UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION
GREEN SECTION
Southwestern Office

Texas A & M College
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS

 

MARVIN H. FERGUSON
SOUTHWESTERN DIRECTOR
NATIONAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Southwestern Turfletter

No. 4 September - 1956
DROUTH EFFECTS ON GOLF COURSES

Throughout the Southwest, the sixth successive abnormally dry year has caused many
golf courses to suffer. In a good many instances water quality rather than quantity
has been an important consideration.

Dallas is the center of many golf course troubles that may be blamed on water. Most
of the clubs have lakes or wells that have permitted major turf areas such as greens
and tees to be kept alive even in the face of restricted water resources. High pil
and a considerable amount of salt in the Lake Dallas water are the main reasons for
concern.

There is one essential requirement for growing good turf when water quality is poor.
That requirement is good drainage.

When the pH of soil rises much above 8.0, there is a very strong possibility that
sodium is contributing to that high alkalinity. Often sodium in appreciable amounts
is present in water in the Southwest during periods of drouth. Sodium is an enemy
of soil aggregation and, therefore, of soil structure, Sodium causes soil particles
to disperse and the soil "runs together." This condition impedes drainage and con-
tributes to still further accumulation of salts.

On the other hand, when soils are of such a nature that water can percolate through
them readily, some of the salts are leached out and these salts therefore do not
accumulate sufficiently to be detrimental to the soil structure,

How does one assure good drainage? The most satisfactory method is to build it in-
to the green during construction. A good subsurface drainage system and a suitable
soil mixture (high in sand) will provide good growing conditions unless water is
extremely bad.

The improvement of drainage in greens which are already in existence and which ars
not properly built is much more difficult. Gypsum (calcimm sulfate), is a material
that has been used in agriculture to improve drainage and to maintain soil structure,
Iron sulfate has a tendency to produce an acid reaction and its use may be beneficia!
in counteracting iron chlorosis which is frequently associated with high alkalinity.
Recently it has been suggested that wetting agents may be helpful in dealing with
situations where there is danger of salt acewmilation because of poor drainare.
Wetting agents reduce the surface tersion of water and allow it to move through the
roil more freely. Soludle salts are therefore more likely to be carried out of the
root sens by this leachine action.

This vear’s experience has helned to etrencthen the conviction of many golf course
sunerintencents that proper construction and a good soil mixture will help to
éliminate the maiority of diffievlties eneccuntered in maintaining turf.

DISHLONE FOR CONTROL OF ALGAE

Dichlone is the official generic name for 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone. This
verial is presently boing marketed under a trade name which will be furnished
upon request.

Dichlone has been found to be effective against bloom producing blue-green algae

at very low rates (30-50 parts per billion), and agsi nst green algae and pond weeds
at higher rates. Early experimental work has been reported by Fitzgerald and Skoog
in Sewage and Industrial Wastes, Vol. 26, No. 9, September 1954. In a paper pre-
sented before the Weed Society of America in January 1956, O'Brien reports the
results of further investigations in the use of dichlone as an algicide. The
following statements are quoted from O'Brien's paper:

"Dichlone hes been tested under a wide range of conditions in farm ponds,
large recreational lakes, irrigation reservoirs, rice fields, fish hatchery ponds,
swimming pools and industrial water recirculation systems. In the testing program
results have varied greatly. This variability is due to several factors which
should be recognized and taken into account in order to use the material most
effectively.

(1) Dosage is of vrims irportance, Thirty to 50 parts per billion seem to
be enough to control certain biue-green forms while four to five times this amount
is raguired to control most species of green algae.

(2) Apparently the chemical is consumed in the process of killing algae, and
hesvy growths recuire a proportionately heavier dosage to give effective control.
Portiai control will release nutrients from the affected algae which may actually
filionlete the growth of the remaining algae. It may be necessary to make a repeat
éanplication within 2 or 3 deys where heavy growths are present to prevent rapid
TeSTowth.

(3) Temnerature of the water has an influence on performance. At temperatures
helow 65°F. Gichlone eppears to be less active, This is probably due to a slowdown
ia growth rato under cool temperature conditions resulting in a slower rate of
eSsorption of the toxicant,

(4) Sunjight appears to have a stimulating effect on the activity of the
chemical.

(£) The chemical content of the water may at times be responsible for a
reduction in activity. For example, salt water lowers the rate of solubility of
dichione while waters high in sulphides will gradually decompose the material.

(6) Studies thus fer indicate that dichlone is most active ata pH of 8.5
cor below."

Anperently, dichlons has not been found generally harmful to fish under test

GOnaGLti ous.
 

GRADUATE STUDENTS IN TURF AT TEXAS A. & M.

Increasing interest in turf is reflected in the increase of graduate students who
are preparing themselves for positions of leadership in this field.

H. L. Howard resumed his graduate study in July following a two year period of
military service. Mr. Howard's work will deal with physical properties of soils
with emphasis on putting green requirements.

Eugene Bockholt plans to complete the requirements for 4 Master's degree in
June 1957. His thesis is based upon research aimed at the chemical control of
Dallisgrass in turf.

John Long has accepted a position with the Agronomy Department where he will spend
a@ considerable portion of his time in turf research. Mr. Long has been associated
with the New Mexico Agricultural and Mechanical College in weed control work. He
plans to do some additional graduate work which will serve as a basis for his com-
pletion of work for the Ph.D. degree,

T. H. Filer, a 1956 graduate at Texas A. & M., has been employed during the past
summer at the Houston Country Club. He begins studies for the Master's degree
this month.

RAYMOND KUNZE TO IOWA STATE

Mr. Raymond Kunze has just finished the requirements for the Master's degree and
he has moved to Iowa State College where he will pursue studies leading to the
Ph.D. degree. Mr. Kunze has done an excellent piece of fundamental work dealing
with the physical properties of putting green soils. An account of this work will
be published in the near future.

Mr. Kunze's scholastic record, together with the quality of his research, earned
for him a valuable fellowship at Iowa State College.

YOUR OPPORTUNITIES. FOR LEARNING

Several Field Days and Turf Conferences have been scheduled for the next few weeks.
One of these will be near enough for you to attend.

September 7 oe Te aes Louis Field Day
Westwood Country Club, Clayton, Missouri.
Leo Bauman.

October 4 & 5...+.+......-New Mexico Turfgrass Conference
New Mexico A. & M. College, Las Cruces, N. M.
Clarence Watson.

October 17, 18 & 19.......Central Plains Turfgrass Conference
Kansas State College, Manhattan, Kansas.
Ray A. Keen.
Southwestern Turfletter

USGA GREEN SECTION

, Al M, Radko
Northeastern Direct, USGA
La.pman Hall,Rutgers Univ.

uns Ack, N. we

 

 

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