Amending Subsoil with Composted Poultry Litter-II: Effects on Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis) Establishment, Root Growth, and Weed Populations

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1 Agronomy 2013, 3, ; doi: /gronomy Article OPEN ACCESS gronomy ISSN Amending Susoil with Composted Poultry Litter-II: Effects on Kentucky Bluegrss (Po prtensis) Estlishment, Root Growth, nd Weed Popultions Mili Mndl 1,2, Rkesh S. Chndrn 1, * nd John A. Blsko 1 1 Division of Plnt & Soil Sciences, West Virgini University, Morgntown, WV , USA; E-Mils: mndl@rci.rutgers.edu (M.M.); jlsko@wvu.edu (J.A.B.) 2 Deprtment of Phrmcology nd Toxicology, Ernest Mrio School of Phrmcy, Rutgers University, Pisctwy, NJ 08854, USA * Author to whom correspondence should e ddressed; E-Mil: rschndrn@mil.wvu.edu; Tel.: ; Fx: Received: 14 August 2013; in revised form: 23 Septemer 2013 / Accepted: 24 Septemer 2013 / Pulished: 23 Octoer 2013 Astrct: Turfgrsses estlished on soil deprived of the topsoil during construction disturnce often hve low levels of density nd uniformity mking them susceptile to weeds. Field experiments evluted composted poultry litter incorportion into susoil on Kentucky luegrss growth ttriutes nd susequent effects on weed popultions. Top 20 cm of topsoil ws removed nd composted poultry litter ws incorported t 0.1, or 0.2, or 0.4 cm/cm-soil into the exposed susoil to depth of 12.7 cm efore seeding or sodding, nd ws compred to N-fertilized ( kg m 2 ) nd control plots. A greenhouse experiment ws lso conducted to determine the effect of compost incorportion rtes on turfgrss rooting depth. Turfgrss yield from seeded plots with compost incorportion rtes of 0.1, 0.2, nd 0.4 cm/cm-soil, were 200%, 300%, nd 500% more, respectively, compred to control plots. Composted poultry litter incorported t 0.1 cm/cm-soil resulted in t lest 70 seedlings in 7.6 cm 2, which ws sufficient to ttin 100% turf cover. Higher incorportion rtes in seeded plots mintined lower numers of uckhorn plntin nd red clover thn untreted plots. Rooting depth lso incresed linerly with compost rtes. Overll, compost tretments were le to mintin superior turf cover nd qulity compred to conventionlly fertilized or control plots. Keywords: lterntive; culturl; integrted weed mngement; preventtive; housing development lwn

2 Agronomy 2013, Nomenclture: lrge crgrss; Digitri snguinlis (L.) Scop.; uckhorn plntin [Plntgo lnceolt L.]; Kentucky luegrss; (Po prtensis L.); dndelion; [Trxcum officinle Weer in Wiggers]; red clover [Trifolium prtense L.]. 1. Introduction Estlishing turfgrsses in suitle medium is prmount to its vigor nd ility to tolerte weeds. During construction disturnce, topsoil is often either lost or mixed with susoil low in orgnic mtter nd ville nutrients. Furthermore hevy equipment my compct the soil nd mke conditions unfvorle for turfgrss estlishment nd growth in these distured soils [1]. Turfgrsses estlished on such distured soils re not s dense or uniform s those estlished in proper medium, nd re hence more susceptile to weed infesttions. Amending such distured soils with composted orgnic wstes cn improve the physicl nd chemicl properties of soil nd provide more suitle medium for estlishing turfgrsses. An incresing urn wste strem nd restrictions on the methods of wste disposl hve fueled resurgence in the use of composted orgnic wstes tht hve the potentil to serve s useful resources in turfgrss mngement [2]. Vrious kinds of orgnic wstes such s iosolids, municipl sewge, poultry litter (PL), sewge sludge (SS), nd yrd trimmings (YT) hve een used s mendments for turf res. Lnd ppliction of poultry litter is considered to e fesile, prcticl, nd environmentlly sound method of disposing this wste product [3]. Lrney nd Jnzen [4] reported tht hog mnure nd poultry mnure could restore productivity to eroded soils y sustituting for lost topsoil. Turfgrss estlishment ws significntly enhnced y the incorportion of composted iosolids into distured soil [1]. Other eneficil effects of compost s n mendment nd topdressing in turf hve een well-documented [5 9]. Turf grown in compost-mended soils estlished fster with improved density, nd color [10,11], nd with lrger root