The first day of GCSAA's annual education conference is slightly more than half over, and I have had the opportunity to sit in on a few seminars, talk to some superintendents and instructors, and pick up some bits of information. Since I don't attend seminars like a serious student, I'll just provide some bits and pieces on the off chance that you might learn something new as well.
1. Bob Carrow, Ph.D., from the University of Georgia has been working with Toro on advanced programs for precision irrigation that will be especially beneficial for golf courses and community sports fields. The new technology should improve water conservation and address player safety issues for sports fields. (You may have read Bunny Smith's earlier blog about Bob's talk today. He was the first person I saw when I walked into the building this morning, so precision irrigation was on his mind.)
2. Aaron Patton (Purdue) and Mike Richardson (University of Arkansas) gave a morning seminar on seeded warm-season grasses. I learned that the purple color of Meyer zoysiagrass seedheads makes them impossible to miss. Other zoysiagrasses do not share this trait.
4. Some herbicides that are safe on seashore paspalum seedlings at two weeks after emergence include: Lontrel, Manor/Blade, Sedgehammer, Drive 75 DF, Quicksilver and Tourney.
3. Keith Karnok (University of Georgia) has not completely retired (he's teaching a seminar on managing Turfgrass Root systems in the southern and transition climate zones), and he still uses a trumpet sound to announce take-home messages from his seminar (and keep his students awake). People in the building who are unaware of this teaching device sometimes think that someone has a very loud cell phone.
5. Dr. Karnok says that bermudagrass can initiate new roots within 24 hours, but St. Augustinegrass can take up to two weeks.
6. If your turfgrass is suffering from spring root dieback, hold back on the nitrogen.
7. Auburn (Scott McElroy [weeds], Dave Held [insects] and Penn State (John Kaminski [plant pathology])have joined forces to teach about pesticides and the environment. Dave Held pointed out that today's insecticides are not your dad's (or grandfather's) insecticides. Today's insecticides are molecules designed specifically to target receptors in the insect's system. Although Dave has been an entomologist for several years, this is his first trip to GIS, and he hopes to come back often.
I learned so much more than this, but I need to sign off now so I can hear the latest about golf's carbon footprint.
Comments