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PACE WAS FAST AT STMAlGCSAA SEMINAR

Sports turf managers attending the STMA sessions at the GCSAA Show were able to getanswers to their turf problems from experts. Three of the experts were (left to right) Dr.Peter Hayes from England, Dr. Vic Gibeault from California and Dr. William Daniel fromIndiana.

More than 30 speakers gave rapid fireadvice to 100 sports turf managers duringthe Sports Turf Managers Association Semi-nar held in San Francisco recently. This first-time event, held in conjunction with the GolfCourse Superintendents Association ofAmerica Show, filled the notebooks of thoseattending.

"I''ve never seen so many experts in oneplace at one time," said Sam Newpher, turfmanager for the Atlanta Braves. I could getanswers to nearly all my concerns directlyfrom the leaders in the field, all in one roomat one time. I made the most of the breaksbetween sessions and came home with alot of answers."

Attendees also got a taste of sports turfmanagement overseas from Dr. PeterHayes, director of the Sports Turf ResearchInstitute of Bingley, England. With limitedfields and heavy rainfall, the British havebeen exploring well-drained field design fordecades. They are heavy users of sand andsoil amelioration. The trick with sand, Hayestold the group, is the fines must be less than12 percent of the total or else the entire mixwill waterlog. The Sports Turf Research In-stitute is conducting a variety of tests witha simulated wear machine. One involvesa combination of artificial and naturalsurfaces.

Dr. William Daniel, cofounder of thePrescription Athletic Turf (PAT) system andretired professor of agronomy, PurdueUniversity, provided a look at sports turfresearch in the U.S. Various plastics andgeotextiles may have a place in reinforc-ing natural turf in the future according toDaniel. The artificial material providesresistance to ripping and tearing. Daniel saidmore research is needed before artificialand natural are successfully combined.

The audience applauded when Danielsaid the low bid process is a significant bar-rier to improving sports turf in the U.S. Headded that, for the most part, public agen-32 sportsTURF

cies have unfortunately clung to outmod-ed field construction and maintenance. "Wehave the technology today to do a muchbetter job of field care, if people would justlisten," Daniel said.

John Macik, sports medicine coordina-tor for the National Football League Play-ers' Association gave the sobering resultsof injuries on natural versus synthetic turf."Since 1972, NFL players have played morethan half their games on artificial turf. Whenthe Colts and the Jets moved to artificialturf stadiums in 1983, their injury rates dou-bled," Macik revealed.

"Owners have been avoiding the issueas a point of negotiation for years, sayingthe actual stadiums are owned by themunicipal governments. They finally con-ceded to have Stanford University do anindependent study. Those results have beenguarded, but they show the five NFL fieldswith the worst injury records are all artifi-cial. The NFLPA, with 83 percent of its mem-bers in favor of natural turf playing fields,will continue to press the team owners duringnegotiations," warned Macik.

STMA's famed Long Ranger Award forthe sports turf manager of the year waspresented to Tony Burnett, groundsmanager for Robert F. Kennedy Stadiumin Washington, D.C. Honorary membershipswere presented to octogenarians Fred Grauand Tom Mascaro for more than 50 yearsof service to sports turf each. John Sout-er, sports turf and golf course builder fromScotland, although "still a young lad,"received honorary membership in STMA forhis progressive building and maintenancemethods applied around the world.

Nearly two busloads of sports turfmanagers toured the major sports stadiumsin San Francisco and Oakland the follow-ing day.

The STMA Board voted unanimously tobe a part of the GCSAA Show in Phoenixin 1987.

PARK INSTITUTE OFFERSSPORTS TURF SEMINARS

The National Institute on Park andGrounds Management is putting on twosports turf seminars this spring, one inRhode Island and one in Virginia. The or-ganization has been giving seminars formore than four years across the U.S.

The first seminar is set for Providence,RI, March 24-25. Dr. Richard Hull, Dr. NoelJackson and Dr. C. R. Skogley from theUniversity of Rhode Island will be the semi-nar faculty. Some of the topics scheduledinclude Diagnosing Insect and DiseaseProblems, Construction of a New AthleticField Complex, Controlling Weeds With Her-bicides, Maintenance and Renovation ofHeavily-Used Turfgrass Areas, How Turf-grasses Use Water, Fertilization and Post-Season Renovation. The seminar will beheld at the Holiday Inn, Providence.