systems [12]. Municipl solid wste hs een shown to increse the root-mss of St. Augustine grss [Stenotphrum secundtum (Wlter) Kuntze] in sndy soil [13]. Vrious compost nd orgnic mterils helped recupertion of cored turf, suppression of dollr spot, nd reduction in thtch [14]. Composts hve lso proved to e n effective nutrient source to increse tll fescue (Festuc rundince Schre.) yield [15,16]. Angle et l. [17] demonstrted tht composts improved the rte of estlishment nd ppernce of tufrgrsses grown from seed nd sod. Municipl solid wste nd iosolids compost pplied to soils my suppress weeds due to the presence of certin phytotoxic compounds nd high CO 2 levels resulting from iologicl ctivity [18,19]. The process of composting genertes het to levels sufficient to kill inherent weed seeds such s ivylef morning glory [Ipomoe hederce L.], rnyrdgrss [Echinochlo crus-glli L.], nd common purslne [Potulc olerce L.] [18]. Composted mnure my contin fewer weed seeds compred to non-composted forms of the sme, therey offering dul enefits of improving soil fertility levels nd reducing weed seed nks.

3 Agronomy 2013, The ility of composts to suppress certin diseses hs lso een documented [20 22]. Composted poultry litter decresed the susceptiility of Kentucky luegrss (Po prtensis L.) to Drechsler lef spot disese [23]. The competitive ility of turf estlished using composts my lso provide for sustinle system to mnge other pests. Although different composts hve een used s mendments to study effects on turfgrss growth nd estlishment, limited informtion is ville on the usefulness of composted poultry litter (CPL) to mend susoil for turfgrss growth, estlishment, nd weed control. The ojectives of this reserch were to evlute () the effects of CPL incorportion into susoil on the estlishment nd susequent growth ttriutes of Kentucky luegrss (Po prtensis L.), () its consequent effects on weed popultion levels, nd (c) the effects of CPL on Kentucky luegrss root growth. 2. Results nd Discussion 2.1. Dry Mtter Yield Turfgrss growth, s mesured y clipping dry weight (yield), ws found to e greter for compost-mended plots (Figure 1) thn for control nd fertilized plots. A positive liner reltionship ws oserved etween compost ppliction rtes nd yield of Kentucky luegrss (sodded, R 2 = 0.92; seeded, R 2 = 0.99). Dry weights of clippings from sodded nd seeded plots incresed y pproximtely 500% nd 300% with the ppliction of 0.4 nd 0.2 cm-compost/cm-soil, respectively compred to tht of plots tht received no compost (control) nd fertilizer (Figure 1). Turfgrss yield ttriutes showed similr trends ut were higher in sodded plots compred to seeded plots. This could e explined y the well-estlished turf in sodded plots s compred to newly-germinted seedlings in seeded turf. Enhnced growth of turfgrss in compost-mended plots my e ttriuted to higher levels of minerl nutrients provided y compost compred to fertilizer (or untreted plots) nd the overll effects of compost on soil physicl nd chemicl properties, findings relted to which re ville elsewhere [24]. In compost-mended plots, the higher mounts of ville nutrients (N, P, C, Mg, nd K) coupled with the incresed soil ph nd CEC improved the fertility sttus of the susoil. Aprt from n increse in totl N content of soil y dding CPL, its low C:N rtio (10:1) nd high rte of minerliztion my hve lso incresed the pool of ville N [25]. Lndschoot nd McNitt [12] nd Gentilucci et l. [10] ttriuted the poor estlishment of turf following the ddition of compost with high C:N rtio (>30:1) to incresed rtes of immoiliztion nd denitrifiction. Our results re lso comprle to other reserch findings. Wood et l. [26] oserved 556% increse in ermudgrss [Cynodon dctylon (L.) Pers.] yields with kg m 2 PL ppliction compred to yield from control plots. Lucero et l. [3] oserved curviliner increse in the yields of lend of Kentucky luegrss nd tll fescue with incresing rtes of PL. Loschinkohl nd Boehm [1] oserved 244% increse in turfgrss dry weight s result of compost tretments. These results corroorte our study where we oserved n increse of 318% in dry weight of turfgrss clippings, compred to untreted plots, from plots tht received CPL t 17.5 kg m 2, providing N t 0.34 kg m 2.

