Developing Sustainable Turfgrass Mixtures for Roadsides in Minnesota Eric Watkins Professor Horticultural Science
Minnesota Roadsides
What is the problem? Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT
Extreme Stresses Extreme Temperature Drought & Compaction Disease Photo Courtesy Andrew Hollman
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)
Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty 15 20 Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy 15 20 Park 10 15 (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget) 20 30 20 30
Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty 15 20 Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy 15 20 Park 10 15 (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget) 20 30 20 30
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
Project 1: Determine Best Species and Cultivars for Roadsides
Roadside Cultivar Evaluation 2 Locations I-94, Albertville, MN Larpenteur Ave, Roseville, MN Randomized complete block 3 Replications 75 Cultivars in 14 Species
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.) 13 1.5 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. 2012. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil & Plant Science 62:44-52.
Mean Rating ROSELAWN BLVD SURVIVAL APRIL 27, 2011 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 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
Mean Rating MNROAD SURVIVAL MAY 15, 2011 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 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
Salt Tolerance Screening
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS Friell, J*, E. Watkins, and B. Horgan. 2013. Crop Science 53:1743-1749.
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
Identifying Best Mixtures
Friell, J., E. Watkins, and B.P. Horgan. 2015.. Ecological Engineering 84:579-587.
Sod Strength Testing
Sod Strength Testing Friell, J., E. Watkins, B. Horgan, M. Cavanaugh. 2016. Agronomy Journal doi:10.2134/agronj2016.05.0295.
Impact Identified new turfgrass mixtures for roadsides in Minnesota Results were used to amend species proportions in MnDOT mixture specifications
Grass Type Acceptable Varieties Minimum Percent by Mass Maximum Percent by Mass Alkaligrass Fults, Salty 15 20 Red fescue Park Kentucky bluegrass 2010 MnDOT Specification Improved Kentucky bluegrass Low maintenance Kentucky bluegrass Dawson, Cindy 15 20 Park 10 15 (Baron, Odyssey, Rugby 2, Shamrock, Limousine, Chateau) (America, Aquila, Caliber, Certified Park, Challenger, Impact, Kenblue, Nassau, Newport, Ram 1, Nugget) 20 30 20 30
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 20 20 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, SR5130 40
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
Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT
JULY Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT AUGUST Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT
Photo Credit: Dwayne Stenlund, MnDOT
Project 2: Best Management Practices
Seeding and Sodding Date May 1 August 1 October 1
Turf Quality (May 2016) Blaine, MN 9 8 a a a a a a 7 ab b Turf quality (1-9) 6 5 4 b b b b b b 3 2 1 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
Water Requirements
Soil Amendments
Turf Quality - St. Paul June 2016 9 8 Turf quality (1-9) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Control 22-5-10 8-2-4 5-8-0 Grade 1 Compost Grade 2 Compost Verdyol Black Amendment type Clipping Yield - St. Paul 14 days after planting in 2015 12 10 a a a Clipping yield (g) 8 6 4 b b b 2 b 0 Control 22-5-10 8-2-4 5-8-0 Grade 1 Compost Grade 2 Compost Verdyol Black Amendment type
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
Project 3: New Irrigation Options and Educational Resources
Watering Methods
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
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
It Works!
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
Project 4: Stress Tolerance Screening Trial 1: Ice encasement Trial 2: Salt tolerance Trial 3: Heat stress tolerance
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
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
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
Questions?