Dr. John Hall, Dr. Richard Schmidt andDr. David Chalmers of Virginia Polytech ..nic Institute and State University are thefaculty of the seminar to be held March 27-28, at the Holiday Inn, South in Roanoke.Topics for this seminar include High Pres-sure Sodium Lights for Athletic Fields, Reno-vation of Existing Athletic Fields, Mowingand Irrigation, Compaction and Its Effecton Turf, and Selection of Turfgrasses.

TEXAS SPORTS CLINICDRAWS EARLY INTEREST

"We've never had this much interest inan extension clinic this far in advance withso little publicity,' Bill Knoop of Texas A&M,Dallas, exclaims about the upcoming sportsturf clinic scheduled for March 20, 1986,at Ranger Stadium in Arlington.

Knoop, an extension turfgrass specialist,spends a great amount of time helpingDallas-area schools improve their fields. Heorganized the one-day event in conjunctionwith Jim Anglea, field manager for the TexasRangers. The Rangers are backing the eventfully-the educational sesssions will be heldin the plush locker rooms, a complimentarylunch will be served in the Rangers' diningroom, and equipment and demonstrationswill take place on the field. Chemical & TurfSpecialties of Dallas is providing the lunchfor athletic field managers during the event.

Four clinics for field managers andgrounds crew will be presented. Dr. BeverlyBrewer, urban entomologist for Texas A&M,Dallas, will cover identification and controlof insects that attack athletic fields. Dr.Rupert Palmer, Texas A&M, College Sta-tion, will then cover weed control for ath-letic fields. Proper mowing and aerificationof athletic fields is the topic assigned to Dr.Garald Horst, associate professor of agrono-my at the Agricultural Experiment Stationin EI Paso. Fertilization programs for recrea-tional turf will be covered by Knoop. Thesesessions will be repeated if necessary during

the day so field managers can take attendeach one.

Throughout the day, Jim Anglea, rangerfield superintendent, will give "on the field"demonstrations on baseball infield care. An-glea has more than eight years experiencewith Major League baseball field manage-ment. "The best way to learn the importantsteps in infield maintenance is to see itdone," says Anglea. "A few tricks can makea big difference." Anglea will discussbasepath construction and maintenance,fall overseeding, disease control, protec-tion of turf during practices and other im-portant keys to Major League infields.

Equipment for athletic field maintenancewill be exhibited on the warning track for"hands-on" evaluation. Area distributors willbe there to describe new products, chemi-cals and seed useful in sports turf programs.

To make the event practical for all lev-els of field management a price of $10 hasbeen set for the event. This will provide entryto the field, all sessions, and free subscrip-tions to sportsTURF magazine and the newSouthwest Sports Turf Newsletter. Interestedfield managers, coaches and athletic direc-tors should contact Bill Knoop, Texas Ex-tension Service, (214) 231-5362.

junction with the Landscape Expo in Val-ley Forge, March 5-7, is rescheduling theevent for the third week in June in the Chica-go area. Executive Director Kent Kurtz at-tributed the cancellation to inadequate com-munication between the organizers of theevent, HBJ Expositions and Services, andSTMA.

Steve Wightman, president of STMA andgrounds manager for Mile High Stadium inDenver, CO, said interest is high in theChicago area for a sports turf seminar. "Wehope to schedule the seminar for the weekof June 17," said Wightman. "There will bea board meeting in Chicago that week andwe have the members in the Chicago areato help manage the details of the seminar."

"The success of the STMA program heldin conjunction with the Golf Course Superin-tendents Association of America Conferencein San Francisco," said Kurtz, "shows thereis a great demand for information exchangein all aspects of sports turf management.The goal is to have similar programs in allmajor parts of the country."

the soil, has no moving parts. Tom Mas-caro of North Miami, FL, developed the con-cept more than 20 years ago and only re-cently has Ransomes begun research onthe product.

The grooving blades, usually two feetapart, slice into the soil and lift out a nar-row section of soil. The soil is then removedor dragged into the grooves. This opens upthe field for drainage and air. Mascaro hastried the unit on golf greens with success.