4 Agronomy 2013, Figure 1. Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into top 12.7 cm of susoil on Kentucky luegrss clipping dry weight for sodded compost; sodded fertilizer; seeded compost; nd seeded fertilizer plots; * Mens with sme letters re sttisticlly insignificnt sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05) (itlicized sttistics correspond to sodded tretments) Dry weight (g) c* c c = y = x R 2 =0. 92 y = x R 2 =0. 99 Compost concentrtion 100 (cm-compost/cm-soil) 2.2. Turf Cover All compost-treted plots showed 50% higher turf cover thn control plots in April 2004 (Figure 2). Fertilized plots hd 20% more re re compred to the control plots. Significnt improvements in turf cover were oserved one yer fter estlishment (Septemer, 2004). The high (100%) turf cover in compost-treted plots s opposed to fertilized plots (76%) my e ttriuted to the chnges in soil physicl nd chemicl properties s result of CPL ddition [24]. In this study, no significnt differences in turf cover were recorded due to vrying compost rtes indicting tht 0.1 cm-compost/cm-soil ppliction ws sufficient to chieve helthy turf (Figure 2). Our results gree with those of Lwson [27] who reported increse in turf cover following compost ppliction. A positive liner reltionship (R 2 = 0.99) ws oserved etween compost rtes, nd seedling density (Figure 3). Bsed on our regression model, it ws estimted tht 0.1 cm-compost/cm-soil pplied to distured soils resulted in t lest 70 seedlings per 7.6 cm 2, which ws sufficient to ttin 100% turf cover. Turf cover indicted liner increse in seedling density with compost rtes, wheres turf cover s mesured y percent re re (Figure 2) indicted increses in turf cover from control up to 0.2 cm-compost/cm-soil. There ws positive correltion (r = 0.80) etween the two vriles indicting tht seedling density my e used to predict turf cover. It is importnt to note tht seeded plots took n verge of one yer to chieve 100% cover regrdless of compost ppliction rte. We speculte tht the poor turf cover oserved in fertilized plots (s compred to control plots) my e due to unhelthy green-up nd relted susceptiility to certin fungl diseses or due to the cidifying effects of the fertilizer used [23,24].

5 Turf cover (%) Agronomy 2013, Figure 2. Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into top 12.7 cm of susoil on seeded Kentucky luegrss cover for April-seeded, compost; April-fertilizer; Sept.-sodded, compost; nd Sept.-fertilizer; * Mens with sme letters re sttisticlly insignificnt sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05) (itlicized sttistics correspond to sodded tretments) y = x-0.052x 2 R 2 = y = x-0.087x 2 R 2 = 1 20 * 0 = Compost concentrtion 100(cm-compost/cm-soil) Figure 3. Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into top 12.7 cm of susoil on Kentucky luegrss seedling density; * Mens with sme letters re sttisticlly insignificnt sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05); vlues for stndrd error were smll rnging etween 0.21 (min.) to 0.82 (mx.) nd hence re not shown in figure. Compost concentrtion 100 (cm-compost/cm-soil) 2.3. Turf Color Turf color rtings were recorded in My nd August In My 2004, compost-treted turf secured significntly higher color rtings compred to control nd fertilized plots in sodded turf ut not

6 Agronomy 2013, in seeded turf (Figure 4). The second color rting tken on 26 August 2004 indicted tht ll compost-treted plots were greener in color thn untreted plots (Figure 4). The most desirle turf color (drk green) ws oserved in plots with the 0.2 nd 0.4 cm-compost/cm-soil rtes. We speculte tht the etter color of compost-treted plots compred to fertilized plots, my e ttriuted to the difference in the higher mount of minerl nutrients in the compost s well s its ility to increse the vilility of micronutrients, especilly Fe 2+ [28,29]. The ility of compost to enhnce the turf color ws