International Turfgrass Society Research Journal最新文献

Acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) is a plant protection compound known for its bacterial control, plant activation, and for enhancing heat and drought stress tolerance in turfgrass. However, the comprehensive transcriptional response to ASM treatment in creeping bentgrass (CB) has not been elucidated. To address this, we assembled RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) reads from bentgrass to create its reference set of expressed genes. By conducting RNA-seq analysis on RNA samples from ASM-treated leaves and controls in CB, we comprehensively identified genes that responded to ASM treatment. To characterize the functional properties of the ASM-responsive genes, we analyzed genes putatively encoding transcription factors (TFs), including WRKY TFs. We identified genes’ putatively encoding WRKY TFs in CB with conserved responses to ASM, analogous to their homologs in Brachypodium, which are known to mediate defense against sheath blight. This identified ASM-responsive gene set will provide a valuable genomic resource for further detailed analysis of gene expression and transcriptional regulation in response to ASM treatment in CB.

In this study, soil carbon content was measured in eight turfgrass plots planted with common Zoysia matrella and nine plots planted with a short-height variety of Z. matrella (TM9) in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and factors influencing carbon content were investigated. The number of years since turfgrass establishment had no significant effect on soil carbon content. “TM9” turfgrass exhibited darker leaf color and tended to have higher soil carbon and nitrogen content at 0- to 10-cm depth compared with common Z. matrella plots. Additionally, leaf color in “TM9” was positively correlated with soil carbon content at 0- to 10-cm depth, a trend not observed in common Z. matrella. These results indicate that soil carbon content in turfgrass is influenced by soil nitrogen content and plant variety.

Water use is the greatest challenge facing the turfgrass industry. Breeding for drought responses is complicated by variable environmental factors, and it can be difficult to determine if selections are based on drought avoidance or drought tolerance mechanisms. The use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) offers potential for development of an efficient screening method for drought tolerance. A preliminary study was conducted to assess different rates of PEG 6000 equilibrated with known osmotic potentials of sucrose to evaluate the turfgrass quality, leaf wilting/firing, and rooting of FAES1305 zoysiagrass. A second study was subsequently conducted using 23% PEG 6000 to screen genotypes of zoysiagrass for their drought responses. Sucrose was unsuitable due to rapid induction of drought stress symptoms. Over the course of a 10-day period, the PEG solutions produced observable changes in turfgrass quality and leaf wilting/firing of FAES1305 zoysiagrass compared to its growth without PEG, thus indicating the potential for use of PEG as a screen for drought tolerance in zoysiagrass. Among nine zoysiagrasses evaluated in the second study, SS-500 (Empire^®), Zeon, and FZ1252 consistently showed earlier and greater signs of drought stress compared to FAES1319 (Brazos^®) and Palisades. The use of PEG 6000 at the concentrations studied is useful to screen multiple genotypes of zoysiagrass for drought responses.

The Japanese Society of Turfgrass Science (JSTS) has published the Journal of Japanese Society of Turfgrass Science for over 50 years. The objective of this research was to provide an overview of Japanese turfgrass research, including that conducted in universities and other research institutes and by prolific scientists, and to visualize co-authorship networks among these researchers. Data related to the journal from 1972 to 2022, and the Researchmap database, which is the largest database of researchers in Japan, were retrieved. The 10 most prolific authors in the Journal of Japanese Society of Turfgrass Science over 50 years were selected. Lists of journal articles written by authors who had published four or more articles in the Journal of Japanese Society of Turfgrass Science were obtained from the Researchmap database, and 209 journal and proceeding titles were retrieved. A total of 750 authors and 771 articles were retrieved from the Citation Information by National Institute of Informatics (CiNii) Research database. In total, 89 authors published four or more, and 661 authors published three or fewer. Among these, the largest cluster was composed of 294 components. The logarithmic relationship between the rank and number of authors in the cluster suggested a power law relationship. According to the cluster analysis results, 131 authors were not connected to any larger clusters, indicating a lack of collaboration. Plant pathology was not connected to the largest cluster. The number of authors per paper peaked in 1992–2012. Tracking authors with many scientific publications may increase the efficiency of literature research.

Yellow nutsedge is a perennial weed that widely infests turf. Herbicides such as glyphosate and acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides like halosulfuron are commonly used to treat yellow nutsedge, but over reliance upon these herbicides has resulted in resistant populations. The objective of this research was to assess the strategy of mixing ALS-inhibiting herbicides with glyphosate for yellow nutsedge control, with a focus on tuber production and viability. Yellow nutsedge single shoots were established in large planter pots containing field soil. Note that 7 weeks after establishment, treatments were applied to yellow nutsedge at the flowering stage. Treatments included single applications of glyphosate, imazaquin, or halosulfuron at the suggested label rate or the label rate of glyphosate in mixture with either 0.75× or 1× label rates of imazaquin or halosulfuron, in addition to an untreated control. By 4 weeks after treatment (WAT), >50% shoot injury was observed with all treatments containing halosulfuron. At 6 WAT, tuber production was reduced by 86% or greater for halosulfuron-containing treatments compared to the untreated control. This effect was comparable to tank mixing the labeled rate of imazaquin with glyphosate. Tuber emergence was 68% for the untreated control, and treatments containing halosulfuron or glyphosate in tank mixture with the labeled rate of imazaquin reduced tuber emergence to 4.2% or less. This research suggests that combinations of halosulfuron or imazaquin with glyphosate constitute an effective control strategy that reduces the potential to select for resistant yellow nutsedge.