The Orange Bowl, one of a limited num-ber of Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT) fields,is one of the most active stadiums in theU.S. Sandin reports the Vertigroove has im-proved greatly since earlier versions he triedfor Mascaro. "It provides an option to sandslitting in some cases," Sandin stated, if thesoil is removed and the grooves are filledwith sand."

Ransomes is developing a number of pro-totypes for demonstrations this fall. The unitSandin used was pulled by a tractor. A modelattached to the front of a riding mower isalso being studied.

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A new concept in aerification, a grooveinstead of a core, is being tested at theOrange Bowl by Dale Sandin, grounds andturf manager. The device, which cuts verynarrow grooves as deep as eight inches into

The Sports Turf Managers Association,which cancelled its one-day seminar in con-

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6prinqtime Fir5t RidFor l)ermudoqro55

to. , •. /.

Spring dead spot appears as circular dead spots from six inchesto two feet in diameter.

Bermudagrass remains unbeaten asa natural surface for sports fields inwarm climates. No grass tolerates

traffic or recovers better than bermudagrassbecause of its extensive rhizome and sto-lon system. During most of the year, it hasrelatively few disease problems and com-petes victoriously with weeds.

However, some problems and diseasesdo occur on bermudagrass. Athletic fieldmanagers should be aware of theseproblems to manage their fields effectively.

Late winter arid early spring are especiallyimportant times to manage bermudagrass.The ravages of winter weather and use be-come visible at this time. Quick action isneeded to bring the bermudagrass back tohealth for spring and summer sports. Theseproblems are more severe in the northernrange of adaptation of bermudagrass, nearor in the transition zone.

One common solution to winter dormancyof bermudagrass has been overseeding withperennial ryegrass. This decision should bebased on when the field is used. Newerperennial ryeqrassss have better color andperformance" than older perennial or annualryegrasses, but they also tend to compete34 sportsTURF

Brown patch kills large circular patches of bennudagrass fromthree to 20 feet in diameter.

more with the bermudagrass as it comesout of dormancy in the spring.

If the field is used primarily for summersports and fall football, overseeding is notnecessary. Restricting field use in Septem-ber during football season to overseed isdifficult. If the field is not used heavily fromDecember through April, why go throughthe phase-out of perennial ryegrass in thespring? It only complicates matters and takesthe focus away from bermudagrass in thespring when it needs the most attention.Dyes can conceal the dormant tan color ofbermudagrass during special events.

If the field is used for baseball in the winterand spring, then overseeding is a good idea.Damage to the dormant bermudagrass canbe severe, certainly more severe than com-petition from perennial ryegrass in the springwould be. Again, the trick is finding a slowperiod in the fall to overseed without dis-rupting events.

Tools exist to discourage the ryegrass asbermuda comes out of dormancy. Mechan-ically the ryegrass can be knocked back bylowering the mowing height or verticutting.If the ryegrass persists, treatments with Kerbor MSMAlSencor can be applied in the sum-

mer to restore the turf to pure bermudagrass.Winter damage weakens the ber-

mudagrass making it vulnerable to springdiseases such as spring dead spot andbrown patch. Cold weather damage is mostcommon in high-use areas: the center offootball fields and the goal area of soccerfields. Areas that are shaded in the winterfrom nearby evergreen trees or buildingsare frequently damaged by cold weather.Poor drainage or compacted soil compoundwinter kill and spring disease problems.

Cold damage can be reduced by usingthe most cold tolerant varieties of ber-mudagrass. Midiron and Vamont are knownto be more cold tolerant and should be usedin the northern range of bermudagrass adap-tation. Common bermudagrass and manyof the improved varieties such as Tifway willusually do well in more southern locations.

Good basic turf management is one ofthe best defenses against cold damage.Proper fertilization, with recommended ratesof potassium and low rates of nitrogen inthe late summer and fall, will increase thewinter hardiness of bermudagrass. Turfmanagers are moving away from 3-1-1 fer-tilizers and are using instead fertilizers with

a 1-1 nitrogen to potassium ratio with ap-plications of phosphorous as needed. Lowerrates of nitrogen combined with-aerlftcationand vertical mowing during the growing sea-son prevent the accumulation of thatch andhelp reduce the severity of spring dead spot.