lso reported y other reserchers [2,11,27,29]. Figure 4. () Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into top 12.7 cm of susoil on Kentucky luegrss color sodded compost-my; sodded fertilizer-my; seeded compost-my.; nd seeded fertilizer-my; () Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into top 12.7 cm of susoil on Kentucky luegrss color sodded compost-august; sodded fertilizer-august; seeded compost-august; nd seeded fertilizer-august; * Mens with sme letters re sttisticlly insignificnt sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05) (itlicized sttistics correspond to sodded tretments); vlues for stndrd error were smll rnging etween 0 (min.) to 0.59 (mx.) nd hence re not shown in figure. Visul color rting (1-10) My c* c = Compost concentrtion 100 (cm-compost/cm-soil) Compost concentrtion 100 (cm-compost/cm-soil)

7 Agronomy 2013, Turf Height Turf height ws mesured prior to mowing for oth seeded nd sodded plots during April Turf height ws not ffected y the vrious tretments in seeded plots (Tle 1). In sodded plots, turf height ws higher in compost-treted plots thn control or fertilized plots. This increse in turf height is explined y the etter estlishment of turf in compost-treted plots. Both seeded nd sodded plots tht received fertilizer tretment showed 30% nd 8% reduced turf height thn control plots, respectively (Tle 1). This effect my e ttriuted to lower ph in fertilized plots nd their susequent effects on turf growth nd estlishment [24]. Tle 1. Effect of compost tretments on seeded nd sodded turf height. Height Tretment Incorportion rte (cm-compost/cm-soil) Seeded Sodded cm Compost * 9.41 Compost Compost Fertilizer Control * Mens followed y the sme letters re not significntly different sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05) Weed Popultions Counts of nturlly occurring weeds were recorded in My nd tht of seeded weeds in Septemer Nturl weed popultions consisted of white clover, dndelion [Trxcum officinle Weer in Wiggers], uckhorn plntin [Plntgo lnceolt L.], red clover [Trifolium prtense L.], nd yellow woodsorrel [Oxlis strict L.] (Tles 2 nd 3). Compost tretment t the higher incorportion rtes in seeded plots ws le to mintin lower numers of uckhorn plntin thn control nd fertilizer-treted plots (Tle 2). Nturlly occurring red clover were lso lower in the plots tht received CPL t the high rte compred to control plots. However, contrry to our hypothesis, there were more dndelions in plots tht received CPL, especilly t lower rtes, compred to control nd fertilized plots. This my e ttriuted to incresed levels of germintion nd estlishment of dndelion seed deposited in plots tht received compost, compred to untreted plots, fter the experiment ws initited. In generl, individul weed counts were found to decrese with incresing rtes of compost, wheres no differences in weed counts were oserved etween controls nd fertilized plots (Tle 2). Similr trends were not oserved in sodded plots which my e ttriuted to fewer re spots in the sod (Tle 3). Reltively fewer thn expected weeds were oserved in the experimentl plots overll. The top 10 to 15 cm of soil contins vile seeds, which germinte under suitle conditions or fter reking dormncy. Seed nk sizes hve een estimted t out 1 million seeds/m 2 under dense infesttions [30] nd out of the 2 million seeds produced y horseweed [Conyz cndensis] plnt, out 80% of the totl germinle seeds were found within the top 2 cm of soil [31]. The reltively

