Six things to get right for top quality turf in Thailand

I suggested careful attention to mowing, fertilizer, the growth rate, soil water content, and the grass variety used, followed by regular and targeted assessment of the surface performance, will invariably lead to top quality turf in Thailand.

Transcript

1. Six things to get right for top
   quality turf in Thailand
   Micah Woods
   5 August 2019
   Chief Scientist
   Asian Turfgrass Center
   www.asianturfgrass.com
   

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2. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   

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3. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   2. Fertilizer
   

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4. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   2. Fertilizer
   3. Growth rate
   

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5. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   2. Fertilizer
   3. Growth rate
   4. Soil water content
   

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6. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   2. Fertilizer
   3. Growth rate
   4. Soil water content
   5. Grass
   

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7. Six things to get right
   1. Mowing
   2. Fertilizer
   3. Growth rate
   4. Soil water content
   5. Grass
   6. Measure results
   

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8. Mowing
   

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9. Riding (golf course type) mowers
   

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10. Pedestrian mowers, USA
    

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13. Pedestrian mowers, Iceland
    

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14. Google search for “mow football pitch”
    

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16. • Mower adjustment
    • Mower type (reel, rotary, or both?)
    • Cut 1
    3
    of leaf blade length
    

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17. Fertilizer
    

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18. Optimum nutrient supply
    

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19. Optimum nutrient supply
    

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20. • about 1 g N/m2/week, then adjust
    • P and K to meet grass requirements
    • pH from 5.5 to 7.5
    • Fe for enhanced colour
    • annual testing of soil nutrient content & pH
    • annual testing of irrigation water quality
    

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21. Growth rate
    

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27. • mowing, fertilizer, & pitch performance are
    linked to growth rate
    • growth rate too rapid means unnecessary
    work & reduced traffic tolerance
    • growth rate too slow means insufficient
    traffic recovery
    • starting point recommendation: 30
    mL/m2/day
    

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28. Soil water content
    

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32. • Ideally have (and use) a soil moisture
    meter
    • Maintain soil water at about 20%
    volumetric water content (VWC)
    

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34. Think about rootzone depth
    • A 30 cm rootzone with 50% pore space and
    25% VWC has space for 75 mm of rain
    • A 15 cm rootzone with 50% pore space and
    25% VWC has space for 37.5 mm of rain
    

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38. Seashore paspalum in a sand rootzone
    

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39. Grass
    

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40. • these rhizomatous and stoloniferous
    grasses can be used in Thailand
    • bermudagrass
    • manilagrass
    • seashore paspalum
    

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41. Measure results
    

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45. Six things to get right
    1. Mowing
    2. Fertilizer
    3. Growth rate
    4. Soil water content
    5. Grass
    6. Measure results
    

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46. More info at the ATC website:
    www.asianturfgrass.com
    

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