Severe weed competition can slow therecovery of cold-damaged bermudagrass.A regular weed control program is there-fore an important factor in bermudagrassrecovery in the spring.

Some damage should be expected,however, during unusually cold winters. Turfmanagers should evaluate the damage earlyin the growing season toinitiate a programto help the grass recover as early as pos-sible in the summer. Damage from coldweather usually appears as large irregular-shaped dead areas or areas that recoverslowly in the spring. Shaded areas and badlyw<2rn areas suffer the greatest losses.

The next greatest threat to bermudagrassin the spring is spring dead spot. This dis-ease appears as small circular dead spotsfrom six inches to two feet in diameter asbermudagrass resumes growth. It gener-ally not does not attack young bermuda, butinstead starts to appear in turf when it isthree to four years old. This disease occursmost often in the northern range of ber-mudagrass adaptation and following un-usually cold winters.

Weeds take advantage of these deadspots to get established while the ber-mudagrass slowly recovers. The disease

shoots can be easily pulled from the stolons.Brown patch can make a bermudagrass

athletic field unsightly in early summer, butthe grass usually recovers during the hot-ter weather and good growing conditionsof summer. Fungicides have not given satis-factory control of this disease. A good turfmanagement program that provides goodsoil drainage, proper fertilization and weedcontrol has helped prevent this disease andencouraged recovery in affected patches.

Fairy rings are another fungus that some-times develop on athletic fields. The large"circular rings of very green or dead grassor rings of mushrooms grow from a fewinches to several feet in diameter duringthe year. Once established, these rings re-main for many years. Mushroom-type fun-gi that grow on organic matter in the soilcause this problem. These fungi damagethe grass by releasing extra amounts of nitro-gen or toxic substance from organic mat-ter in the soil. They also are known to makethe soil hydrophobic so that water will notpenetrate the soil surface.

Fungicides are not effective in controll-ing fairy rings. Rototilling the soil in the af-fected areas and replanting healthy grasshas been most effective in eliminating somefairy ring problems. Aerification of the soiland frequent irrigation will help reduce thedamage from fairy rings in some cases. Donot incorporate large amounts of organicmatter in the soil or bury organic debris such

continued on page 36

often recurs in the same spots as they en-large for three to four years. Some grasswill survive in the center of the spots aftertwo to three years resulting in small deadrings of turf. The disease usually disappearsafter three to four years, but may developin other areas as the turf ages. Ber-mudagrass which has been overfertilizedand developed excessive thatch appearsto be more susceptible to spring dead spot.

The fungus Leptosphaeria narmari hasbeen indicated as the cause of spring deadspot in some places. This fungus attacksthe roots and causes the disease during coolweather in the fall or winter.

The fungicide benomyl has been usedin some states to counter the fungus.However, it must be applied at high ratesin the fall to areas that were previously af-fected to obtain results for the followingspring. Benomyl is currently labelled for thisuse in only certain states.

Brown patch has been observed on somebermudagrass fields in recent years. Thisdisease, caused by the fungus Rhizocto-nia so/ani, appears as large circular brownpatches from three feet to more than 20 feetin diameter. These patches become evidentas bermudagrass starts to green-up in thespring or during cool wet weather in the fallbefor it goes dormant. The fungus kills thenew shoots near the soil surface where theyare attached to the stolons. A ring of dy-ing shoots is often present at the edge ofthe patches during cool, wet weather. These

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Springtime First Aidcontinued from page 35

as building materials or stumps in areas tobe used for athletic fields.

Helminthosporium diseases sometimesoccur on bermudagrass and cause leafspotand root rot type diseases. The leafspot dis-eases are usually more prevalent during thelate summer and early fall and do not ap-pear to cause severe damage to ber-mudagrass. A good healthy turf should beable to tolerate the damage from leafs pot.Root and crown rot caused by these fungi

may cause damage on bermudagrass attimes. Fungicides can be used to controlthese diseases, but a good managment pro-gram remains the best control.

Dollar spot is often seen in the late sum-mer or fall on bermudagrass and especiallyon turf that is deficient in nitrogen. Spotsare light brown to tan and are one to fourinches in diameter. An application of nitrogenwill help the bermudagrass recover from thisdisease. The diseased leaves will be mowedoff as the grass grows. However, avoid ap-plying more nitrogen than is needed at the

particular time of year so that the winterhardiness of the turf is not reduced.

