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CONNECTICUT 
ASSOCIATION OF 
GOLF COURSE « 
SUPERINTENDENTS®

s,

AUGUST 1970

VOL. 3 NO. 3

TURFGRASS RESEARCH AT 

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF 

THE GRASS CATCHER

THE UNIVERSITY OF 

CONNECTICUT-A NEED?

Turfgrasses are not a community of 
plants in their natural environment but 
ire under the influence of man and have 
to be manipulated to be used and sur­
vive under the conditions we subject 
them to. When a turfgrass species is 
maintained at a more sophisticated level 
and greater demand is placed upon it, it 
becomes increasingly difficult to manage. 
We will at times alter the ecological 
factors that support and determine the 
response of a plant species in its en­
vironment, often times creating unfore­
seen problems.

With increased emphasis on recrea­
tion, of which golf is a large part, more 
pressure is placed on our turf areas and 
on the men who maintain them. One of 
the golf course superintendents’ respon­
sibilities is to gather new information 
and assimilate it so he can relate and 
apply it in his turf management program 
This is one reason he attends turf con­
ferences and field days along with keep­
ing up with his turfgrass journals. Along 
with the old perennial problem on turf 
that we are faced with, there are also new 
problems which demand a solution. 
Therefore, we should continue to develop 
scientific knowledge about turfgrasses, 
established and substantiated by accept- 
ble research methods, so we will be 
supplied with new information to meet 
the challenges of our profession in the
future.

THATCH IN TURF

by Charles G. Baskin

The accumulation of stems, roots and 
leaf residues under the living mat of grass 
is called thatch. It normally rots away and 
causes no concern. The more intensive the 
management, the more the thatch tends 
to accumulate. Biological control is pres­
ently too slow. On most golf courses 
thatch has to be mechanically removed.

From a microbiological point of view, 
it should be possible to alter the ecological 
balances within the thatch layer so that 
degradation will proceed faster and prob­
lems will be averted.

Little data is available on the ecological 
balances among thatch microflora. Dr. Jay
S.  Koths from the Plant Science Depart­
ment, University of Connecticut is at­
tempting to describe these balances and 
is looking at treatments that may alter the 
ecological balances.

For instance, injecting humic acid, ob­
tained from thatch, in a mist, may stimu­
late a population of microbes that like to 
eat humic acid. When the treatment is 
terminated, it is hoped that they will turn 
their appetites to the thatch. Another ap­
proach is the introduction of microbes 
isolated from other thatch which, under 
appropriate conditions, may establish 
themselves in the test thatch and con­
tribute to thatch degradation. This re­
search, sponsored by the United States 
Golf Association Green Section, was ini-

On September 1 our association will 
hold its Press Day. All Connecticut sports 
writers are cordially invited to attend 
this meeting. Golf will start at 11:00 a.m. 
with dinner scheduled for 7:00 p.m. We 
are hoping for a good turn-out .of writers 
for this event. The meeting will be held 
at one of the finest golf courses in Con­
necticut, the Hartford Golf Club, where 
A1 Hawkins supervises the golf course 
operations.

Also mark down September 15 for the 
Superintendent - Pro - Chairman - Presi­
dent tournament—which will be held at 
the Mill River Country Club. Along with 
the 4 man team championship there will 
be individual Supt.-Pro, Supt.-Chairman 
and Supt.-Pres. flights.

The rapidly increasing size of the An­
nual GCSAA Turfgrass Conference and 
Show has made it necessary for the Execu­
tive Committee to select Conference site 
cities farther in advance than has been 
the case in recent years. Thus, the follow­
ing cities have been officially named as 
Conference site cities for the following 
years:

Denver, Colorado
1971
1972
Cincinnati, Ohio
Boston, Massachusetts
1973
1974
Anaheim, California
New Orleans, Louisiana
1975
Noise pollution is a term we are t

coming more aware of today. The super- 

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