Turf news
Turf crowd turns out for field day at Division of Agriculture center
August 7 , 2009 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It’s a turf crowd that scientists and their graduate students perform for at the Turfgrass Field Day, but attendance has grown each year of the annual event at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center 2.5 miles north of the University of Arkansas campus on Hwy. 112. The turfgrass research area includes the largest putting green in Arkansas. It’s used for bentgrass research and is part of a horticultural research, extension and teaching complex provided by the University of Arkansas System’s statewide Division of Agriculture. Assistant Professor Aaron Patton, who coordinates the event, said most of the approximately 260 field day visitors work in the lawn care, golf course, athletic field and sod farm industries. The field day was held every other year until 2007 when it became a yearly event. “I think we are meeting a real need by providing updates on research, demonstrations of recommended practices and new technology, and a trade show, which had 20 vendors this year,” Patton said. “It’s also good for networking with other turf people, vendors and university people.” The field day includes pesticide recertification training for turf managers in Arkansas and Oklahoma. A tour of research projects and demonstrations included a range of topics, such as grass variety trials, variety selection for various purposes including drought tolerance, managing putting greens, fertilization, and control of plant diseases, insect pests and weeds. Reports on turf research and extension projects are provided in the “Arkansas Turfgrass Report” published annually by the division’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. To see the report online and event announcements, visit the Turfgrass Science Web site at turf.uark.edu. Results of turfgrass variety trials in Arkansas and other states in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program are online at www.ntep.org. Bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in “horticulture, landscape and turf science” are offered by the horticulture department (hort.uark.edu) in Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
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Horticulture Students Continue to Build on Early Success
February 16, 2009
Last week, a group of University of Arkansas students placed 7th out of 83 teams at the 15th annual Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Turfbowl competition in New Orleans, LA. The competition is a written exam created by university professors and industry professionals and is designed to challenge the students’ knowledge of turf science and golf course management. Students are responsible for information about turf science across the nation, not just issues pertaining to the Southern United States.
The three-hour turf bowl competition included material such as: identification of soils, seed, grasses, diseases, insects and weeds. The competition also covers mathematics, plant physiology, growth and development, soil fertility, business, and an essay response to a case study of real-life scenarios that golf course superintendents experience. In order to prepare for the Turfbowl competition, students were enrolled in HORT 402V, a one credit hour class that met once a week beginning in September.
All four students representing the university were students majoring in Horticulture, Landscape, and Turf Sciences within the Department of Horticulture. The Turfbowl team was comprised of Miles Carlson, Brian Cornett, Scott Wasser and Emma White. In addition to competing in the exam the students also had opportunities to advance their academic and professional careers.
The turfbowl competition is put forth by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the leading turfgrass management organization within the golf course industry. Students had the opportunity to network with professionals in the turfgrass industry and build contacts for future job opportunities. This is just the second time that the University of Arkansas has been represented by students at the Turfbowl competition. Last year’s team was able to place 17th, a feat within itself. Following up with a top ten performance in just the second year has brought great respect within the turfgrass industry for the Horticulture Department here at the University of Arkansas. The students are already looking forward to next year’s competition in San Diego, CA. and are excited about improving on this years finish. The team’s goal for next year is to place in the top five. Based on the early success of this program, the team is confident that next year they will bring continued recognition to the program and establish it as a serious contender for the Turfbowl competition title. Please commend these students on their performance and hard work the next time you see them.
Turfgrass graduate students claim prizes at National conference
October 15, 2008
Three turf students in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Arkansas won awards for research presentations at the Crop Science Society of America meetings in Houston. Jay Richards won first place in the graduate student oral competition with a paper on "Putting green mowing frequency and height and rolling effects on ball roll distance." His adviser is Doug Karcher. Jon Trappe won first place in the graduate student poster competition with a poster on "Successful bermudagrass overseeding is dependent on species selection and pre-plant cultivation technique." His adviser is Aaron Patton. Will Jellicorse won a tie for second place in the graduate student poster competition with a poster on "Dormant seeding bermudagrass into an overseeded ryegrass turf." His adviser is Mike Richardson.
Turfgrass scientists focus on drought tolerance
August 12 , 2008 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Some grass varieties can go without water in the summer for up to 60 days with no damage and even retain some green color, says turfgrass scientist Mike Richardson, a horticulture professor with the University of Arkansas System’s Division of Agriculture. |
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August 7, 2008
Field day features tips for golf course care
Even if a professional in the landscaping, sports field or golf course business came away from the Turfgrass Research Field Day on Wednesday with just one thing to help with his or her business, it was a success, said Mike Richardson, horticulture professor at the University of Arkansas.
“ It’s a day to really show off what we’re doing, ” Richardson said of the field day, which is sponsored by the Department of Horticulture of the UA System’s Division of Agriculture.
The event, which featured turf research and educational demonstrations, was conducted at the Horticulture Field Lab at the research and extension center north of Agri Park in Fayetteville. It attracted 190 participants, mostly lawn care and landscaping professionals as well as golf course superintendents and people involved in sales related to the turf industry.
