Search Results (19)

Turfgrass systems in European urban green spaces, including sports fields, golf courses, and residential lawns, must balance high performance with compliance with stricter pesticide regulations. This review examines Synergistic Pest Management (SPM), an advanced form of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that integrates monitoring, biological, cultural, and targeted chemical strategies for sustainable control of major turfgrass pests. Focus is placed on key insect pests such as Tipula spp. larvae and chafer beetle grubs (Scarabaeidae) and fungal pathogens, including Microdochium nivale, Clarireedia spp., Laetisaria fuciformis, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. avenae, and Colletotrichum spp., which cause significant losses in Central Europe and similar regions. Effective combinations include entomopathogenic nematodes with fungi, endophyte-infected cultivars with optimized mowing and irrigation, and low-dose insecticides paired with biological agents. The review considers how soil conditions, environmental timing, and maintenance practices influence success. Practical tools such as decision-support matrices and a seasonal calendar are provided for regional use. SPM can reduce chemical inputs, enhance biodiversity, and improve turf resilience, but adoption is limited by biological sensitivity, product availability, costs, and technical demands. SPM aligns with EU Directive 2009/128 and offers a pathway to sustainable turfgrass pest management. Future efforts should focus on regional validation, practitioner training, and precision technologies. Full article

To mitigate flood damage caused by overflow from a levee, it is essential to prevent the levee failure or extend the time to breaching. Although turfgrass on a levee slope is effective in suppressing erosion, insufficient maintenance can reduce its coverage. When overtopping occurs under such non-uniform turfgrass conditions, the flow tends to entrain air. In spillways, air entrainment is known to reduce friction loss; therefore, it may also contribute to lowering shear stress and erosion depth. This study conducted flume experiments with artificial turf arranged in various patterns on levee slopes to investigate flow patterns, air entrainment, and erosion. The flow pattern changed depending on the turf arrangement and overflow depth, and air entrainment occurred due to water surface fluctuations around the turfgrass. The inception point of air entrainment was found to be similar to or shorter than that observed in stepped spillways. Furthermore, the experiments showed a tendency for erosion depth to decrease once air entrainment is fully developed. This finding is significant because it suggests that erosion can potentially be minimized not only by reinforcing the levee structure itself but also by modifying flow characteristics through designs that promote air entrainment. Full article

The worldwide adoption of artificial turf in sports facilities and urban landscapes, alongside the systematic transition from natural grass and soil-based grounds, has raised growing concerns about its contribution to the significant source of nano- and microplastics in ecosystems. This review examines current knowledge on the mechanisms of nano- and microplastic generation from artificial turf systems and their environmental impacts. Combined mechanical stress, ultra-violet radiation, and weathering processes contribute to the breakdown of synthetic grass fibers and infill materials, generating particles ranging from nanometer to millimeter scales. These nano- and microplastics are detected in drainage systems and surrounding soils near sports facilities. Laboratory studies demonstrate that artificial turf-derived nano- and microplastics can adversely affect soil microbial communities, aquatic organisms, and potentially human health, through various exposure pathways. While current mitigation approaches include hybrid turf, particle retention systems, and improved maintenance protocols, emerging research focuses on developing novel, environmentally friendly materials as alternatives to conventional synthetic turf components. However, field data on emission rates and environmental fate remain limited, and standardized methods for particle characterization and quantification are lacking. This review identifies critical knowledge gaps, underscoring the need for comprehensive research on long-term ecological impacts and highlights the future goal of mitigating nano- and microplastic emissions from artificial turf systems into the ecosystem. Full article

In order to study the leaching of exogenous nitrogen during green space management and maintenance, the parameters of the model were calibrated through field monitoring and grow box simulation experiments, and the Model for Studying Nitrogen Transport in Green Space Ecosystems was established by using HYDRUS-2D software. Results showed that the model is highly reliable for simulating nitrogen transport in microtopography, with R² values greater than 0.9 and RMSE values below 5. Slope gradient was positively correlated with horizontal nitrogen differences (ammonium and nitrate nitrogen) and negatively correlated with vertical differences (p < 0.05), while nitrogen application was positively correlated with both horizontal and vertical differences in nitrate nitrogen and negatively correlated with ammonium nitrogen (p < 0.05). The vertical differences of soil ammonium nitrogen exhibited a significant negative correlation with slope (−0.837 to −0.851), while the horizontal differences of nitrate nitrogen showed a significant positive correlation, with correlation coefficients of 0.965 and 0.967 for surface and subsurface soils, respectively. The increasing nitrogen application rate exacerbated these discrepancies, with the highest nitrogen treatment (0.312 g) exhibiting the most pronounced differential effects. Notably, the horizontal variation in nitrate nitrogen reached 6.9-fold that of ammonium nitrogen, while the vertical discrepancy demonstrated a 7.0-fold magnitude relative to ammonium nitrogen levels. Full article