Another threat to bermudagrass is thenematode. These tiny worm-like pests area major problem in the southeastern Unit-ed States during the summer where ber-mudagrass is grown on very sandy soils.

Symptoms of nematode damage are poorgrowth of turf following proper fertilizationand irrigation and a thinning of the turf.These symptoms may be present over theentire field or in isolated patches. The rootsof the bermudagrass will be short, stuntedand brown rather than white and long.

The most damaging nematode is the stingnematode which is limited to the sandy soilsof the southeast. Treatment with nemati-cides will give gooti results if the sting nema-tode is causing the damage.

Other factors cause symptoms similar tonematode damage so soil assays from sus-pected areas are needed to confirm nema-todes as the cause. Public and privatelaboratories will do these assays in moststates.

Nematicides are very toxic chemicals andmost are not labelled for use on turfgrass-es. If a neamticide is labelled for use on ath-letic fields in your state, be sure it is ap-plied by a licensed applicator and that thespecified waiting period is allowed beforeusing the field.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Leon Lucas is professorof plant pathology at North Carolina StateUniversity, Raleigh, NC.

Many southern athletic field managers face sparse turf in the spring suffering from dis-eases, winterkill and compaction.

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The Right Basepath MixThe best-looking baseball field strikes out

if the basepaths turn to mud after a shortrain. The appearance and condition ofbasepaths can make a big impression, muchlike the impact a cinder track has on a visitingtrack team compared to a freshly painted,rubberized asphalt track.

Some of the best-kept secrets of base-ball field management involve basepaths.Local topdressing or topsoil suppliers oftenwill not divulge the content of their basepathmixes. Insiders will tell you the bestbasepaths are a combination of sand andclay on top of a good drainage system.

Forget the mystery; basepath mixes pro-vide that special finishing touch to a base-ball field, while keeping it in play longer dur- .ing rain and then back in play faster aftera rain. The last two points are more impor-tant to managers of skinned infields.

A good basepath mix absorbs its ownweight or more of water without changingtexture. It holds this moisture longer thantypical native soils, thus reducing problemswith dust or powdering. The texture of a mixshould permit rapid drainage and firm footingand should cushion the players as they slide.It should be free of stones, and easily workedand smoothed.

Jim Kelsey, president of Partac PeatCorp., makers of Beam Clay mix, recom-mends three inches of his mix on basepathsand four to six inches around the bases.This would amount to 120 tons of thesand/clay mix for construction of a regula-tion grass infield and 180 tons for a skinnedinfield. Kelsey suggests an additional one-inch maintenance layer in subsequent years.The basepath should be graded and scar-ified before adding the maintenance layer.He also stresses the need for good drainageunderneath.

If you put a pencil to these figures, theinitial investment in basepaths for one in-field is approximately $5,000, and $1,600in following years. It may sound high, butthen figure the cost of a rainout(s).

Bill Wrobel, marketing manager for Tur-face by International Minerals & ChemicalCorp. (IMC), also highlights the importanceof drainage beneath the basepaths inregions of moderate to heavy rainfall. Tur-face, a processed calcined clay, is rototilledinto the top four to six inches of existingsoil. Initial amendment of an infield, pitch-er's mound, and batter's box would requirea total of 18 tons of Turface (25% of thesoil volume). The paths are then graded androlled.

Turface is recommended as an under-layment to infield sod and as a topdress-

~

TIPS FROM THE PROSDenver's Portable Mound

Mile High Stadium crew hooks trailer chains to U-bolts on steel plate underneath the pitcher'smound for removal.

When a field is constantly switched fromone sport to another, rebuilding the pitch-er's mound can get to be a problem. SteveWightman, turf manager at Mile High Stadi-um, has been using a portable mound since1977. His crew can remove the mound in15 minutes and install it in 30 minutes. Pitch-ers like the mound because it's solid andthe same for each game.

The trick is a 1/4-inch steel plate buriedbeneath ten inches of mound mix. Ratherthan rebuilding the mound for each game,Wightman's homemade trailer lifts the en-tire mound eight inches and carts it fromstorage to its place on the field. The 13-foot-diameter steel plate, reinforced by two-inchangle iron, has four strategically placed U-bolts. Chains from the trailer attach to these

bolts for lifting.