The field day was conducted every other year for 10 years. It now is an annual event.
New features this year included a trade show that featured 14 exhibitors, said Aaron Patton, turfgrass specialist for the UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
“ That seems to be very popular, ” Patton said.
There was also a putting contest this year, he said, and “ everything’s just bigger this year. ”
Last year, there were two tours. This year, there were five, he said.
“ Every year, we try to vary the topics, ” he said as he prepared to give a presentation titled “ Primo in Paint, ” detailing the different aspects of painting sports fields.
Other sessions covered golf issues such as controlling weeds around putting greens and green speed, lawn and landscaping topics such as tree and shrub selection, and sports turf subjects such as painting logos and seeding Bermuda grass on athletic fields.
Amy Matthews of Springdale attended the event as an exhibitor and to learn more about different seeds. She was representing Pennington Seed Inc., which is based in Greenfield, Mo., and sells all types of grass seed.
She said she likes the relaxed atmosphere of the field day, which she said was full of practical information that people “ can really use on the golf course. ”
Richardson has been involved with the turfgrass science program since its beginnings in the mid-1990 s. He said most major land-grant universities in the nation have turfgrass programs.
He said some of the East Coast universities have had programs in place for several years, including the University of Rhode Island, which has a program dating to the 1920 s, The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Massachusetts.
Turfgrass science programs have expanded in the past 15-20 years because of growth in the golf course, landscape and sports field areas, Richardson said.
He said the recent housing market issues have affected the landscaping industry in terms of new landscape installation, while landscaping maintenance has not been affected.
Golf is seen as a luxury, he said, and some people may stop playing it during weak economic times.
But he said the sports field side of the industry “ has just been growing like crazy. ”
He said most cities and school districts want to have safe playing fields both for children and to help attract tournaments that can stimulate local economies.
July 28, 2008
Field day to feature turfgrass research, tips, exhibits
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Anyone who grows grass for fun or profit, or just because it came with the house, will find something of interest at the Turfgrass Field Day Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center.
The field day will include tours of research projects, educational sessions and commercial exhibits. It is sponsored by the horticulture department of the University of Arkansas System’s Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A in Fayetteville.
The location is the Horticulture Field Lab at the research and extension center on Cassatt Street north of Agri Park on Garland Avenue (Hwy. 112). Directions and a registration form are online at http://turf.uark.edu/education/field.html.
Registration fee is $30 in advance or $35 on-site and includes lunch, a “Turf Science” cap and handouts. A morning session begins at 8 a.m. Lunch will be provided for those who register by July 30 and others as long as it lasts. An afternoon session will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Aaron Patton, assistant professor in the horticulture department of the Division of Agriculture and Bumpers College, said exhibits will feature equipment, chemicals, services and professional associations.
“The field day is mainly for professionals, but homeowners could also learn something about managing their lawn or landscape,” Patton said. Three tour options will focus on golf course management, lawns and landscapes, or athletic fields.
Turfgrass research on display will include evaluation of grass varieties for drought tolerance. Other topics of general interest will include tips on irrigation, weed control, plants for home landscaping and pesticide safety.
The horticulture department conducts statewide Division of Agriculture research and extension programs and provides the B.S. degree curriculum for the “Horticulture, Landscape and Turf Sciences” major, an M.S. degree in horticulture and a Ph.D. degree in plant science.
July 1 , 2008
Graduate student captures 2nd place in 2008 GCSAA Essay Contest
Mark Brotherton, Jon Trappe and Patrick McCullough are winners of the 2008 Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Student Essay Contest.
Brotherton, from Oak Ridge, N.J., and a fourth-year undergraduate student at Penn State University, won the first place scholarship of $2,000 for his essay: “How Well Do You Know Your Topdressing Sand?"
Trappe, from Fayetteville, Ark., is a first-year graduate student at the University of Arkansas. He earned the second place grant of $1,500 for his paper: “Implications of Genetically Modified Turfgrasses."
McCullough, from Hoboken, N.J., and a graduate student at Rutgers University, claimed the third place award of $1,000 for his writing: “Roughstalk Bluegrass Control: Do New Herbicides Offer Long-Term Management Solutions in Cool-Season Turf?"
Open to GCSAA members who are undergraduate or graduate students pursuing degrees in turfgrass science, agronomy or any field related to golf course management, the GCSAA Essay Contest accepts entries with a focus on golf course management. The scholarship funding is provided by The Environmental Institute for Golf through the Robert Trent Jones Endowment.
Judges from the GCSAA scholarship committee select winners to receive scholarships and the first place entry may be published or excerpted in the association's official publication, GCM.
The Environmental Institute for Golf is the philanthropic organization of GCSAA and is a collaborative effort of the environmental and golf communities, dedicated to strengthening the compatibility of golf with the natural environment. The Institute concentrates on delivering programs and services involving research, education and outreach that communicate the best management practices of environmental stewardship on the golf course. For more on The Institute, visit www.eifg.org.
