In the summers of 2018-19, two trials were conducted at the Hancock Turfgrass Research Center in East Lansing, MI to evaluate the viability of fraze mowing cultivation and dazomet fumigation for cool-season fairway renovations. Both trials were conducted on native and sand topdressed (TDS) blocks. In Trial 1 (Rate Study), plots were stripped with fraze mowing cultivation and dazomet was applied either; once at rates of 0, 293.7, or 588.7 kg ha-1 or twice at rates of 146.8 or 293.7 kg ha-1. Plots of Trial 2 (Disturbance Study) were subjected to 0, 15, 50 or 100% fraze mowing surface disturbance and uniformly fumigated with dazomet at 293.7 kg ha-1. Dazomet was incorporated mechanically in either Trial via Tillage or Solid-Tine (ST) cultivation and followed procedures consistent with the fumigant label. 5-days after fumigation, all plots were seeded with creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) [CBG]. In the Rate Study, interval treatments provided the most consistent control of ABG emergence across seasons. Only treatments applied once at 293.7 kg ha-1 failed to yield greater CBG cover than the control. In the Disturbance Study, plots fraze mowed to 100% and cultivated by tillage achieved the greatest ABG control but poorest CBG cover. Across trials, no single treatment provided complete or acceptable control of ABG and fraze mowing cultivation impeded CBG establishment. Fraze mowing cultivation simplified the removal of surface material but did not provide acceptable ABG control at any level of surface disturbance or dazomet treatment applied.
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