WERA11: Western Regional Turfgrass Research

(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)

Status: Active

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[02/15/2022] [10/27/2022]

Date of Annual Report: 02/15/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 11/06/2021 - 11/06/2021
Period the Report Covers: 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021

Participants

In person:
Paul Johnson (USU), Kai Umeda (UA), Kelly Kopp (USU), Pawel Orlinski (UCR), Marta Pudzianowska (UCR), Clint Mattox (OSU), Keenan Amundsen (UNB), Nicholas Boerman (USDA), Matteo Serena (UCR), Elena Sevostianova (NMSU), Bernd Leinauer (NMSU)

Via Zoom:
Vance Owens (NIFA), Navneet Kaur (OSU), Michael Neff (WSU), Des Serba (USDA), Zhiqiang Cheng (UHI), Shui Zhang Fei (IAS), Ricardo Ramirez (USU)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes Attachment:

WERA 2021 minues v1.docx

Accomplishments

Accomplishments for 2021 are outlined in the meeting minutes

Publications

Impact Statements

WERA-11 scientists are conducting research on emerging irrigation technologies in cooperation with local water providers and entities as they determine which products to rebate for their customers.

Date of Annual Report: 10/27/2022

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 07/09/2022 - 07/11/2022
Period the Report Covers: 12/01/2021 - 11/30/2022

Participants

K. Amundsen (chair; NW; Nebraska)
N. Christians (Iowa)
T. Nikolai (Michigan)
D. Li (North Dakota)
P. Johnson (AA; Utah)
C.M. Mattox (Oregon)
Z. Cheng (Hawaii)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Brief minutes for the joint WERA11 and NCERA221 multi-state coordinating committee meeting, 2022

Chair Keenan Amundsen (Host State Nebraska) called meeting to order at 8:15 am.

Amundsen provided a brief introduction and discussed the motivation, timing, and location for the meeting. The purpose and importance of the multi-state coordinating committees was also discussed by the committee. Amundsen noted that several members planning to attend the meeting were unable due to travel and other delays. The planned Scandinavian Airlines System strike for that week negatively impacted attendance.

Attendees introduced themselves and described their role at their respective locations.

Nick Christians (Iowa State) presented the historian report, appended to the bottom of these minutes. Christians discussed the importance of maintaining the historian records and briefly discussed recent past meeting locations and planned locations for 2023. Meeting locations for the next calendar year were discussed separately for WERA11 and NCERA221. Alec Kowalewski (Oregon) will host WERA11 and Deying Li (North Dakota) will host NCERA221 in 2023; Kowalewski and Li will serve as chairs in 2023 for their respective multi-state coordinating committees. Locations for 2024 have not yet been determined.

Incoming chairs serve as secretaries in the current year, and Li took minutes for the meeting.

Dr. Aaron Patton (Indiana), prior to the meeting shared that his term as NCERA221 representative to the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Policy Committee was coming to an end and requested that a new representative be selected to serve. Amundsen solicited nominations for the position prior to and during the meeting; Deying Li (North Dakota) and Doug Soldat (Wisconsin) were nominated. Since there was not quorum of NCERA221 members at the meeting, it was determined that the election will be handled virtually, coordinated by Amundsen following the meeting.

State representatives were asked to use a consistent format for reporting their multi-state activities. David Gardner (Ohio State) shared a report format template prior to the meeting that was used for individual annual state reporting by NCERA221 and Amundsen shared a report template for WERA11.

Representatives introduced their programs, summarized their undergraduate and graduate programs, and discussed regional and collaborative research projects. More details are available in the 2022 WERA11 and NCERA221 annual reports.

Prior to the meeting Gardner requested to share information on an ongoing organic crabgrass control trial with a plan to receive research data at the end of this season followed by analysis and preparation for journal article submission, planned for Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. He will send cooperators information in September requesting their data. This led to further discussion on failures in pre-emergence crabgrass control, and subsequent discussion on developing growing degree day models or other prediction tools to optimize herbicide application timing in the region.

Another study that received attention was the use of biocontrols for pest control in turf. Dave Smitley (Michigan State) electronically shared research on the use of biocontrols for Japanese beetle with the committee. Zhiqiang Cheng (Hawaii) described his research on the use of biocontrols and potential applications in the region.

Adjourned at 11 am.

