Training & Development
Can Lollium perenne utilise applications of sugar? (Student: P Cook)
There are increasing numbers of biostimulants available for use in the sportsturf sector. Making sense of all the sales literature, researching the mode of action and uncovering empirical evidence of their efficacy and value to an existing maintenance programme is not always straightforward.
Within this subject area, the use and application of simple sugars to turf has raised much debate over recent years. Central to the discussion is whether the grass plant can utilise the sugars, or whether they stimulate the rootzone microbial population by releasing nutrients which stimulate plant growth.
A laboratory based study was designed to test this, growing Lollium perenne plants aseptically (under sterile conditions) for 30 days, with applications of sucrose made into the growing medium at four concentrations (0, 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5%).
“The college has been running this course for a number of years now and the graduates have proved, time and time again, that they are the innovators and industry leaders of the future”
Measuring consistency between the playing quality of practice putting greens and on-course putting greens? (Student: N Thomas)
This project was conceived when a golfer was overheard, following a round of golf, complaining that the reason he had putted badly was that the putting surfaces on the course were drastically different from the putting surface of the practice green.
The measure of consistency as a playing quality is an important concept, and one that is sometimes forgotten during the measurement and reporting of green speed, firmness and smoothness, all of which have well established and validated measurement techniques.
Golf green playing surface
conditions preceding the visit were recorded.
Lolium perenne seedlings grown under sterile conditions
A number of assessments were made, but the key measurements were carried out at the end of the trial, recording shoot dry weight and root dry weight.
Shoot and root dry weights were both significantly increased by the application of sucrose to the growing media, with root and shoot extension visibly greater. This suggests that sucrose solution has been taken up by the plant and that applications of simple sugars can be utilised by the plant in isolation from any rootzone micro-organisms.
A study was devised whereby twenty golf courses were visited and the playing quality (green speed, smoothness, firmness, species composition and moisture content) of the practice golf green and of the 18th green were measured and compared. The course managers were interviewed with regards to cultural practices in place on both surfaces, and local environmental
Playing Quality
Green speed (stimp) Green firmness (clegg)
Green smoothness (visual scale) Moisture content (theta)
The BSc Sportsturf Science and Management course has a number of outcomes, but a key component of the dissertation module within this course is to allow the student to understand the process of carrying out research and being able to correctly interpret statistics and trial results. This should allow each student to develop the confidence to question marketing literature and sales staff and so make better informed decisions for sports surface management.
Mean shoot dry weight. Letters denote heterogeneity at P<0.05 significance
The sportsturf staff and students at Myerscough College are always looking for new products to independently test and new ideas for research projects; please get in touch if you want to discuss further.
The results raised a number of interesting points, but the key finding was that there were only small differences recorded between practice facilities and on-course surfaces, and none of these were statistically significant. For the golf courses in the survey, these differences were minor and would certainly not be easily noticed by your average golfer. The study suggests that the maintenance of the practice putting greens in this study are as rigorous as those of the on course greens.
Practice Green (mean) 252cm (8' 3'' feet)
70-80g 7.5
33.5%
Playing Green (mean) 260cm (8' 5'' feet)
80-90g 8.0
34.2%
Research skills can be further developed by enrolling on an MRes (Masters by research) project. These would need to be independently financed, but allow the opportunity to study a research project for a year, producing a Masters dissertation for examination.
If you are interested in studying on a sportsturf course, Foundation degree, BSc (Hons) or a Masters by research programme, please contact our Course Enquiries Team on 01995 642211 or email
enquiries@myerscough.ac.uk
Alternatively, tweet us @myerscoughcoll or follow Myerscough College on Facebook.
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 129
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