Evaluation of Rootzone Mixtures for Trafficked Bermudagrass 'Tifway' Sports Turf.

Abstract #88304

 

Evaluation of Rootzone Mixtures for Trafficked Bermudagrass ‘Tifway’ Sports Turf.

Philipe C. F. Aldahir and J. Scott McElroy.

ABSTRACT

            Sports turf can be defined as the turfgrass and soil environment managed for fast and aggressive sporting events. As such, the playing surface must offer adequate playability, allowing successful and uninhibited execution of a sport, while maintaining safety standards. Wear is a key component in sports turf playability, result of field usage. Once sports fields are often built with sand-based rootzones for the sake of drainage, research was conducted a at the Auburn University Turfgrass Research Unit, in Auburn, Alabama from October to July, in 2012-13 and 2013-14, to evaluate the effect of four constructed rootzones on sports turf playability. Strips of simulated games were applied to constructed rootzone plots 3 x 5 m, using a Cady Traffic Simulator, resulting in a strip plot experimental design on a complete randomized block with 4 main-treatments (rootzone type) and 3 replications. The rootzone profile consisted of flat drainpipe, 10 cm gravel layer, and a 30 cm rootzone layer. Rootzone types were 100% sand, USGA sand (90-10; sand - peat v/v), sand plus calcined clay (90-10; sand - Profile® v/v), and a local native soil blend (20-40-40; lawn sand - concrete sand - mason sand). Bermudagrass ‘Tifway’ (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) was sprigged in 12 Aug 2011. Wear simulation started in October 2012 and November 2013, resulting in a total of 40 simulated games per run. Data collection included visual ratings for turfgrass quality (TQ) and cover, turf shear strength, surface hardness, and soil volumetric water content. Data were analyzed in SAS (SAS Institute Inc.; Carry, NC 27513) using proc glM and means were separated using Fisher’s least significant difference test at P < 0.05. Overall, simulated wear greatly affected aesthetics and playability parameters, with simulated wear resulting in lower aesthetic ratings, greater traction, and increased surface hardness. Soil ultimately affected soil water retention, resulting in the following ranking for soil moisture: native soil blend > sand + Profile > USGA sand > pure sand.