Accomplishments

Collaborative projects initiated to optimize best management practices, establishment, and cultivar selection for growing turfgrasses subjected to winter stress. Regional research supported by more than $16 million, contributing to enhanced turfgrass management. Turfgrass breeding lines were advanced with a goal to develop regionally adapted germplasm and cultivars Use of biological and chemical control of turfgrass pests were tested throughout the region informing turfgrass managers about pest control strategies Several water deficit and salt stress studies were done to identify new germplasm sources or management practices to optimize turfgrass systems water management in arid parts of the western region Multi-year carbon sequestration project was continued to test the ability of turfgrasses to sequester soil carbon

Publications

Amundsen, Keenan; Warnke, Scott E.; Bushman, Bradley S.; Robbins, Matthew D.; Martin, Ruth; Harris-Shultz, Karen. 2021. Colonial bentgrass transcript-expression differences compared with creeping bentgrass in response to water-deficit stress. Crop Science. May. 61(3): p. 2135-2147. Bartel, C.A., K.J. Moore, S.Z. Fei, A.W. Lenssen, R.L. Hintz, and S.M. Kling. 2022. Evaluating Strip and No-Till Maintenance of Perennial Groundcovers for Annual Grain Production. Crops, 2(3), pp.268-286. Bartel, C.A., K.J. Moore, S.Z. Fei, A.W. Lenssen, R.L. Hintz, and S.M. Kling. 2022. Evaluating Chemical Suppression Treatments to Alter the Red: Far-Red Ratio in Perennial Groundcovers for Maize Production. Agronomy, 12(8), p.1854. Bell, N., C. Hollingsworth, G. Stahnke and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Insects: Section F: Turfgrass. Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks. November 1, 2021. F1-F12. Berndt, WL, RE Gaussoin. 2022. Predicting Munsell color for turfgrass leaves. Crop Science. In press Braithwaite, E., B. McDonald, C. Schmid and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Evaluation of selected fungicides for preventative control of Rhizoctonia cerealis on annual bluegrass in western Oregon, 2020. Plant Disease Management Report. Report No. 15:T036. Retrieved September 9, 2021. <a href="https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t036.asp">https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t036.asp</a> Braithwaite, E., B. McDonald, C. Schmid and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Evaluation of single fungicide applications for curative control of Rhizoctonia cerealis on annual bluegrass in western Oregon, 2020. Plant Disease Management Report. Report No. 15:T035. Retrieved September 9, 2021. <a href="https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t035.asp">https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t035.asp</a> Braithwaite, E., C. Schmid, and A. Kowalewski. 2022. Evaluation of fungicides for control of Microdochium nivale on annual bluegrass in western Oregon, 2021-2022. Plant Disease Management Report. Accepted July 1, 2022. Braithwaite, E., T. Stock and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Integrated Pest Management Effects on Weed Populations Managed Without Herbicides in the Pacific Northwest. Int Turfgrass Soc Res J. 2021; 1-4. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.51">https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.51</a> Braithwaite, E., C. Stover, C. Schmid, and A. Kowalewski. 2022. Evaluation of fungicide programs for control of Colletotrichum cereale on annual bluegrass in western Oregon, 2021. Plant Disease Management Report. Accepted July 1, 2022. Braun, R.C., E.T. Braithwaite, A.R. Kowalewski, E. Watkins, A.B. Hollman, and A.J. Patton. 2022. Nitrogen Fertilizer and Clover Inclusion Effects on the Establishment of Fine Fescue Taxa. Crop Science. 62:947-957. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20704">http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20704</a> $, M, R, M, V, G, W2 Braun, R.C., A.J. Patton, E. Watkins, A.B. Hollman, J.A. Murphy, B.S. Park, A.R. Kowalewski, and E.T. Braithwaite. 2021. Optimal Fine Fescue Mixture Seeding Dates in the Northern United States. Agronomy Journal.  2021; 1-16. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20859">http://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20859</a> Burayu, W. and K. Umeda. 