GCSAA is a leading golf organization and has as its focus golf course management. Since 1926, GCSAA has been the top professional association for the men and women who manage golf courses in the United States and worldwide. From its headquarters in Lawrence, Kan., the association provides education, information and representation to more than 21,000 members in more than 72 countries. GCSAA’s mission is to serve its members, advance their profession and enhance the enjoyment, growth and vitality of the game of golf. Visit GCSAA at www.gcsaa.org.
For more information contact:
Mischia Wright, GCSAA senior manager, development, at 785-832-4445 or mwright@gcsaa.org
April 15 , 2008 The 10th annual U of A Turf Classic raises money for scholarships, research Read more: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/64185/print/ Pictured: From left are head football coach Bobby Petrino, women's head golf coach Shauna Estes, extension turf specialist Aaron Patton, women's assistant coach Mike Adams, associate professor Doug Karcher and professor Mike Richardson. |
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February 21, 2008 At the 2008 Galaxy Extension conference in Little Rock, Dr. Mike Richardson was recognized as the 2007 researcher of the year by the Arkansas Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists. Dr. Mike Richardson was nominated for his work on seeded bermudagrass establishment and for the service to extension that he has provided since arriving in Arkansas. |
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September, 2007
Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist, receives national turfgrass award. Read the full article .
August 3 , 2007
Sowing Green: Field day highlights turfgrass research, extension programs. Read the full article .
June 23, 2007
Turf farms growing business in state: Arkansas' 58 sod growers cultivate nearly 9,000 acres, up to $30 million. Read the full article from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
April 24, 2007
UA Turf Classic raises money for scholarships, research
Funds for turfgrass research and five partially funded scholarships for students studying horticulture at the University of Arkansas were raised Monday afternoon on the firm-and-fast track at Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club.
In its eighth year, the University of Arkansas Golf and Sports Turf Classic golf tournament raised close to $ 10, 000 for research and undergraduate scholarships, said Marilyn McCord of the UA Department of Horticulture.
The turf-grass industry — including seed and equipment companies, golfcourse superintendents and turf-grass and agriculture advocacy groups — was the primary patron of the event. Fifteen alumni of the horticulture department also participated in the tournament, McCord said.
Close to 30 students are part of the turf-grass management program in the department of horticulture, said Aaron Patton, and assistant professor and extension turfgrass specialist. The horticulture department is under the umbrella of the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food & Life Sciences.
Students with a horticulture degree can pursue myriad careers. Some aspire to be golf-course superintendents, charged with maintaining and improving playing conditions while minimizing the absorption of fertilizers and other forms of nutrients into the surface and ground water. Others will go into sports field management or landscaping. Working in sales for a turf management related business is also an option.
Patton, who earned his doctorate from Purdue University in December, is the newest addition to the horticulture department. Rather than teaching in the classroom, Patton said he spends most of his time working with county-extension agents and writing publications that help those agents answer the public’s questions about how to best cultivate their yards.
He’s also a resource for golf-course superintendents to reference. When a problem crops up on the course, such as the deterioration of bent-grass greens in the summer, superintendents can avail themselves of Patton’s extensive knowledge and expertise. In addition to his work with county-extension agents and golf-course superintendents, he conducts applied research such as evaluating what fertilizers work best on certain grasses and plants. Patton said questions about lawns can be answered by accessing the turf.uark.edu website.
Read the full article at http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/52421
December 20, 2006
Patton joins Department of Horticulture as Turfgrass Extension Specialist
Aaron Patton recently joined the Department of Horticulture as Turfgrass Extension Specialist. Patton is originally from Bloomington, Indiana. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. at Purdue University and B.S. at Iowa State University. His research experience is in the area of bermudagrass and zoysiagrass establishment and the physiological aspects of zoysiagrass cold hardiness.
Patton will work in concert with extension, research, and teaching faculty to provide leadership in development of an interdisciplinary program to support the turfgrass industry and county extension agents. He will also be designing and developing innovative training programs and materials for the turfgrass and landscape industries, county extension agents, and home audiences, and interact with industry associations.
“This new position offers many great opportunities,” Patton said. “I work with a strong team and I am looking forward serving the turfgrass industry in Arkansas.”
Fall/Winter, 2006
Turfgrass Science a Growing Industry
September 18, 2006
Pat Berger featured on Houston Nutt show.
http://hort.uark.edu/video/video.html
April 6, 2006
JOHN W. WHITE OUTSTANDING TEAM AWARD
The University of Arkansas Turfgrass Program provides cutting edge research and extends new technology to turfgrass professionals. The team also has developed one of the finest undergraduate and graduate education programs in the nation. Graduates are recruited by prestigious golf courses and other turfgrass operations nationally. Work in weed control, pathology, nutrition and other cultural techniques are the basis for best
management practices used in Arkansas and the region. Team members are Dr. Michael Richardson and Dr. Douglas Karcher, Horticulture; Dr. Eugene Milus, Plant Pathology; and Dr. John Boyd and Dr. James A. Robbins, Cooperative Extension Service.