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| Web URL(s): | http://sturf.lib.msu.edu/article/2007jan14.pdf
Last checked: 12/16/2009
Requires: PDF Reader |
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| Publication Type:
| Professional |
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| Author(s): | Henderson, Jason |
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| Author Affiliation: | Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut |
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| Title: | Right rootzone recipe maximizes performance |
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| Section: | Field science
Other records with the "Field science" Section
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| Source: | SportsTurf. Vol. 23, No. 1, January 2007, p. 14, 16-18. |
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| Publishing Information: | Chicago, IL: Bev-Al Communications (m2media360) |
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| # of Pages: | 4 |
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| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Root zone mixture; Comparisons; Sand-based athletic fields; Native soil fields; Sports turf maintenance; Physical properties of soil
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| Abstract/Contents: | Discusses the role of the rootzone in turfgrass health and performance. Suggests that "athletic field rootzones pose a very interesting challenge. They must provide an environment suitable for sustaining turfgrass growth and maintain a consistent, stable playing surface despite the rigors of athletic competition." Explains that "there are two primary rootzone construction types: native soil-based and sand-based. The ultimate success of any athletic field, regardless of construction type will depend on the quality of specifications for construction, skill of athletic field manager, maintenance budget, and a cooperative coaching staff." Profiles native-soil based rootzones, stating that "some of the highest quality cool-season athletic fields in the [United States] are constructed using native soil, but they were constructed correctly, aggressively managed, and the maintenance staff has convinced the coaches to constantly change traffic patterns." Explains that "the primary concern with native soils is their susceptibility to compaction. Native soils depend heavily on stoil structure to develop the necessary amount of relatively large soils [soil] pores (macropores) to enable rapid drainage and soil aeration." Suggests that "a Proctor compaction test should be completed before construction to determine the optium water content of the soil...This information can be used to specify limited soil disturbance while the water content is equal to or greater than optimal water content to prevent excessive compaction." Emphasizes that "it is extremely important that native soil fields are designed to have the ability to remove excess water from the playing surface." States that "there are two ways to remove excess water from the playing surface; surface drainage and rootzone permeability." Describes sand-based rootzones, stating that "in an effort to increase the stability of athletic fields, a laboratory study was inititated at Michigan State University [in East Lansing, Michigan] in 1998 to determine the percentage of silt and clay that could be added to a sand to maximize stability whle retaining adequate root zone permeability." Details methods and materials used in the study, stating that "a well-graded sand was mixed with a sandy loam textured soil to produce eight different mixtures. Each mix was compacted at three water contents (5,9,13% by weight). The eight sand-soil mixtures were subjected to four different analyses: Standard Proctor Compaction Test (ASTM D698-00), California Bearing Ratio (ASTM D1883-94), saturated hydraulic conductivity, and pore size distribution." Reports that "it required 10% silt and clay combined to substantially increase the bearing capacity (soil strength) of the rootzone while still retaining adequate permeability (7.5 in./hr. [inches per hour])." States that "research contributed to selecting the roozone constituents for the playing surface conversion of Spartan Stadium in 2002, the main venue for football games on the campus of Michigan State University. Thanks to Amy Fouty, CSFM [Certified Sports Field Manager], and her crew, Spartan Stadium received the STMA [Sports Turf Managers Association] Field of the Year honors for the College and University Category in 2005." Concludes that "the key to a high quality athletic field, regardless of construction type, starts with quality specifications, complete testing of materials before construction and a quality control testing program throughout the construction process." |
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| Language: | English |
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| References: | 0 |
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| Note: | Pictures, color |
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| ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
Henderson, J. 2007. Right rootzone recipe maximizes performance. SportsTurf. 23(1):p. 14, 16-18. |
| Fastlink to access this record outside TGIF: https://tic.msu.edu/tgif/flink?recno=131844 |
| If there are problems with this record, send us feedback about record 131844. |
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| Web URL(s):
http://sturf.lib.msu.edu/article/2007jan14.pdf
Last checked: 12/16/2009
Requires: PDF Reader |
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MSU catalog number: b2472380a |
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