2021. Versatile Native Grasses and a Turf-Alternative Groundcover for the Arid Southwest United States. J. Environ. Hort. 39(4):160–167. <a href="https://turf.arizona.edu/Umeda%20Dec%202021%20JEH%20nativegrasses.pdf">https://turf.arizona.edu/Umeda%20Dec%202021%20JEH%20nativegrasses.pdf</a> Burayu, W. and K. Umeda. 2021. Performance of Two Varieties of Kurapia Under Drip Irrigation [Abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT. <a href="https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2021am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/132815">https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2021am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/132815</a> Bushman BS, MD Robbins, SE Warnke, R Martin, K Harris-Shultz, K Amundsen. 2021. Gene expression differences for drought stress response in cool-season turfgrasses.  Int. Turfgrass Soc. Research Journal DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.25 Cain, A., E. Braithwaite, B. McDonald, A. Kowalewski and M. Elmore. 2021. Irrigation Frequencies and Reference Evapotranspiration Replacement Effecting Annual Bluegrass Populations in Western Oregon. Int Turfgrass Soc Res J. 2021; 1-5. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.70">https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.70</a> Cain, A., A. Kowalewski, B. McDonald and C. Mattox. 2021. Irrigation Rates and Frequencies for Western and Eastern Oregon Turfgrass. OSU Extension Service. EM 9311. <a href="https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9311">https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9311</a> Carlson, M. G., Gaussoin, R. E., & Puntel, L. A. (2022). A review of precision management for golf course turfgrass. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management, 8, e20183. https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.20183 Chen, A.A., S.Z. Fei, A.W. Lenssen, and K.J. Moore, 2022. Photothermal controls of vegetative dormancy in Poa secunda. Grassland Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.12008 Chen A, S. Fei, A. Lenssen, and K.J. Moore. 2022. Evaluating cool-season grass species as potential perennial groundcover for maize production. Agronomy J. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21087. Christians, N., B. Pease, and A. Thoms. 2021. The mathematics of tank mixing. SportsField Mgmt. April:26-28. Dreves, A. J., Kaur, N., DeFrancesco, J. T., Van Slambrook, L. G., Fisher, G. C., Rondon, S., Anderson, N. P. 2021. Pocket Guide to Grass Seed Pests and Beneficials: Identification, Monitoring, Management. EM 9318 <a href="https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9318">https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9318</a> Dung, J. K. S., Duringer, J. M., Kaur, N., Scott, J., Frost, K. E., Walenta, D. L., Alderman, S. C., Craig, A. M., Hamm, P. B. 2021. Molecular and Alkaloid Characterization of Claviceps purpurea Sensu Lato From Grass Seed Production Areas of the US Pacific Northwest. Phytopathology 111: 831-841. Ervin, D.E., L. Mitchell Dixon, A. Montry, A.J. Patton, B. Bowling, M.T. Elmore, T.W. Gannon, J.E. Kaminski, A.R. Kowalewski, J.D. McCurdy, J.S. McElroy, J.B. Unruhl, and M.V. Bagavathiannan. 2022. Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities for Improved Lawn Weed Management: insights from U.S. Lawn Care Operators. Outlooks on Pest Management. 33(3): 95–100. Ham, J., Aksland, I., Casey, D., Koski, T., Qian, Y. (2021). Wireless Soil Moisture Measurement in Turfgrass with Internet-of-Things (IoT) Technology and Low-Cost Sensors. 6th Decennial National Irrigation Symposium. (Published: December 2021) Hao J, Y. Yin, and S Fei. 2021. A Novel Method of Generating RNAi Library for High Throughput Gene Function Analysis in Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). Intl Turfgrass Res J. Isweiri, H., Qian, Y.L., Davis, J. D. 2021.  Comparison of fresh versus effluent water irrigation on soil chemical properties of golf course greens and fairways. International Turfgrass Society Res. J. 14: 182-193. Isweiri, H., Qian, Y.L, Davis, J. (2021). Interactive effects of waterlogging and salinity on perennial ryegrass and alkaligrass. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal, 14: 266-275.  <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/its2.60">http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/its2.60</a>. Kaur, N., editor. 