The soil water and nitrogen (N) levels are the important factors affecting turfgrass growth. However, the impact of the water–N interaction on tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb) in terms of the N metabolism and plant morphology remains uncertain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of different N and water levels on the physiological and morphological responses of tall fescue. The experiment was designed with N (N₀, N₂, and N₄ representing N application rates of 0, 2, and 4 g m^–2, respectively) and irrigation [W₁, W₂, W₃, W₄, and W₅ representing field water capacities (FWCs) of 90~100%, 75~85%, 60~70%, 45~55%, and 30~40%, respectively] treatments, and the relevant indexes of the soil water content and soil NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N levels as well as the physiology and morphology of the tall fescue were determined. The results demonstrated significant changes in the contents of soil water (SWC) and N and the physiological and morphological indexes, except for the enzymes related to N metabolism, including nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamate synthetase (GOGAT). The water stress significantly enhanced the water and N use efficiencies (WUE and NUE), except the NUE in the W₅ treatment. The N stress significantly influenced the SWC, soil NO₃⁻–N content, and physiological and morphological indexes, excluding malondialdehyde, NiR, GOGAT, and above- (AGB) and below-ground biomass, resulting in the increased WUE and NUE. The application of a low N rate effectively alleviated the detrimental impacts of water stress on the SWC and glutamine synthetase activity. In conclusion, W₂ and N₂ are deemed more appropriate treatments for the low-maintenance measures of tall fescue turf. Among all the treatments, N₂W₂ is recommended as the optimal water–N interaction treatment due to its ability to conserve resources while still ensuring high turf quality. Full article

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) is increasingly implemented worldwide to address stormwater issues while providing co-benefits such as habitat provision. However, research on public perceptions of GSI’s ecosystem benefits is limited, and barriers such as perception and maintenance hinder biodiversity promotion in GSI. Through an online survey (n = 781), we explored how residents in four Northeast US urban areas—Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, MD, New York City, and Philadelphia, PA—perceived the benefits and concerns regarding two types of bioswales (biodiverse and turf). Biodiverse swales feature various plants to promote biodiversity, whereas turf swales are primarily grass-covered. Our analyses included paired-samples t-tests, independent t-tests, one-way repeated measures ANOVA tests, and one-way ANOVA tests to compare perceptions across bioswale types, aspects of benefit/concern, and locations. Both bioswale types were recognized for enhancing green spaces and neighborhood aesthetics. Residents perceived greater environmental and social benefits from biodiverse swales than turf swales, particularly for habitat provision. While overall concerns for both bioswale types were low, potential issues like pest cultivation and the unappealing appearance of biodiverse swales remain significant barriers. Notably, implementing biodiverse swales alleviated initial concerns, especially about pests, suggesting familiarity can enhance acceptance. Location-specific differences in perception were observed, with New York City showing higher perceived benefits and concerns and Montgomery County exhibiting the lowest concerns. This variance is likely due to distinct urban environments, levels of environmental awareness, and demographic profiles. Full article

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) and its hybrids are known for their low maintenance requirements and are widely utilized as warm-season turfgrass, which offers considerable ecological, environmental, and economic benefits in various environments. Molecular genetic approaches, including the identification and genetic engineering of valuable gene resources, present a promising opportunity to enhance the quality and performance of zoysiagrass. This review surveys the recent molecular genetic discoveries in zoysiagrass species, with a focus on elucidating plant responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses. Furthermore, this review explores the notable advancements in gene function exploration to reduce the maintenance demands of zoysiagrass cultivation. In addition, we discuss the achievements and potential of contemporary molecular and genetic tools, such as omics approaches and gene editing technologies, in developing zoysiagrass cultivars with desirable traits. Overall, this comprehensive review highlights future strategies that may leverage current molecular insights to accelerate zoysiagrass improvement and further promote sustainable turf management practices. Full article

