Developing Sustainable Turfgrass Mixtures for Roadsides in Minnesota. Eric Watkins Professor Horticultural Science

Transcription

1 Developing Sustainable Turfgrass Mixtures for Roadsides in Minnesota Eric Watkins Professor Horticultural Science

2 Minnesota Roadsides

3 What is the problem? Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT

4 Extreme Stresses Extreme Temperature Drought & Compaction Disease Photo Courtesy Andrew Hollman

5 Road Salt Use in MN Saline soil Soil degradation Tissue desiccation Ion toxicity (Biesboer & Jacobsen, 1994; Kronzucker et al. 2013, Munns & Tester 2008) (Biesboer & Jacobsen, 1994)

6 Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy Park (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget)

7 Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy Park (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget)

8 STS Certification Program Minnesota Crop Improvement, MnDOT, Minnesota Turf Association Quality assurance program (records, inspections, etc.) Economic benefit for rural Minnesota Must be based on unbiased data in order to succeed Started BEFORE research was funded

9 Project 1: Determine Best Species and Cultivars for Roadsides

10 Roadside Cultivar Evaluation 2 Locations I-94, Albertville, MN Larpenteur Ave, Roseville, MN Randomized complete block 3 Replications 75 Cultivars in 14 Species

11 Species Entries Seeding Rate (lb-1000 ft -2 ) fine fescue (Festuca spp.) (HD,SLCR,STCR,SH,CH) 23 5 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) 14 7 Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) 16 8 tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.) 2 2 prairie junegrass (Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult.) 2 3 creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) 2 1 alkalaigrass (Puccinellia spp.) 4 4 Idaho bentgrass (Agrostis idahoensis Nash) 1 3 Friell, J.*, E. Watkins, and B. Horgan Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil & Plant Science 62:44-52.

12 Mean Rating ROSELAWN BLVD SURVIVAL APRIL 27, a ab ab abc abcd abcd abcd abcde abcde abcdef abcdefg abcdefg abcdefg abcdefg abcdefgh abcdefghi abcdefghi abcdefghi bcdefghij - perennial ryegrass - tall fescue - fine fescue - alkaligrass - creeping bentgrass - tufted hairgrass bcdefghij bcdefghijk bcdefghijk cdefghijkl defghijkl defghijkl Cultivar

13 Mean Rating MNROAD SURVIVAL MAY 15, a a a a b bc bcd bcd bcde bcde bcdef bcdefg cdefgh cdefgh cdefgh cdefgh defghi defghi defghi - perennial ryegrass - tall fescue - fine fescue - alkaligrass - creeping bentgrass - tufted hairgrass defghi defghij defghij defghij defghij defghij Cultivar

14 Salt Tolerance Screening

15 KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS Friell, J*, E. Watkins, and B. Horgan Crop Science 53:

16 Fine Fescues Species Common Name Festuca rubra ssp. rubra strong creeping red fescue Festuca rubra ssp. litoralis slender creeping red fescue Festuca rubra ssp. commutata Chewings fescue Festuca trachyphylla hard fescue Festuca ovina sheep fescue

17 Identifying Best Mixtures

18 Friell, J., E. Watkins, and B.P. Horgan Ecological Engineering 84:

19 Sod Strength Testing

20 Sod Strength Testing Friell, J., E. Watkins, B. Horgan, M. Cavanaugh Agronomy Journal doi: /agronj

21 Impact Identified new turfgrass mixtures for roadsides in Minnesota Results were used to amend species proportions in MnDOT mixture specifications

22 Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy Park (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget)

23 2012 MnDOT Specification (MNST-12) Common Name Approve Varieties % Creeping red fescue (slender) Creeping red fescue (strong) Seabreeze GT, Shorline, Sealink 20 Cardinal, Celestial, Epic, McAlpin, Navigator Kentucky bluegrass Bedazzled, Diva, Moonlight SLT, Shiraz Hard, Sheep and/or Chewings fescue (minimum of two species, each making up at least 10% of the total mix) Hard fescue: Beacon, Bighorn GT, Little Bighorn Sheep fescue: Marco Polo Chewings fescue: Radar, SR

24 Reality Designing a good mixture is not enough Success of sod or seed installation depends on a number of factors Time of year Water Soil preparation Temperature Sod harvest depth

25 Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT

26 JULY Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT AUGUST Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT

27 Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT

28 Project 2: Best Management Practices

29 Seeding and Sodding Date May 1 August 1 October 1

30 Turf Quality (May 2016) Blaine, MN 9 8 a a a a a a 7 ab b Turf quality (1-9) b b b b b b May - Seed May - Sod June - Seed June - Sod July - Seed July - Sod August - Seed August - Sod September September - Seed - Sod October - Seed October - Sod November - Seed November - Sod Planting month (2015) and type

31 Water Requirements

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33 Soil Amendments

34 Turf Quality - St. Paul June Turf quality (1-9) Control Grade 1 Compost Grade 2 Compost Verdyol Black Amendment type Clipping Yield - St. Paul 14 days after planting in a a a Clipping yield (g) b b b 2 b 0 Control Grade 1 Compost Grade 2 Compost Verdyol Black Amendment type

35 Impact and Next Steps Work with MnDOT to change specifications for managing new installations (ongoing) Contractors are familiar with Kentucky bluegrass sod, need to be educated about differences Watering is critical, no good options exist

36 Project 3: New Irrigation Options and Educational Resources

37 Watering Methods

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41 Education: Installers Education and training to address: Basic turfgrass management Salt tolerant turfgrasses Roadside specific issues Free and voluntary for contractors Website developed for training program, factsheets and videos

42 Education: Homeowners Designed for use by homeowners that receive salt tolerant turfgrass installation Content will detail how to properly manage salt tolerant grasses: Watering Fertilizing Mowing etc Videos, information sheets, brochures

43 It Works!

44 Next Steps. Better understanding of stress tolerances necessary for roadside turfgrass success More than just salt Inform makeup of recommended mixtures New cultivars have been developed Test additional species Knowledge about the importance of regionspecific mixture recommendations Continue to improve MnDOT specifications for roadside turfgrass installations

45 Project 4: Stress Tolerance Screening Trial 1: Ice encasement Trial 2: Salt tolerance Trial 3: Heat stress tolerance

46 Project 5: Regional Roadside Testing Multiple state DOTs contribute to a single project (pooledfund.org) Researchers within each state establish and evaluate two roadside cultivar trials UMN coordinates, analyzes data, reports, etc. Reduces issues related to non-stressful conditions at any given site Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Wisconsin

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48 Benefits for MnDOT Fewer failed turf installations Reduced erosion and improved infiltration Development of more effective seed mixture specifications Knowledge about the need/lack of need for region-specific recommendations Builds off of previous research Informs educational efforts Continues MnDOT leadership in this area

49 Acknowledgements Local Road Research Board / MnDOT Dwayne Stenlund (MnDOT) Ben Lang (MCIA) Sam Bauer Brian Horgan Josh Friell Matthew Cavanaugh Maggie Reiter Andrew Hollman Craig Krueger Mario Gagliardi Jonah Reyes Jon Trappe

50 Questions?

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