In August 2008, a patch disease of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) was discovered at golf courses in Shizuoka and Kyoto, Japan. The disease occurred in dark brown patches that ranged from several to 10 cm in diameter. Affected plant individuals within the patch exhibited dark brown leaf blight and withering. Pyricularia fungi, which cause blast disease in grasses, were observed, and two strains were obtained from the affected plants. Based on the morphological characteristics and the nucleotide sequences of internal transcribed spacer regions with 5.8S ribosomal DNA and the β-tubulin gene, they were identified as Pyricularia oryzae. For pathogenicity tests, the strain was grown in a soil-bran medium and inoculated to creeping bentgrass plants grown in pots. As a result, many spindle-shaped lesions were formed on the leaves, which later showed leaf blight and plant withering. Inoculation was made in the same manner as for other grass species, and the fungus showed pathogenicity on colonial bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass. In conclusion, this is the first report of blast disease of creeping bentgrass by P. oryzae in the world, which has a wide host range in gramineous plants.

The FMG Stadium, a venue located in Hamilton, New Zealand, has defied its size to become a main player in the international sports event hosting scene. Over a 12-month period from November 2022, the stadium witnessed a diverse range of sporting events, showcasing its versatility and adaptability in turfgrass management. Central to the stadium's success is the installation of hybrid turf system back in 2019. With player safety having become the priority for all stadiums, ensuring the turf surfaces meet safety protocols is paramount for their successes. With a hybrid turf system in the venue and the experienced staff, it meant a very successful period with huge international exposure, which is fantastic for Hamilton. FMG Stadium Waikato hosted global and local events, which meant this period was the busiest in the history of the venue, with many code changeovers. Continue reading to see more details on the events and the challenges that occurred.

The present study evaluated the response of “Marauder” Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turfgrass to autonomous mowing, focusing on turf quality and some plant morphological characteristics. The research was conducted at the experimental farm of the University of Padua, Italy, comparing conventional mowing (weekly at 39 mm) with autonomous mowing (daily at 33 mm). The study, carried out between autumn 2023 and spring 2024, included visual assessments of turfgrass quality, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) measurements, and analysis of the morphological parameters: rhizome length, weight density, diameter, thatch depth, number of tillers, and leaf area. Initially, turfgrass quality was superior to conventional mowing, but the differences became nonsignificant over time. The NDVI values showed a similar trend with higher values for conventional mowing only in October. Autonomous mowing led to a thinner thatch layer, higher tiller density, and greater leaf surface area per unit of canopy volume. Kentucky bluegrass demonstrated satisfactory aesthetic quality and vigor under autonomous mowing during the cooler months. However, further research is needed to validate these results and understand how this turfgrass responds during summer.

Recognition^® is a new trifloxysulfuron-sodium formulation containing metcamifen safener (i.e., trifloxysulfuron-sodium & metcamifen; TSM) enabling tank-mixing with fluazifop-P-butyl (FPB) for selective bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) control in St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze], the predominant lawn species in Florida. Three studies were conducted from August to November of 2022 and May to October of 2023 in north-central Florida to ensure the safety of TSM ± FPB to CitraBlue, Classic, Floratam, Palmetto, and Seville St. Augustinegrass maintained as a home lawn. Herbicides (TSM at 18 or 28 g ai ha⁻¹ and FPB at 210, 315, or 420 g ai ha⁻¹ alone or combined) were applied two or three times every 4 weeks from August 12, 2022 (Study 1), twice every 6 weeks from June 7, 2023 (Study 2), and once or twice every 6 weeks beginning in the spring (from May 5) or in the summer (from July 11) of 2023 (Study 3). All treatments in Study 1 provided excellent bermudagrass control but caused severe injury to Seville St. Augustinegrass. In Study 2, only FPB alone led to unacceptable damage, with no differences in herbicide tolerance among CitraBlue, Floratam, and Palmetto cultivars. Study 3 confirmed CitraBlue safety to TSM-based treatments and a higher risk of injury in Seville. Overall, greater phytotoxicity was observed with later-season applications (summer in Study 3 and late summer in Study 1), suggesting increased sensitivity in more susceptible St. Augustinegrass cultivars as the season progresses. While the exact reasons for this require further investigation, our results suggest that metcamifen may not provide effective safening in certain sensitive cultivars, particularly with late-season applications. Therefore, practitioners should exercise caution when using TSM, ideally conduct small-scale tests before broadcasting, and avoid applications in late summer or fall.

Dollar spot is one of the most destructive diseases affecting turfgrass worldwide, impacting both warm- and cool-season species. The causal agents were recently reclassified into a new genus, Clarireedia spp., with six species currently described. In this study, symptomatic plant samples were collected from C3 (Poa annua) and C4 (Paspalum vaginatum) turfgrass species from two golf courses in Spain and identified to species level based on the internal transcribed spacer region. Three isolates from C3 species were identified as Clarireedia jacksonii and three isolates from C4 species were identified as Clarireedia monteithiana. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. monteithiana isolated from symptomatic turfgrass in Spain; however, pathogenicity tests are required to confirm the pathogenicity of these isolates.