Dr. Clark Throssell talks turf plots and more turf plots

I was visiting the University of Nebraska and had the good fortune to spend two days looking at a variety of turfgrass research plots with Zac Reicher, Ph.D., turfgrass scientist, Bill Kreuser, Ph.D., turfgrass scientist, Matt Sousek, M.S., turfgrass research associate and Luqi Li, M.S. candidate.

The applied research, or as I think of it, the problem-solving research that the scientists at the University of Nebraska are conducting, helps superintendents solve the problems they are facing today and allows golf courses to keep improving. On a practice fairway at Lochland CC in Hastings, Neb., Reicher and Sousek are trying to refine a method to renovate fairways with newer, improved culitvars of Kentucky bluegrass and/or perennial ryegrass while controlling annual bluegrass so it doesn’t dominate the final turfgrass stand. Craig Ferguson, superintendent at Hastings CC, is a great cooperator. He provides space for the experiments and the day-to-day maintenance of the turf. The results will help guide Ferguson when the time comes to renovate fairways at Hastings CC.

The cooperation between scientists and superintendents to conduct research on golf courses is a long-standing tradition in the turf world that benefits both parties. Scientists gain by having a real world proving ground for their ideas and superintendents gain by seeing the results firsthand. In 2014 Reicher is conducting research on five different golf courses in Nebraska.

At Freemont (Neb.) GC, Reicher and Sousek are investigating ways to control annual bluegrass in a practice putting green that is predominantly creeping bentgrass. Dennis Kitzelman, superintendent at Freemont GC, is also providing space for the experiment and maintaining the green. Kitzelman will be able to refine his annual bluegrass control program based on the experiment conducted on his golf course. This same study is being conducted on local golf courses in Illinois and Indiana by Bruce Branham, Ph.D., University of Illinois and Aaron Patton, Ph.D., Purdue University and is being funded in part by the USGA.

Securing funding for applied research takes continuous effort. In the turfgrass research world funding usually comes from three primary sources: state funding (or hard funds in the vernacular of university scientists), local or state turfgrass associations or organizations and from private industry.

State funding is decreasing as states struggle to meet budget demands. Private industry funding is up and down depending on the economy, and the discovery and development of new active ingredients. Funding from local and state turfgrass associations is the backbone of much of the applied research that is conducted at universities.

The USGA remains the stalwart in funding turfgrass research beyond the funding sources previously mentioned. Every golf course in the U.S., and probably every golf course in the world, has in some way benefitted from the research funded by the USGA.

If you ever wonder if your support of a university turfgrass scientist through your local turfgrass organization is making a difference, I suggest you tag along with a university turfgrass scientist for a day or two and look at the turf plots. The answer is right there in the turf growing on a golf course or turf research center. University scientists are making advances every growing season to improve turf performance, provide better playing surfaces for golfers and hopefully making the life of superintendents a little bit easier.