The portable mound plate is supportedout on the field by a four-inch-thick concreteslab, nestled four inches below field grade.Guide pins are embedded in the slab. Whenthe pins are matched with correspondingslots in the metal plate, the mound is in ex-actly the right position for each game. Theedges of the mound are then dressed andpacked.

For football and soccer, the mound is cart-ed away and the four-inch hole over the con-crete slab is filled with dirt to be level withthe field. Thick sod is laid and topdressedwith sand. This is one of the ways Mile Highis able to host more than 100 events eachyear.

ing for wet spots in the outfield. IMC doesnot encourage the use of Turface in the bat-ter's box since the resulting soil would betoo loose for this area. Wrobel suggests us-ing Turface to backfill drainage trenches.

Another approach is to use a drying agentto dry out the basepath mix quickly attera rain. Chuck Lindstrom of Diamond Drycalls his product a natural organic dryingagent. "It's not intended to be a major por-tion of the infield mix," says Lindstrom. "Itsjob is to dry out a wet field quickly so thegame isn't cancelled."

Diamond Dry is spread on top of wetbasepaths. "We have turned a quagmireinto playable basepaths in less than 45minutes," says Lindstrom. "At Milwaukee

Stadium, Diamond Dry is used during gamesto touch up wet spots in a matter of minutesafter rains."

The Redbirds, a St. Louis Cardinal minorleague club in Springfield, IL, use between265 and 270 bags (40 Ibs. each) of DiamondDry each year to get them through the springrainy season. After that, the sand/claybasepath mix doesn't require further amend-ment says Lindstrom.

"Park superintendents would love to knowwhat major league turf managers do forbasepaths. The problem is each guy doeshis own thing and there aren't any recog-nized standards. I think we should poll theplayers on what fields they like best andthen find out what those turf managers do."

March 1986 37

R,ain Bird's Maxi III is a total irrigation system which will soon include an optional weatherstation.

Computerized Irrigationcontinued from page 14

Software is a computer program writtenby a technician, but in a language that theuser understands. It is then placed in thecomputer, either via a floppy disk (which lookslike a mini-record) or directly into the memorybanks of the computer. In either case, theformat allows you to input your own data-how often you would like each station towater, for instance.

As shown by the Network 8000, a systemusing an IBM computer need not limit its func-tions strictly to irrigation. On some computersyou can do all your billing, accounting andword processing, among other useful func-tions, as welt as directing all the watering.

"There are those who say when you paythat much for a computer you should buyone that doesn't limit itself to irrigation on-ly," explains Rain Bird's Shoemaker.

"The floppy disk on the Rain Bird com-puter contains the memory and is thereforemore versatile than a dedicated computer,"Shoemaker notes. "If you want to add anotherfeature that isn't in the dedicated computer,it has to be programmed into the memory.It could be more expensive to update a dedi-cated system.

"However," he allows, "each individualneeds to look at computers based on whattheir specific needs and requirements are,"

Actually, the personal computers werechosen expressly because they did have theflexibility to provide other services in addi-tion to water management.

Despite its high-tech capabilities, no com-puter is: better than its sensors. According38 sportsTURF

to Joe Shayovitch, international director ofdistribution for remote control systems forMotorola Irrigation, "Computer sensors candetermine environmental conditions, allowingyou to change regular irrigation proceduresin the computer."

Sensors in the field measure water flowand pressure, wind speed, soil temperatureand moisture. A sensor can quickly detectline breaks, uncontrolled open valves andother deficiencies and report these back tothe central processing unit.

With this information feeding back into thecomputer through the field units, the entire

system can be shut down at a moment's no-tice by pressing a single key on the com-puter. Such action can minimize water lossand possible damage. Motorola's MIR-3500also has a paging system to alert groundmaintenance personnel to the problem.

Skidgel notes, "With the new Network8000, you enter design, weather/climate, ge-ographical and agronomical information. Net-work 8000 then automatically computes theoperating times for all stations, based on theevapotranspiration rate, modified by any ap-plicable rainfall."