8 Agronomy 2013, low popultions of weeds in our study my e ttriuted to the removl of most of the weed seed nk residing in the topsoil. Totl sence or limited presence of weed seed nk reduces weed infesttions in newly estlished turfgrss considerly [32]. Out of six weed species seeded, only lrge crgrss germinted significntly (Tles 2 nd 3). Lower weed germintion rtes were oserved in sodded plots compred to seeded turf plots. Seeded plots tht received 0.4 cm-compost/cm-soil hd more lrge crgrss seedlings compred to the other tretments (Tle 2). It is speculted tht lrge crgrss ws le to respond similrly to turfgrss to higher levels of nutrients nd other positive ttriutes offered y CPL. However, sodded plots tht did not receive compost recorded more crgrss seedlings compred to compost-treted plots (Tle 3). In our study, mending susoil with compost resulted in etter turf estlishment, which consequently gve rise to helthy nd well estlished turf, with tendency to out-compete few weed species present in low numers. Due to low numers of weeds nd their vriility we filed to prove our hypothesis conclusively. However, long-term effects on weed popultions sed on turf estlishment could not e documented due to the revity (one growing seson) of this experiment. Other reserchers hve oserved weed suppression followed y compost ppliction [33 35] Turf Rooting Depth Turfgrss root depth, s mesured y oserving presence/sence of roots t 1-mm increment to depth of 10 cm, ws found to increse linerly (R 2 = 0.89) with incresing rtes of compost (Figure 5). These findings indicte tht the enefits of CPL, s outlined erlier, were expressed y the turf roots. Our results concur with dt reported y Chndrn who determined similr responses y St. Augustine grss roots to composts sed on municipl wste products [13]. A positive correltion existed etween rooting depth nd turf yield (r = 0.94) (Figure 6), indicting strong reltionship etween well-estlished root system nd overll turf vigor. Our study demonstrted tht CPL cn e used effectively to estlish turfgrsses on distured soils. This is of prticulr enefit in the estlishment of new lwns on nutrient-deficient su-soils where turf is slow to estlish resulting in wek turf. Compost pplictions resulted in n improvement in turf qulity, growth, nd estlishment, s well s deeper root system. Although high qulity turfgrss rtings nd low popultions of certin weeds were otined when 0.4 cm-compost/cm-soil mendment ws pplied, 0.1 cm-compost/cm-soil ppliction ws considered to e dequte for overll estlishment of helthy turf. No deleterious effects of compost on turfgrss qulity were oserved, even t the highest compost ppliction rte of 0.4 cm-compost/cm-soil. Our results demonstrted reduced numers of certin weeds nd no suppression of certin other weed species due to incorportion of CPL into the soil profile. The use of composts to improve the estlishment nd qulity of turfgrsses nd to mnge certin weeds preventtively cn prove to e n environmentlly sfe lterntive for the disposl of n incresing mount of urn solid wstes.

9 Agronomy 2013, Tle 2. Numer of nturlly occurring weeds nd mnully seeded lrge crgrss seeds in seeded turf plots. Weed Count Nturl Seeded Tretment Incorportion rte (cm-compost/cm-soil) TRFRE * TAROF PLALA OXAST TRFPR DIGSA Compost Compost Compost c 67 8 c Fertilizer Control * TRFRE-Trifolium repens L., white clover; TAROF-Trxcum officinle G.H. Weer ex Wiggers, dndelion; PLALA-Plntgo lnceolt L., uckhorn plntin; TRFPR-Trifolium prtense L., red clover; OXAST-Oxlis strict L, yellow woodsorrel; DIGSA-Digitri snguinlis (L.) Scop., lrge crgrss; Mens followed y the sme letters re not significntly different sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05). Tle 3. Numer of nturlly occurring weeds nd mnully seeded lrge crgrss seeds in sodded turf plots. Weed Count Nturl Seeded Tretment Incorportion rte (cm-compost/cm-soil) TRFRE * TAROF PLALA OXAST TRFPR DIGSA Compost Compost Compost Fertilizer Control * TRFRE-Trifolium repens L., white clover; TAROF-Trxcum officinle G.H. Weer ex Wiggers, dndelion; PLALA-Plntgo lnceolt L., uckhorn plntin; TRFPR-Trifolium prtense L., red clover; OXAST-Oxlis strict L, yellow woodsorrel; DIGSA-Digitri snguinlis (L.) Scop., lrge crgrss; Mens followed y the sme letters re not significntly different sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05).

