon. The species are seeded in two distinct periods: spring and autumn and are studied under the climatic conditions of the eastern region of Morocco which is characterized by a semi-arid Mediterranean climate with continental tendency known for its severe cold in winter. The coverage rate is the parameter considered in order to determine the duration of establishment for each species. The study was conducted in the experimental station of the Faculty of Sciences of Oujda. The results show that the establishment pace differs depending on the season and the nature of the species. Autumn is the suitable season for temperate species, while tropical species have shown a faster growth in spring. Lolium perenne and Cynodon dactylon are the fastest species to establish as they need a maximum of 30 days after the seedlings’ development. Poa pratensis is the last species to cover the total area seeded within 50 and 60 days during the two season’s spring and autumn respectively

公園緑地の芝生管理実態 事例報告3—魅力アップに貢献する芝生空間— 日本芝草学会2008年度秋季大会 公園緑地部会記録

公園緑地の芝生管理実態 事例報告3—魅力アップに貢献する芝生空間— 日本芝草学会2008年度秋季大会 公園緑地部会記録

The urban heat island mitigation potential of vegetation depends on local surface type and shade

Urban areas face multiple environmental challenges that interact with climate change, including the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Plants can be a nature-based solution for UHI-effect mitigation, alongside various artificial materials, but their performance is only commonly compared to concrete or asphalt. Given shade's ubiquity in the urban environment, it also has a strong potential to interact with and change urban spaces' thermal performances but is rarely included in plant UHI effect-mitigation analyses. We completed an experiment to record the UHI effect-mitigation potential of 10 plant species (turf grasses, shrubs and climber/creeper plants) and eight materials (including three with high albedo) with and without shade on a rooftop in tropical Singapore across multiple sunny days in May and June 2018. We explained the infrared thermography-recorded surface temperatures of plants and materials with a surface type–time interaction in a linear regression model. Our model predicted that, without shade, except for concrete coated with white paint or infrared-reflecting white paint, plants' exterior surfaces were cooler than all artificial materials by at least ∼11 °C at 13:30 (the peak surface temperature of artificial materials). Unshaded plant species had comparable surface temperatures to shaded artificial materials and were marginally cooler than unshaded high-albedo materials. Shading caused no significant reduction of temperatures for nine of the 10 plant species studied. Our results suggest that high-albedo materials and plants can mitigate the UHI effect, either on the ground or as sources of shade to offset heat gain, and that planting up shaded surfaces would generate marginal additional cooling. Our findings should be integrated into broader trade-off analyses on the economic and health value of replacing unshaded artificial materials with plants, as UHI-effect mitigation is one of many ecosystem services provided by plants.

Pollen-mediated flow of bar gene in transgenic herbicide-resistant turf grass Zoysia japonica

Weed control can be most effectively achieved through the use of herbicide-resistance transgene. A preliminary study bar-transgenic Zoysia japonica posed no serious risk on the unintended escape of the transgene from its cultivation site. The present follow-up investigation of the dispersion of pollen and its short-distance escape outside of the bar-transgenic Zoysia japonica habitats were ascertained in terms of environmental factors affecting anthesis and pollen viability. In a 24-h day cycle, zoysiagrass pollen was released predominantly between 08:00 and 10:00, and the pollen was most viable during the same time interval. Optimal temperature and humidity for pollen viability was 15–20 °C and 80–90%, respectively. The pollen germinated in 120 min after anthesis, but under cloudy conditions germination time doubled. No differences in pollen viability/longevity between the transgenic and non-transgenic plants were observed. The pollen-mediated gene flow of transgenic Zoysia japonica to wild-type non-transgenic zoysiagrass species was monitored by measuring the cross-over rate of the bar gene in the context of three different models. At distances within 5 m, the rate of gene flow ranged from 3 to 5.7% according to the models used. The greater the distance from the transgenic plant site, the lower the gene flow rate. The furthest transgene detected was 38 m away and exhibited a 0.25% gene flow rate. The radial model yielded a 3.7% escape rate within a 3 m radius and was wind direction dependent. The distance- and direction-dependent gene flow events were influenced by wind direction and velocity during flowering season.

Characterization and practical use of self-compatibility in outcrossing grass species.

