eternal sunshine of the spotless green: light, shade, and turf
DESCRIPTION
Turf has the potential to grow at its best in full sun. Restrictions in light, caused by shade from trees, structures, and clouds, can make it difficult to produce high quality turfgrass. This presentation will give a simple explanation of the easy units and meters than can be used to assess the photosynthetically available light reaching the turf, and will discuss the maintenance practices that can be implemented to optimize turf performance when turf is grown in less than eternal sunshine.TRANSCRIPT
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Green: light, shade, and turfMicah Woods, Ph.D.Chief Scientist | Asian Turfgrass Center6 October 20142014 NTA ConferenceChambers Bayseminar.asianturfgrass.com/2014_nta.html
How to deal with shade issues?
Kyushu, Japan
1. species and cultivar selection
Manila, Philippines
1. species and cultivar selection
Manila, Philippines
2. remove the source of shade
Washington, USA
3. increase mowing height
Samui, Thailand
4. vigilant control of fungal diseases
Kolkata, India
5. traffic management New Delhi, India
6. reduce nitrogen fertilizer
Hanoi, Vietnam
7. use plant growth regulators
Kyushu, Japan
8. provide more light Barcelona, Spain
Measuring light
Meters are available to measure the quantity of light plants can use. This is the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).
Photosynthetically active radiation is a quantity
instantaneous: micromoles per m2 per second
cumulative: moles per m2 per day
clouds block some of the PAR
Cebu, Philippines
when the sun is low in the sky, PAR is reduced
Bohol Sea, Philippines
0
20
40
60
Jan Apr Jul Oct JanDate
Estim
ated
DLI
(mol
esm
2da
y2 )
estimateno clouds
0
20
40
60
Jan Apr Jul Oct JanDate
Estim
ated
DLI
(mol
esm
2da
y2 )
estimateno cloudsnormal
Measuring shade
Measure PAR in open area, with no tree or building shade
Then measure PAR in the shaded area
Bataan, Philippines
765 / 2000 = 38.25% sun
or
100 - 38.25 = 61.75% shade
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