10 Agronomy 2013, Figure 5. Effect of incorporting composted poultry litter into susoil on Kentucky luegrss root depth; * Mens with sme letters re sttisticlly insignificnt sed on Fisher s Protected LSD test (P 0.05) (itlicized letters correspond to sodded tretments). 80 y = x+47.2 R 2 = Root depth (mm) c* = Compost concentrtion 100 (cm-compost/cm-soil) Figure 6. Correltion nlysis etween turfgrss root depth nd turf yield (expressed s dry weight). Dry weight (g) r = Root depth (mm) 3. Experimentl Section Field Experimenttion nd Loction: Field experiments were estlished in fll 2003 t the West Virgini University, Agronomy Frm, Morgntown (39.66 N, W). The soil ws Dormont silt lom (fine-lomy, superctive, mixed, mesic Oxyquic Hpludlfs). Existing topsoil contining the A-horizon ws removed (to depth of 20 cm), nd the susoil ws exposed to simulte construction disturnce. The exposed susoil ws tilled uniformly to depth of 12.7 cm using rototiller nd plots 4.6 m 3.1 m seprted y 0.6 m lleywys were delineted. The compost utilized for the experiments ws derived from poultry litter, with wood chips nd crdord s primry source of cron, nd hd rtio of 2:2:2 (N, P 2 O 5, K 2 O) (Borderline LLC, Bker, WV). Other chemicl chrcteristics of the

11 Agronomy 2013, CPL were descried y Mndl et l. [25]. Tretments consisted of CPL incorported to depth of 12.7 cm t rtes of 0.1 cm-compost/cm-soil, 0.2 cm-compost/cm-soil, nd 0.4 cm-compost/cm-soil (equivlent to 4.3 kg m 2, 8.75 kg m 2, nd 17.5 kg m 2, respectively), control (untreted), nd fertilized plots { (N, P 2 O 5, K 2 O) fertilizer; pplied t kg m 2 } sed on turfgrss nutritionl requirements. The fertilizer ws pplied using drop spreder nd incorported lightly (1 cm) into the soil using rke. The three compost tretments provided N t 0.086, 0.172, nd 0.34 kg m 2, wheres the fertilizer tretment provided N t kg m 2. Bsed on the different depths to which the compost nd the fertilizer tretments were incorported, it ws estimted tht the compost provided N t kg cm 3 wheres the fertilizer provided N t 10 7 kg cm 3 The experimentl design ws rndomized complete lock with turf type (seeded or sodded) nd mendment tretments rrnged fctorilly. All the tretments were replicted four times. Twenty plots were seeded on 7 Octoer 2003 with Kentucky luegrss seeds (Scotts Clssic ; 97.75% Kentucky luegrss, 0.05% other crop seeds, 2.11% inert mtter, 0.09% weed seeds) t the rte of kg m 2 using drop spreder. Seeded plots were covered with strw mulch in order to retin soil moisture nd to offer protection from predtors. The 20 remining plots were sodded mnully on 10 Octoer 2003 with Kentucky luegrss sod vr. Plush (Rich Frm, Smithfield, PA, USA). Plots were irrigted uniformly s needed during estlishment. After estlishment, the turf ws mintined t height of 7.6 cm using reel-mower nd clippings removed. The 2004 growing seson ws cool nd wet; totl of cm of precipittion ws recorded from My to Septemer No supplementl irrigtion ws provided to the plots in Turfgrss Estlishment nd Growth: Turfgrss estlishment ws ssessed y recording percent turfgrss cover nd y quntifying seedlings (in sodded plots ground cover remined 100% regrdless of different tretments). Percent re-spots were mesured twice during the growing seson (April nd Septemer 2004) y plcing two trnsects digonlly in ech plot nd mesuring the re spots linerly long ech trnsect. Any re spot greter thn 5 cm in dimeter ws included in the mesurement. Seedling counts were recorded within 7.6 cm 2 grid plced rndomly t eight different loctions within ech plot. Turfgrss growth ws quntified y recording the turf yield nd height from ech plot. Turf height ws mesured in April 2004 y recording 25 rndom mesurements within ech plot to clculte men height. To quntify turf yield, clippings were collected t mowing height of 7.6 cm, from My to Octoer 2004, ech time the turf grew to height of cm; dry mtter yield ws reported s the sum of 12 hrvests. Clippings were collected from the center of ech plot within n re of 3.2 m 2 ; remining re ws mowed nd clippings