2021. Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook [online]. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University. <a href="https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect">https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect</a> Kowalewski, A. 2022. Weed Management: Section U: Turfgrass. Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks. Dec 2021. U1-U24. Kowalewski, A. 2021. Weed Management: Section U: Turfgrass. Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks. March 2021. U1-U24. Li, L., Sousek, M., Reicher, Z., & Gaussoin, R. (2021). Strategies for increased yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) control in turfgrass with halosulfuron, sulfentrazone, and physical removal. Weed Technology, 35(6), 894-900. doi:10.1017/wet.2021.43 Lindsey, A.J., A.W. Thoms, M.D. McDaniel, and N.E. Christians. 2021. Plant-available soil nitrogen fluxes and turfgrass quality of Kentucky bluegrass fertilized with humic substances. Crop Sci. doi:10.1002/csc2.20592 Lindsey, A.J., A.W. Thoms, M.D. McDaniel, and N.E. Christians. 2021. Evaluation of humic fertilizers on a sand-based creeping bentgrass putting green. Crop Sci. doi:10.1002/csc2.20577 Lindsey, A.J., A.W. Thoms, J. Dancer, and M. Gross. 2021. Evaluation of algae-based fertilizers produced from revolving algal biofilms on Kentucky bluegrass. Agron. 11(7):1288. doi:10.3390/agronomy11071288 Lindsey, A.J. and A. Thoms. 2021. Soil health solutions. Turf Magazine. Winter. 34(4):16-17, 35. Lindsey, A., and A. Thoms. 2021. Impact of humic fertilizers on putting green turfgrass and soil health. Golf Course Manage. Nov. 89(11):70-74. Lindsey, A.J., A. Thoms, N. Christians, and R. Adams. 2021. Natural (organic) fertilization for turf. Iowa State University Extension Publication. HORT 3031. p. 7. Lindsey, A., A. Thoms, and N. Christians. 2021. Turfgrass calendar: warm-season grasses for lawns. Iowa State University Extension Publications. HORT 3105. p. 3. Lindsey, A., A. Thoms, and N. Christians. 2021. Turfgrass biological soil health. Iowa State University Extension Publication. HORT 3111. p. 3. Marshall, Collin; Warnke, Scott; Amundsen, Keenan. 2022. Simple sequence repeat marker development and diversity analysis in buffalograss. Crop Science. May/June. 62(3): p. 1373-1382. Mertz, I., A. Thoms, and N. Christians. 2021. Glycerin-based nitrogen applications for turfgrass growth. Intl. Turf. Soc. Res. J. doi:10.1002/its2.83 Moore, V.M., B. Schlautman, S.Z. Fei, L.M. Roberts, M. Wolfe, M.R. Ryan, S. Wells, and A.J. Lorenz. 2022. Plant Breeding for Intercropping in Temperate Field Crop Systems: A Review. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21087. Kaur, N., Van Slambrook, L. G., Koppel, A. L., Anderson, N. P. 2021. Efficacy of Selected Insecticides for Aphid Management in Grass Grown for Seed Crops, 2020. Arthropod Management Tests 46: tsab110. Kaur, N., Van Slambrook, L. G., Anderson, N. P., Whitener, A. B., Verhoeven, E. C. 2021. Efficacy of Selected Insecticides for Sod Webworm Management in Fine Fescue for Seed Crops, 2020., Arthropod Management Tests 46: tsab128. Kowalewski, A., A. Cain, E. Braithwaite, B. McDonald, and C. Schmid. 2022. Nitrogen Fertility Rates Affecting Weed Population Dynamics in a Perennial Ryegrass Stand in Western Oregon. International Turfgrass Research Journal. 2022; 1-6. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.106">https://doi.org/10.1002/its2.106</a> Mattox, C., B. McDonald and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Managing Microdochium Patch in Pacific Northwest Turfgrass. OSU Extension Service. EM 9321. <a href="https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9321">https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9321</a> McDonald, B., E. Braithwaite, C. Mattox, C. Schmid, R. Wang, and A. Kowalewski. 2021. Evaluation of selected fungicides for control of Microdochium patch on annual bluegrass in western Oregon, 2020-2021. Plant Disease Management Report. Report No. 15:T037. Retrieved September 9, 2021. <a href="https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t037.asp">https://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/volume15/abstracts/t037.asp</a> McDonald, B., A. Kowalewski, C. Mattox, E. Braithwaite, C. Schmid. 