BackgroundSelf-incompatibility (SI) systems prevent self-fertilization in several species of Poaceae, many of which are economically important forage, bioenergy and turf grasses. Self-incompatibility ensures cross-pollination and genetic diversity but restricts the ability to fix useful genetic variation. In most inbred crops it is possible to develop high-performing homozygous parental lines by self-pollination, which then enables the creation of F1 hybrid varieties with higher performance, a phenomenon known as heterosis. The inability to fully exploit heterosis in outcrossing grasses is partially responsible for lower levels of improvement in breeding programmes compared with inbred crops. However, SI can be overcome in forage grasses to create self-compatible populations. This is generating interest in understanding the genetical basis of self-compatibility (SC), its significance for reproductive strategies and its exploitation for crop improvement, especially in the context of F1 hybrid breeding.ScopeWe review the literature on SI and SC in outcrossing grass species. We review the currently available genomic tools and approaches used to discover and characterize novel SC sources. We discuss opportunities barely explored for outcrossing grasses that SC facilitates. Specifically, we discuss strategies for wide SC introgression in the context of the Lolium–Festuca complex and the use of SC to develop immortalized mapping populations for the dissection of a wide range of agronomically important traits. The germplasm available is a valuable practical resource and will aid understanding the basis of inbreeding depression and hybrid vigour in key temperate forage grass species.ConclusionsA better understanding of the genetic control of additional SC loci offers new insight into SI systems, their evolutionary origins and their reproductive significance. Heterozygous outcrossing grass species that can be readily selfed facilitate studies of heterosis. Moreover, SC introduction into a range of grass species will enable heterosis to be exploited in innovative ways in genetic improvement programmes.

Leaf Physiological and Water Soluble Carbohydrate Content Responses to Trinexapac-ethyl Application of Sports Turf Grasses Exposed to Water Stress

Water stress causes alterations in physiological and metabolic processes in plants and is considered the primary environmental factor affecting the management of sports turf grass species.This glasshouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of trinexapac-ethyl (TE) on canopy net photosynthesis (Pn), cell membrane stability (CMS), turf quality (TQ) and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) accumulation responses of sports turf cultivars [Cv] (100% fescue, Rootzone and Arena sports) subjected to water stress. Commercially obtained sods of turf plants were treated with 2 L/ ha TE and then exposed 7 days after to water stress. The treatments were: (i) water untreated, (ii) water TE-treated, (iii) water stress untreated; and (iv) water stress TE-treated and the experiment was a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Results showed that specifically in Cv. Rootzone, Pn was 50% higher for well water TE treated plants compared to the other treatments during the second and third week of the study. Similarly, at 14 days after application, the effect TE resulted to 35% and 50% reduction in cell membrane leakages respectively in well water and water stressed TE-treated Cv. Rootzone plants and this was statistically significant (P=0.05) different from the untreated plants. On a scale of 1-9, all turf types recorded TQ rating of ≥8 at the start of the experiment. By the fourth week of the study, it was observed that all water stress untreated plants had mean TQ (5.75) ratings lower than the minimum acceptable TQ (6). WSC content of well-watered TE-untreated plants was maintained below 60 mg/g DW throughout the study regardless of turf type. After 28 day of water stress duration, the WSC contents obtained in water stress TE-treated plants were 41%, 43% and 50% higher for Cv. Rootzone, 100% fescue and Cv. Arena sports, respectively , than in well water untreated plants. Summer preconditioning of plants with TE can be a possible management tool in alleviating the detrimental impacts of water stress in sport turf species.

Complete genome sequences and properties of Spartina mottle virus isolates from hybrid Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis)

AbstractFull genome sequences are presented for two isolates of Spartina mottle virus (SpMoV) from two accessions of the hybrid turf grass Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis (Bermuda grass, green couch), originally from the USA but detected during post‐entry quarantine in Australia. Both isolates had a genome of 9,346 nucleotides, encoding a single polyprotein of 3,029 amino acids and predicted to be cleaved into 10 mature proteins. Phylogenetic analysis strongly supported placement in a new genus within the family Potyviridae. The isolates possess 715–780 × 11–12 nm flexuous virions and produce cylindrical (pinwheel) inclusions in infected cells. They were mechanically transmitted to several species in the Poaceae including Zea mays (maize, sweet corn), Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass), and Echinochloa colona (awnless barnyard grass).

Occurrence of Powdery Mildew Caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. poae on Poa pratensis in China.