discrded. Fresh clippings were dried for 4 dy t 60 C, nd yield dt were recorded on dry-weight sis. Visul ssessment of turf color, eing qulittive prmeter, ws crried out twice etween My nd August 2004 y two individuls. Scoring ws crried out on scle of 1 to 9, with men score of 1 indicting rown/ded turf, 5 indicting moderte green color, nd 9 indicting drk green color. Weed Popultions: Approximtely 500 seeds of lck medic [Medicgo lupulin L.], lrge crgrss [Digitri snguinlis (L.) Scop.], green foxtil [Setri viridis L.], London rocket [Sisymrium irio], white clover [Trifolium repens L.], nd witchgrss [Pnicum cpillre L.] were seeded linerly in ech plot, in rows 0.3 m long for ech species. Weed seeding ws crried out in June

12 Agronomy 2013, Counts of the nturl weed popultion nd the mnully seeded weeds were recorded in My nd Septemer 2004, respectively. Turfgrss Root Growth: Greenhouse experiments were estlished in fll 2004 to determine the effects of CPL on turfgrss root growth. Continers, (20.3 cm in height nd 12.7 cm in dimeter), were filled 3/4 with ir-dried susoil collected from the experimentl site. Tretments pplied to the field study were simulted in the greenhouse. Composted poultry litter ws incorported to depth of 12.7 cm t the three rtes nd ws compred to fertilizer nd control tretments. The medi in ll continers were llowed to settle uniformly y tpping ech continer consistently nd llowing them to undergo wet cycle. On August 2004, ll continers were seeded mnully with Kentucky luegrss (Scotts Clssic ; Kentucky luegrss 97.75%, 0.05% other crop seeds, 2.11% inert mtter, 0.09 weed seed) seeds t the rte of kg m 2. Continers were irrigted prior to seeding. Continers were then covered with strw mulch nd irrigted dily until seeds germinted, fter which continers were wtered s needed. Kentucky luegrss ws llowed to estlish for period of six months, under nturl light nd temperture rnging etween 18 C (min) to 35.5 C (mx). Supplementl het ws provided during winter to mintin the temperture t 18 C. Turf ws mintined t height of 7.6 cm using pir of clippers. Fresh clippings were dried for 4 dy t 60 C, nd yield dt were recorded on dry weight sis. In Ferury 2005, the study ws terminted to quntify rooting depth. Continers were sturted with wter 1 h prior to seprting the continer from the soil/root mss. Continers were plced upside down nd tpped gently to remove the soil nd root mss. Soil mss contining roots ws then sliced lengthwise into hlves from the middle, nd the roots were exposed. A mesuring scle ws plced long the side of soil mss nd presence/sence of roots ws oserved t 1-mm increments to depth of 10 cm. Experimentl Design nd Sttisticl Anlysis: The experimentl design for the field experiment ws rndomized complete lock with turf type (seeded or sodded) nd mendment tretments rrnged fctorilly. Greenhouse experiments were set s rndomized complete lock design. All tretments were replicted four times. Anlysis of vrince ws used to nlyze the dt using PROC GLM TM (generl liner models) procedure of the Sttisticl Anlysis System (SAS Institute, 2002). Fisher s Protected Lest Significnt Difference (LSD) test, with proility vlue of 0.05, ws used to seprte tretment mens. Associtions etween turfgrss root depth nd clippings dry weight were exmined y correltion nlysis (Sigm Plot TM, 8.2). 4. Conclusions In conclusion, our reserch demonstrted severl enefits from incorporting composted poultry litter into susoil on turfgrss estlishment nd pest mngement. Specificlly, we noted 2- to 5-fold increse in turfgrss yield s result of compost incorportion rtes of 0.1 to 0.4 cm/cm-soil, compred to control plots. Composted poultry litter incorportion of 0.1 cm/cm-soil ws sufficient to ttin 100% turf cover. Compost tretments t the higher incorportion rtes were le to mintin lower popultions of certin weeds. However, dndelions nd lrge crgrss popultions were noted to e higher in compost-treted plots compred to control nd fertilized plots. Rooting depth incresed linerly with compost incorportion rtes sed on greenhouse studies.