2021. Effects of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Rates on Microdochium Patch. Turfgrass Soc Res J. 2021;1-4. <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/its2.28">http://doi.org/10.1002/its2.28</a> McNally, B.C., M.T. Elmore, A.R. Kowalewski, and A.B. Cain. 2022. Phosphorus influences annual bluegrass competitiveness at seeding in perennial ryegrass and creeping bentgrass. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. Accepted July 26, 2022. Obear, Glen R. 2021. Ph.D. Dissertation: Formation of B Horizons in Engineered Putting Green SoilsThe University of Nebraska. xi, 110 pp. Patton, A.J., M. Elmore, J. Kao-Kniffin, B. Branham, N. Christians, A. Thoms, S. Keeley, T. Shaddox, T.A. Nikolai, M. Reiter, L. Miller, X. Xiong, B. Kreuser, R. Gaussoin, M. Carroll, D. Li, D. Gardner, Z. Raudenbush, P. Landschoot, D. Soldat, and P. Koch. 2021 Turfgrass weed control for professionals. Purdue University Extension Publication. HORT 3066. p. 132. Patton, A., R. Braun, M. Reiter, E. Watkins, A. Kowalewski, P. Koch, J. Murphy. 2021. Fine Fescues in Minimal-to-no Mow Areas. Purdue Extension TURF-67. Accepted October 1, 2021. Patton, A., R. Braun, M. Reiter, E. Watkins, A. Kowalewski, P. Koch, J. Murphy. 2021 Fine Fescues: Understanding the Differences. Purdue Extension. TURF-63. Accepted October 1, 2021. Pease, B., N. Christians, and A. Thoms. 2021. Tank mixing procedures. SportsField Mgmt. May:18-20. Qian, Y. (2021). Slow/controlled-release fertilizer applications and nitrous oxide emissions from fairways and roughs. The Reporter (Rocky Mountain Chapter GCSAA), 56(4), 16-18.. (Published: July (3rd Quarter/Summer) 2021) Schlautman, B., C. Bartel, L. Diaz-Garcia, S. Fei, S. Flynn, E. Haramoto, K. Moore, and D.R. Raman, 2021. Perennial groundcovers: an emerging technology for soil conservation and the sustainable intensification of agriculture. Emerging Topics in Life Sciences, 5(2):337-347. Stahnke, Gwen K.; Rieke, Paul E.; Cookingham, Pete O.; Shearman, Robert C.; Gaussoin, Roch E.; Kopec, David M. 2022. James B Beard: The father of contemporary turfgrass science. International Turfgrass Society Research Journal. June. 14(1): p. 1-11 Thoms, A.W., R. Bearss, J.N. Rogers, and J.C. Sorochan. 2021. An evaluation of mat hybrid turfgrass systems under simulated traffic. Short Comm. Intl Turf. Soc. Res. J. 1-5. doi:10.1002/its2.58 Thoms, A., S. Lord, and W. Appelfeller. 2021. Selecting and making the most of an internship. SportsField Mgmt. May:14-16. Thoms, A., and N. Christians. 2021. Turfgrass renovation. Iowa State University Extension Publication. HORT 3113. p. 5. Thoms, A., N. Christians, and M. Agnew. 2021. Purchasing seed. Iowa State University Extension Publication. HORT 3112. p. 2. Umeda, K., S. Nair, and M. Chamberland. 2021. Clear up the confusion: Know how to select the appropriate herbicide to control weeds. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension publication AZ1914-2021. <a href="https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1914-2021.pdf">https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1914-2021.pdf</a>  June 2021. Umeda, K., D. Kopec, and S. Nair. 2021. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua) control in non-overseeded bermudagrass and winter overseeded turfgrasses in low desert Arizona. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension publication AZ1885-2021. <a href="https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1885-2021.pdf">https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1885-2021.pdf</a> May 2021. Waisen, P., Z. Cheng, B.S. Sipes, and K.-H. Wang. 2022. Biofumigation effects of Brassicaceous cover crops on soil health in cucurbit agroecosystems in Hawaii, USA. Pedosphere, 32(4): 521–531. Williams, Dallas M. 2021. M.S. Thesis: A Method for Visualizing Water Flow Through Modified Root Zones. University of Nebraska. [2], v, 54 pp Xu N, J. Zobrist, K. Wang, and S. Fei. 2021. Genetic transformation of recalcitrant upland switchgrass using morphogenic genes. Frontiers in Plant Science.  doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.781565. Yaling Qian and Sarah Wilhelm.  2021.  Compost topdressing to suppress necrotic ringspot and improve overall health of Kentucky bluegrass lawns. Int Turfgrass Soc Res J. 14: 967-971.

Impact Statements

Genome sequencing of turfgrass species in support of genetics and genomics research.