Methods to control thatch layers in mature turfgrasses have relied on sand-topdressing and/or mechanical removal. Mechanical removal of thatch through vertical mowing and aerification is effective but disruptive to playing surfaces compared to sand topdressing. As a result, many turf managers have opted to implement sand-topdressing regiments as their primary method for reducing thatch buildup. This research was conducted to 1) determine the effect of cultivar on thatch decomposition and 2) examine the effect of sand topdressing on thatch microenvironment and decomposition. Sand topdressing treatments consisting of sterilized or non-sterilized sand applied at 0.4 cm 14 d-1 or as a single application at 1.2 cm and an untreated control to two hybrid bermudagrasses (Cynodon dactylon L.), Tifway and Celebration from May to September in 2008 and 2009. At the initiation of the experiment, Celebration had twice the thatch layer of Tifway. The only treatment that reduced thatch was sand applied every 14 d-1 reduced thatch 21% to 34% and 20% to 30% for Tifway and Celebration, respectively. In contrast, a single sand topdressing application led to net accumulations of 20% to 30% compared to accumulations of 29% to 38% increases in untreated plots. Sand applied more frequently resulted in higher microorganism populations and had no detrimental effect on turfgrass quality. Routine sand applications increased thatch relative humidity (RH) compared to untreated controls for both hybrid-bermudagrass cultivars. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effect of temperature, 20 C and 30 C, and RH (80%, 90%, 95%, >99%) on Tifway and Celebration thatch decomposition. Increasing temperature and RH resulted in 189% to 397% increase in microbial degradation. Failure to provide adequate moisture reduced microbial activity and led to declines of 170% to 243% in decomposition when thatch was subjected to drying conditions. Because thatch tissue composition and response to changes in temperature and RH were similar between cultivars, newer more vigorous hybrid-bermudagrass such as Celebration will require a frequent sand topdressing regiment in conjunction with mechanical removal for acceptable thatch control.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-01172011-120802 |
| Date | 18 January 2011 |
| Creators | Parker, Dustin S |
| Contributors | Beasley, Jeffrey, Strahan, Ronald, Breitenbeck , Gary |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-01172011-120802/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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