13 Agronomy 2013, Acknowledgments The experiment ws funded through USDA Htch Project No The uthors wish to thnk Borderline LLC., for their generous dontion of compost mterils used in this experiment. Conflicts of Interest The uthors declre no conflict of interest. References 1. Loschinkohl, C.; Boehm, M.J. Composted iosolids incorportion improves turfgrss estlishment on distured urn soil nd reduces lef rust severity. HortScience 2001, 36, Schumnn, G.L.; Sores, H.; Holden, C.M.; Switzenum, M.S. Reltionship of trditionl prmeters of compost stility to turfgrss qulity. Environ. Tech. 1993, 14, Lucero, D.W.; Mrtens, D.C.; McKenn, J.R.; Strner, D.E. Poultry litter effects on unmnged psture yield, nitrogen nd phosphorus uptkes, nd otnicl composition. Commun. Soil Sci. Plnt Anl. 1995, 26, Lrney, F.J.; Jnzen, H.H. Restortion of productivity to desurfced soil with livestock mnure, crop residue, nd fertilizer mendments. Agron. J. 1996, 88, Brker, A.V. Evlution of composts for growth of grss sod. Comm. Soil Sci. Plnt Anl. 2001, 32, Hrrell, M.S.; Miller, G.L. Composted yrd wste ffects soil displcement nd rodside vegettion. HortScience 2005, 40, Linde, D.T.; Hepner, L.D. Turfgrss seed nd sod estlishment on soil mended with iosolid compost. HortTechnology 2005, 15, O'Brien, T.A.; Brker, A.V. Evlution of field-pplied fresh composts for production of sod crops. Compost Sci. Utlzn. 1995, 3, Wright, A.L.; Provin, T.L.; Hons, F.M.; Zuerer, D.A.; White, R.H. Compost impcts on sodicity nd slinity in sndy lom turf grss soil. Compost Sci. Utlzn. 2008, 16, Gentilucci, G.; Murphy, J.A.; Zurov, D.E. Nitrogen requirement for Kentucky luegrss grown on compost mended soil. Int. Turfgrss Soc. Res. J. 2001, 9, Strnge, M.L.; Elm, P.; Meyer, R.D. Topdressing compost on turfgrss: its effect on turf qulity nd weeds. In Proceedings of the 50th Annul Conference of Cliforni Weed Science Society, Monterey, CA, USA, Jnury 1998; Volume 50, pp Lndschoot, P.; McNitt, A. Improving turf with compost. BioCycle 1994, 10, Chndrn, R.S. Response of St. Augustinegrss to Composted Solid Wste nd Irrigtion Frequency. Mster Thesis, University of Florid, Ginesville, FL, USA, June Dinelli, F.D. Using compost to improve turf ecology. USGA Green Sect. Record. 1999, 36, Kiemnec, G.L.; Jckson, T.L.; Hemphill, D.D.; Volk, V.V. Reltive effectiveness of sewge sludge s nitrogen fertilizer for tll fescue. J. Environ. Qul. 1987, 16,

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15 Agronomy 2013, Preusch, P.L.; Tworkoski, T.J. Weed control nd minerliztion of nitrogen nd phosphorus from composted poultry mulch in West Virgini pech orchrd. In Proceedings of the 54th Annul Meeting of Northestern Weed Science Society, Bltimore, MD, USA, 4 8 Jnury 2000; Volume 54, pp Strtton, M.L.; Reichcigl, J. Orgnic mulches, wood products, nd compostss soil mendments nd conditioners. In Hndook on Soil Conditioners: Sustnces tht Enhnce the Physicl Properties of Soil; Mrcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, NY, USA, 1998; pp y the uthors; licensee MDPI, Bsel, Switzerlnd. This rticle is n open ccess rticle distriuted under the terms nd conditions of the Cretive Commons Attriution license (