Current Research
The 2010 season is here, research protocols are coming in
Currently the protocols to control turf diseases are coming in. We will continue to test dollar spot and brown patch at fairway and putting green height. This year will be our third season testing products to suppress Waitea patch. Other turf diseases, like fairy ring, will be studied as protocols come in.
Current variety trials
Now that the snow melted we can continue to evaluate our variety trials. We have two bentgrass trials on Sunshine Course and another at Shoreacres near the lake. In these trials we are looking for the varieties that have the most dollar spot resistance (Sunshine Course) and best spring greenup (Shoreacres). We also have two new variety trials on Sunshine Course. Tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass trials were added to our outdoor lab last year. We will be mowing the bluegrass trials down to 3/4 of an inch to test their performance at fairway height. Spring greenup difference have appeared in the tall fescue trial over the last two weeks. It appears that taller growing fescue varieties are growing out of the winter dormancy faster. New, short varieties have green leaves as well, but are not as visible.
Current research trials
Before the snow fell, two trials were set up to study some of the issues we face in the winter months. Our snow mold trials were placed at North Shore Country Club and a trial to prevent winter desiccation was placed at Biltmore Country Club. Although we may not have good disease or desiccation pressure, we will evaluate plant health within these trials.