Turfgrass systems hold significant climate change mitigation value, but their management often negates the beneficial effects due to the intense adoption of external inputs. The research objective in this paper was to assess the nitrogen fertilization rate able to maintain the ideal esthetic characteristics of Zoysia turfgrass, reducing the environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A two-year open field experiment was conducted. Nitrogen was added to the soil at six rates (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kg ha⁻¹). The GHG emissions were monitored using a portable gas analyzer and the static chamber methodology. Cumulative environmental impacts were calculated from the inclusion of CO₂, CH₄, and, N₂O using the Global Warming Potential (GWP). The quality assessment of the turf was assessed through a visual and instrumental approach. Higher CO₂ and N₂O fluxes were linked to high nitrogen rates, ranging from 83.55 to 87.50 and from 0.046 to 0.047 g N-N₂O ha⁻¹ day⁻¹ for 200 and 250 kg N ha⁻¹, respectively. CH₄ emissions were not correlated to nitrogen rates. Higher GWP impacts were linked to high N rate treatments. A rate of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ is recommended as the best strategy to reduce GHG emissions while maintaining high turf quality. Full article

Lawns, introduced in Australia through English colonial heritage, dominate public spaces in cities, serving various ecosystem functions. Australian lawns consist of non-native grasses that differ from native original vegetation and require intensive management and maintenance. This study explores public perspectives on urban lawns in Perth, Western Australia, an area largely overlooked in ecological and social research in the context of Australia compared to Europe and North America. This paper presents empirical research on public perceptions of urban lawns and alternatives in Perth, Western Australia. The study explores social values and preferences regarding traditional lawns and new options, considering visual appearance, uses, and maintenance. Findings from an online questionnaire, involving 171 respondents, identified seven categories based on a content analysis of lawn definitions: flat area; ground covered by grass; maintained; non-native vegetation; open space; recreational space; and turf grass. The results revealed that respondents most value lawns for aesthetics, cooling and recreation (exercises, walking pets, as a transit area, passive recreation, and social gatherings). At the same time, participants demonstrated an environmental awareness of lawns and the necessity of revisiting the existing planning and maintenance routine based on irrigation and intensive mowing by considering several alternative solutions. While valuing new solutions such as Scaevola patches in dedicated areas and “weedy lawns”, participants still preferred alternatives closest in appearance to a conventional lawn (e.g., lawn grass with Dichondra and lawn grass with clover). The study emphasizes the need for a ‘blended model’ of urban lawns, combining durability with heat-resistant, biodiverse vegetation to address social values and environmental concerns. Full article

Fine fescues (Festuca spp.) and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) are low-input turfgrass species that perform well under less water, pesticides, and fertilizers when compared to commonly cultivated species in the Midwestern US. There are numerous benefits in increasing the use of low-input turfgrasses: lowering resource usage, reducing maintenance costs, improving the landscape aesthetic, and contributing to residents’ health and general wellbeing. However, increasing the market share of these grasses requires an understanding of what influences buyers to purchase these turfgrasses. These grasses are usually purchased by consumers as seed; however, sod is a preferred method of establishment for many professional end users. To better understand the economic potential of low-input turfgrass sod, we surveyed sod buyers (landscapers, golf courses, sports turf managers) who purchased sod in 2020 to investigate (1) the factors impacting them to purchase low-input turfgrasses, and (2) the factors influencing the quantity purchased of low-input turfgrasses. The results from our model showed that larger businesses are the most likely to purchase low-input turfgrasses, and, once they purchase them, they tend to acquire a larger amount than their smaller counterparts. Landscaping businesses were more likely to purchase low-input turfgrasses, and factors such as availability, distance, drought, and shade tolerance impacted the decision to purchase low-input turfgrasses. Finally, turfgrass density, the ability to purchase directly from the sod grower, and availability impacted the amount of turfgrasses that buyers purchased. Full article

Research on the efficacy of innovative, ecofriendly biostimulants in sport turf management is scarce, with less information available from open-field experiments, and even less pertaining to thatch control-related problems. The objective was to investigate the open-field effectiveness of a commercial product, EM-1, and two newly developed products, ExpA and ExpB, in improving both rhizosphere and turfgrass, Agrostis stoloniferous L., characteristics on a golf green. ExpA and ExpB, identical in microbial composition, were equally effective in significantly increasing chlorophyll synthesis and visual turf quality, as well as in resistance to tearing out, compared to the untreated control 56 days after treatment (DAT). EM-1 showed intermediate trends between the control and novel biostimulants. The inclusion of humic acids and mycorrhizal fungi to the microbial composition in ExpB significantly improved some rhizosphere properties 56 DAT relative to the control. Results on ExpB evidenced a significant decrease in the thatch layer thickness and fresh leaf weight, associated with a significant increase in the humus thickness, organic matter decomposition and evapotranspiration efficiency. An increased dry leaf biomass was also shown. ExpA and EM-1 showed either marginal or intermediate improvements relative to the control. ExpB represents a promising alternative to alleviate negative environmental impacts associated with turf maintenance-related activities. Full article