Rain Bird is putting finishing touches ona "weather station" for its Maxi III. "The da-ta recorded by the on-site weather stationis fed into the computer to adjust irrigationcycles," says Shoemaker. "Humidity, evapo-ration, and information from other sensorshelp the computer instruct the system to applyonly the water needed, when needed. Thecomputer operator can also increase orreduce the amount of water applied by per-centage from the central controller."

Each manufacturer has developed someunique product features, The Solar Wind Sys-tem 390 uses only two number 14 wires, nomatter how big the project. "When designedin a loop configuration," Marion notes, "thecomputer will continue to operate all FSTs,even if the communication wires are cut."

Marion affirms, "Projects such as the Ci-·ty of San Clemente Golf Course, Salt CreekGolf Course in Laguna and Hughes Aircraftin EI Sequndo.iall in California, have founda great cost saving by using such simplifiedwiring."

Canterbury feels that versatility is the primefactor in the computer's capabilities. For in-stance, a video central computerized sys-tem can be programmed tor-a large parkwhere the park manager wantsto use it forshrubbery and turf separately, using two com-pletely different programs. It can also beprogrammed for particular problem areas,such as slopes.

continued on page 40

Toro's Network 8000, available this fall, will enable the turf manager to do business func-tions onthe computer while irrigation programs are running.

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For a free, illustrated brochure call:1-800-257-7797 In NJ (609) 665·1130

Circle 235 on Postage Free Card

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40 sporfsTURF Circle 194 on Postage Free Card

Computerized Irrigationcontinued from page 38

"Each station is programmable from a to 59 minutes or from oneto nine hours," adds Canterbury. "There is also a syringe programthat can be incorporated into the computer."

The syringe cycle is a cooling cycle that is run for a short lengthof time, usually in the summer, just to cool the grass.

The capabilities of a computer appear to be boundless. For in-stance, some computerized irrigation systems can be programmedto incorporate fertilizers that are dispensed on command.

Along with its water-conservation and labor-saving capabilities,the computer runs on low power. This not only saves energy buthas other advantages as well.

"If there is a power failure in the central and there is no powerfailure in the field, the computer will continue to monitor the field-because it is operating under such low power," explains Motoro-

Should there be a failure of anykind, the field controllers can be

switched to stand-alone mode andallowed to operate from their

internal programs.

la's Shayovitch. "If complete power failure occurs, you can still programthe computer because it has a battery backup."

Should there be a failure of any kind, the field controllers canbe switched to stand-alone mode and allowed to operate from theirinternal programs. No longer need an entire irrigation system bebrought to a standstill because of a broken cable or a blown fuse.

Many large projects have switched to computerization. The Motorolasystem manages agricultural drip irrigation for more than 10,000acres on each of the islands of Kauai and Oahu in Hawaii. Com-pany headquarters, such as those of Mary Kaye Cosmetics in Dallas,Texas, TRW in San Diego, Calif., and Allergan in Irvine, Calif., allhave decided on computerized irrigation systems.

"Motorola's MIR 3500 system was made to think like a superin-tendent," says Shayovitch. "In that way a superintendent does nothave to think like a computer."

"The program is so flexible that it will even turn out the lights.If you have an automatic gate, the computer can open and closeit. In fact, it can even be used as a burglar alarm."

Reliability is another great selling point for computers. "The solidstate controllers that are used with a computerized system are muchmore accurate and conserve more energy than mechanical clocks,"according to Hoover at Irri-Trol.

"They don't have all the electrical devices that require power andcan malfunction," he explains. "There are significant variations inaccuracy from an electromechanical clock."

Even before its inclusion in the Network 8000, the light pen wasa popular feature of Toro computers. Skidgel says, "You only needto point it at the screen. The computer will take its instructions fromthe light pen." Toro's full-color screen has also been featured forsome time.

Since pioneering its Maxi, Rain Bird has further explored the com-puter age. With technology changing so rapidly, the company hastaken the position that it can better serve the needs of its customersby offering a reliable IBM computer as part of its system, and wasamong the first to use the IBM-PC.

"Random access is a feature that is unique to us," says Shoe-maker. It allows the user to address any device in the program,such as a sprinkler or a sensor, at any time-without interferingwith the rest of the program.

continued on page 44