THE LATEST TURF INDUSTRY NEWS
Publications from the Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, MSU Turf and Landscape Digest, MSU Pest Management Digest, MSU Gardening in Michigan Digest and the USGA Green Section have been recently released. The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation is proud to share recent news and support these exceptional turf related programs at Michigan State University and turf related organizations throughout our industry.
Find out more about the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation by visiting our website or connecting with us on Facebook or Twitter.
MSU Pest Management Digest
Box tree moth sampling concludes for 2022
October 20 | David Lowenstein
In a world connected by trade and long-distance travel, plants and insects are sometimes accidentally brought with people, plants and cargo to new locations. Michigan residents are familiar with past examples such as the emerald ash borer and the more recent detection of the spotted lanternfly. Not every non-native species that arrives will become established and create nuisance or economic problems. Sometimes, non-native insects are detected at ports of entry or through routine inspection of international commerce and plant stock. This is the pathway that the box tree moth was first detected in the United States.
Suspect herbicide resistance? Submit weed seeds for screening
October 19 | Erin Hill
As we begin to prepare for fall harvests and make plans for the next year, consider any weeds that have escaped control with herbicides. If you are seeing survival in weeds that used to be controlled by your herbicide program, herbicide resistance could be an issue. Michigan State University Plant & Pest Diagnostics offers bioassay screening of weed species for herbicide resistance starting in the fall and winter months of each year. This screen can confirm resistance and rule out the many other factors that could contribute to weed escapes.
MSU Turf and Landscape Digest
Learn about lakes in the upcoming Introduction to Lakes Online course
October 21 | Bindu Bhakta and Paige Filice
Michigan residents are fortunate to live in a lake-rich state and continuously get to enjoy the clean water, picturesque views, and the wide variety of fish and wildlife that go along with healthy inland lakes. Not to mention the plentiful amounts of recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, hunting and swimming. As the summer is beginning to wind down, now is a great time for those who enjoy Michigan’s inland lakes to learn more about them and how to keep them healthy.
Michigan Turfgrass Foundation
2023 MTF Student Scholarship Application
The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation Student scholarships will be bestowed to students enrolled in the 2- or 4-year Turfgrass Programs. 5 Scholarships are available to students who are registered as student members of the MTF and with qualifying requirements as stated for each individual award.
Michigan Turfgrass Conference and Vendor Halftime Show Registration Now Open
The Michigan Turfgrass Foundation exists to promote safe, healthy turf surfaces for all Michigan residents. The goal of our annual conference is to present the latest findings in turfgrass management, fertility, soils, diseases, weeds, pesticides and other timely topics pertaining to the industry.
2023 Michigan Turfgrass Conference
January 10th – 12th
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
The Halftime Show at the Michigan Turfgrass Conference is a great opportunity for turf industry professionals to get in front of hundreds of Michigan golf course superintendents, parks and recreation facilities, landscape companies and other turf related professionals. The halftime show takes place Wednesday, January 11th from 4:00pm to 6:30pm, after the educational sessions.
MSU Turf School
Attend MSU’s Turf School short course in December
The MSU Turf School is a 4-day program that teaches the basics of turfgrass science as well as the practical techniques of managing turfgrass. The school will be “team taught” by MSU turfgrass faculty and staff. The program covers a wide range of turfgrass management topics including basic soils and soil management, turfgrass species identification, selection and physiology, turf establishment and renovation, fertilization, proper pesticide use, and environmental stewardship. A significant portion of the school is dedicated to weed, insect, and disease identification and management. The pest management section is delivered in lecture and laboratory settings with hands-on learning emphasized. The strength of the school lies within the depth of the turfgrass faculty at MSU. This will provide an excellent opportunity for one-on-one interaction between participants and the MSU turfgrass faculty. This is your chance to get to know the MSU Turf Team – all team members instruct, that includes…..Vargas, Rogers, Frank, Nikolai, Holm, Gilstrap, and Dykema – if you know the name but not the face, this is your chance to meet the team and get all your questions answered!
USGA Green Section Record
Stripes vs. 50-50 Fairway Mowing - Which is Faster?
Most golf courses mow their fairways in either a pattern of crossing stripes or in a “50-50” pattern where half the fairway is mown toward the tee and half toward the green. Aesthetic preferences are often the deciding factor in which pattern is used, but what if data showed that one is more efficient than the other? The USGA Green Section initiated a study to see which fairway mowing pattern is faster and sought to measure the difference in a real-world scenario. The results identify opportunities for meaningful time savings that courses should consider.