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) is an extensively utilized turf grass for football fields and golf courses. Traffic stress is one of the most important stresses affecting the life of turf, which leads to a decrease in turf quality and changes in the soil microbial community structure. The structural change in soil bacterial community is an important reference for turf growth, maintenance, and restoration. Tifgreen bermudagrass turf and Common bermudagrass turf were applied with traffic treatment by a traffic simulator with moderate intensity to explore soil bacterial community structural changes in turf under traffic stress. The environmental factors including turf quality indicators and soil properties were measured, and the association of the soil bacterial community diversity with the environment factors was analyzed. As a result, traffic treatments significantly changed the soil properties and bacterial community composition in two bermudagrass species at the phylum and genus level. Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia showed significantly high abundance in turf soils under traffic stress. The soil bacterial ACE, Chaol, and Shannon indexes of two bermudagrass species under traffic stress were significantly lower than non-traffic stress. The bacterial community structure was highly correlated with some turf quality indicators and soil properties under traffic stress. Our results illustrate that compared to Common bermudagrass, Tifgreen bermudagrass had better turf quality under traffic stress and less changes in its bacterial community structure, perhaps Tifgreen bermudagrass is a better choice of grass for sports turf as opposed to Common bermudagrass. Full article

Risks to human health and the environment owing to pesticide usage have arisen interest, increasing the demand for reducing pesticide consumption used on golf courses. However, standard guidelines or manuals for reducing pesticide usage on golf courses in Korea are lacking. Herein, the trends of pesticides on golf courses were investigated, and the optimal pesticide usage plan was proposed for continuous pesticide reduction. In 2019, there were 539 golf courses in Korea. With the increasing number of golf courses in 2010–2019, pesticide usage increased continuously. Fungicides accounted for more than half the pesticides used, followed by insecticides and herbicides. Except for golf courses that do not employ chemical pesticides, pesticide usage per unit area varied in the range of 0.02–65.81 kg ha⁻¹ (average of 6.97 kg ha⁻¹). In the US, best management practices and integrated pest management (IPM) have been stipulated and are operational in each state for pesticide management in golf courses, recognizing chemical pesticide usage to be the last approach for pest control and turf health maintenance. Considering that Korea globally ranks 10th in the number of golf facilities and courses, the establishment of IPM practices suitable for domestic conditions is essential. Full article

Cool-season creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) has the ability to form fine sports turf, but high temperatures result in summer bentgrass decline (SBD), especially in transitional and subtropical zones. Physiological responses in combination with the alteration in turf quality (TQ) will contribute to a better understanding of SBD in a subtropical zone. Field experiments were conducted from 2017 to 2019 to test the adaptability to summer stress among four cultivars (13M, Penncross, Seaside II, and PA-1). A constant ambient high temperature above 30 °C significantly decreased the TQ of the four cultivars during the summer months in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Significant declines in the chlorophyll content, photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm and PIABS), leaf relative water content (RWC), and osmotic potential (OP) were induced by summer stress, whereas gradual increases in water-soluble carbohydrates, proline, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and electrolyte leakage (EL) were observed in the four cultivars during the summer months. The 13M and Penncross cultivars exhibited better performance than Seaside II and PA-1 in response to summer stress from 2017 to 2019, which is associated with better maintenance of photosynthesis, water status, WSC and proline accumulation, and cell membrane stability. The 13M and Penncross cultivars could be used as potential candidates for turf establishment in a subtropical zone. Physiological responses together with alterations in TQ also provided critical information for the breeding and development of germplasm with heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass species. Full article

High load quasi stress-strain (qSS) properties of professionally maintained natural turf (N-pro) was compared with eight natural, hybrid or artificial turfs: one professionally maintained natural turf in a sub field and one grown in a test field without maintenance, two hybrid turfs (one in the sub field and one grown in the test field without maintenance), three new artificial turfs (sand, rubber and sand/rubber infill) and one aged artificial turf (eight years old with sand/rubber infill). N-pro was characterized with a distinctive magnitude of plastic deformation and hysteresis profile, indicating its more energy absorbable properties compared to the artificial turfs. Apparent differences exist between N-pro and other natural turfs, suggesting factors such as daily maintenance work and sod compositions are very influential. Clear differences were also observed when the hybrid turf was professionally maintained. The aged artificial turf becomes substantially stiffer indicating usage over years affects the stiffness. Full article