Poa pratensis, known as bluegrass, is a perennial grass and one of the best varieties with highly valued pasture and turf grass uses. It is widely grown on golf courses and used for lawns in squares and parks (Luo et al. 2020). During April and May 2020, powdery mildew-like signs and symptoms were observed on leaves of P. pratensis in Muye Park, Xinxiang city (35.3°N; 113.9°E), Henan Province, China. White or grayish powdery masses in spots- or coalesced lesions were abundant on the adaxial surfaces of leaves and covered up to 90 % of the leaf area. Some of the mildew-infested leaves appeared chlorotic or began senescence. Mildew-infested leaves were collected to microscopically observe the morphological characteristics of this pathogen. Conidiophores were composed of foot cells, followed by one or two cells, and conidia. The ellipsoid- shaped conidia (n = 50) were 25 - 36 × 10 - 15 μm (length × width), on average 30 × 13 μm, with a length/width ratio of 2.3. Foot-cells (n = 15) were 30 - 44 μm long and 7 - 15 μm wide. On leaf surfaces, germinated conidia produced a short primary germ tube and then a long secondary germ tube that finally differentiated into a hooked appressorium. Chasmothecia were not found. Based on these morphological characteristics, the pathogen was initially identified as B. graminis f. sp. poae, the known forma specialis (f. sp.) of B. graminis on P. pratensis (Braun and Cook 2012; Troch et al. 2014). Mycelia of the pathogen were scraped from infected leaves and total genomic DNA was isolated using the method described previously (Zhu et al. 2019). The rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified applying primer pairs ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The amplicon was cloned and sequenced by Invitrogen (Shanghai, China). The obtained sequence for the pathogen was deposited into GenBank under Accession No. MT892956 and was 100 % identical (549/549 bp) to B. graminis on P. pratensis (AB273530) (Inuma et al. 2007). In addition, the phylogenetic analysis clearly showed that the identified fungus and B. graminis f. sp. poae were clustered in the same branch. To perform pathogenicity analysis, leaf surfaces of eight healthy plants were inoculated by dusting fungal conidia from diseased leaves. Eight non-inoculated plants served as a control. The non-inoculated and inoculated plants were separately maintained in two growth chambers (humidity, 60 %; light/dark, 16 h/8 h; temperature, 18 ℃). Twelve to fourteen days after inoculation, B. graminis signs were visible on inoculated leaves, while control plants remained healthy. The pathogenicity assays were repeated twice and showed same results. Therefore, based on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis, the pathogen was identified and confirmed as B. graminis f. sp. poae. This pathogen has been reported on P. pratensis in Switzerland and Japan (Inuma et al. 2007). This is, to our best knowledge, the first disease note reporting B. graminis on P. pratensis in China. Because the hybridization of B. graminis formae speciales (ff. spp.). allow the pathogens to adapt to new hosts, P. pratensis may serve as a primary inoculum reservoir of B. graminis to threaten other species, including cereal crops (Klingeman et al. 2018; Menardo et al. 2016). In addition, powdery mildew may negatively affect the yield and quality of grasses. Our report expands the knowledge of B. graminis f. sp. poae and provides the fundamental information for future powdery mildew control.

Investigating irrigation management on turf grass sod in sport stadiums in Tehran

The purpose of the research was to investigate irrigation management on turf grass sod in sports stadiums. The type of research is descriptive correlation that is done through the survey method. The statistical population of the research is managers, experts and technicians of sports stadiums in Tehran that they are 142 persons. The sample size was determined 103 persons by Krejcie and Morgan tables that gathering by sampling method in the stratified sampling method. The research tool was a questionnaire that its validity and reliability were obtained by the panel of special experts and through pretest (α = 0.8485), respectively. Research findings showed that the quality of turf grass was at a medium level and irrigation management of turf grass was at a relatively high level. According to factor analysis, the content of the effective factors of the quality of turf grass was categorized into five main components, which have been named the educational–extensional, management–supervision, technological–environmental, external organization, economic–investment, that esplanade 66/531 percent of the variation. The results of the research show that a significant positive correlation between irrigation management, the educational–extensional, management–supervision, technological–environmental, external organization and economic–investment factor with the quality of turf grass sod in sports stadiums. The results of analysis regression were indicated to five variables the educational and extensional factor, management and supervision factor, technological and environmental factor, irrigation management, and economic and investment factor well explain for 68/5% changes in the quality of turf grass sod in sports stadiums.

Effects of turf, leaf litter, and soil compaction on emergence and establishment of invasive glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)

Perennial invasive plants can be controlled by damaging established vegetative individuals or by preventing establishment of new plants from seed. Less information is available about the latter. We examined how seedling establishment of glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), a non-native shrub that invades forests in eastern North America, is affected by four soil surface treatments – grass-dominated turf, oak leaf litter, pine leaf litter, soil compaction – relative to an untreated control (tilled soil). Data on seedling emergence, survival, growth, and reproduction were collected from 1.5 m2 plots (six per treatment) over two years at the Kingman Research Farm, Madbury, NH, USA. Overall, buckthorn success from seed was inhibited by grass turf and facilitated by oak litter, while pine litter effects were complex and soil compaction had no effect. Specifically, relative to control, the turf treatment reduced buckthorn seedling emergence (year 2 only), increased mortality over two years, reduced density of living buckthorn, and prevented fruiting. Oak litter resulted in greater buckthorn seedling height relative to control, while pine litter, although reducing seedling emergence (year 1 only), increased both seedling height and the proportion of plants fruiting in year 2. Across all treatments and control, buckthorn seedling emergence was greatest in June, declining thereafter. Of the four treatments, only grass turf offered some promise of resisting invasion. The mechanism of resistance by turf is not known, but likely involves either more intense competition or higher levels of herbivory associated with turf. The mechanism, as well as the logistics and cost of turf establishment in logged areas, require further exploration.