Full TGIF Record # 68815
Item 1 of 1
Publication Type:
i
Proceedings
Author(s):Hall, John R.
Author Affiliation:Extension Turf Agronomist, VPI Cooperative Extension Service, Blacksburg, VA
Title:Looking ahead in turf
Section:Lecture notes from Decemeber 1981 New Jersey Turfgrass Expo
Other records with the "Lecture notes from Decemeber 1981 New Jersey Turfgrass Expo" Section
Source:1982 Rutgers Turfgrass Proceedings. Vol. 13, 1982, p. 3-11.
Publishing Information:New Brunswick, NJ: Cook College and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, In cooperation with the New Jersey Turfgrass Association
# of Pages:9
Keywords:TIC Keywords: Golf industry trends
Abstract/Contents:Population, food and energy are three areas that will determine the future health of the turfgrass industry in America. The factors effecting the economic health of the turf industry extend to being global in nature. The 1973-74 oil embargo hurt the industry since disposable income became less. "In 1970 the United States was importing approximately 400,000 barrels of oil per day from the Middle East and by 1980 this figure rose to 6.8 million barrels per day at an approximate cost of $79 billion per year. The cost of oil has risen from $2.00 per barrel in 1971 to $34 per barrel in 1981. These increases in energy cost have rippled through our economy having a generally negative effect upon disposable income and therefore upon the health of the Green Industry." Although the world's population is growing rapidly, "the American farmer's productivity provides us with food at cost which is relatively cheap when compared with areas of the world. It is this cheap food that generates the very disposable income that feeds today's Green Industry. What then does the future of hold for golf? It is obviously that new courses are going to be built on less and less agriculturally desirable land. There will be increasing pressure for shorter golf courses to reduce land areas requirements, and less manicuring of golf courses. There will be increasing pressure for more efficient labor management and the development of machinery that will have multiple uses as opposed to being job specific. Four major areas of concern that will affect the future of the green industry in America are energy, water, pesticide and manpower. The availability and cost of energy will affect mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and equipment and grass selection. High cost of energy will produce pressure for less frequent mowing and higher mowing heights. There will be movement toward less blades per reel and a tendency to move toward the selection of diesel-powered mowers with reels which require 50% less fuel per acre than a rotary of equivalent size. As energy prices increase we will see a tendency toward less fertilization with more emphasis on the total cost of a particular fertilizer program, considering both material and labor cost per unit of response. In the area of irrigation there will be increased demand for more efficient designs and systems to apply fertilizers and pesticides though irrigation systems to reduce application cost. Increased energy costs will necessitate reduced pump power requirements and the use of low pressure heads. High energy costs will increase pressure for low nitrogen requiring grasses which provide the maximum green color per unit of applied nitrogen. Because of the increased cost of producing pesticides, we will see fewer compounds designed specifically for solving turfgrass problems and more use of combination products which will reduce application costs. In the area of manpower our greatest need is for on the job training programs and company-oriented schools."
Language:English
References:7
Note:"August 1982"
Tables
ASA/CSSA/SSSA Citation (Crop Science-Like - may be incomplete):
Hall, J. R. 1982. Looking ahead in turf. p. 3-11. In 1982 Rutgers Turfgrass Proceedings. New Brunswick, NJ: Cook College and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, In cooperation with the New Jersey Turfgrass Association.
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