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Turfgrass Growth and Water Use in Gypsum-Treated
Ultisols
M.J. Schlossberg
Penn State University
Turfgrass and the SE US
Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue dominate the landscape of the US Southern Piedmont (GA, AL, and the Carolinas)
Turfgrass and the SE US
Interestingly:• Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue
are the two turfgrasses recognized for generating the most deeply-extending root systems of ALL turfgrass species.
Turf-type tall fescue roots
Gypsum Control
0-3.5 ”
3.6-7 ”
7-11 ”
Soil chemical or soil physical problem?
Treatment Options???• Lime
– Agricultural grade limestone is an effective ameliorant of soil acidity
– Commonly incorporated at establishment for production of cotton, soybean, corn, peanuts, etc.
– INCORPORATE is the key word, effective treatment of soil acidity with lime requires tillage into the soil profile
How Do Turf Managers Like Incorporating Lime?
How Do Turf Managers Like Incorporating Lime?
They don’t. Turfgrasses are perennial in nature and establishment is not only uncommon, but dreaded!
So how can managers ameliorate the effects of acidity without plowing the lawn?
Gypsum• Many attributes:
–More soluble than agricultural lime–Doesn’t require tillage or coring–Doesn’t raise pH of the surface soil
• This can cause soil structure and turf disease problems
–Provides sulfate (SO4), the plant essential nutrient form of sulfur
Hydroponic experiment
Tall fescue root growth in Al solutions
Al (mg L-1)
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
Roo
t mas
s (m
g)
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Fescue columns (33cm)
ZnO2 paint
Tall fescue root growth column study
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0 2 5
Gypsum (tons/acre)
0-9 cm
9-18 cm
18-27 cm
a
a
a
b bbb
c c
Greenhouse Experiment Objectives
1. Construct columns which represent soil profiles indigenous to the SE US.
2. Analyze leachate to confirm calcium sulfate penetration of subsoil, displacement of Al, and/or other soil chemistry alterations.
3. Use installed instrumentation to monitor waterextraction from acidic subsoil by roots, by depth.
4. Simulate drought periods repetitively; mimicking rain patterns, while promoting deep rooting in columns
5. Analyze columns to assess root architecture and calcium saturation of CEC by soil depth.
Experimental DesignAcidic B Horizon ClaypH w(1:1) 4.9
Exch. Acid 3.9 meq/100g
Mehlich III (M3) exchangeable:
Phosphorus (P) 2.0 lbs/A
Potassium (K) 0.04 meq
Magnesium (Mg) 0.25 meq
Calcium (Ca) 0.65 meq
Total CEC: 4.84 meq
54 cm
8 cm
Acidic B Horizon ClaypH w(1:1) 4.9
Exch. Acid 3.9 meq/100g
Mehlich III (M3) exchangeable:
Phosphorus (P) 2.0 lbs/A
Potassium (K) 0.04 meq
Magnesium (Mg) 0.25 meq
Calcium (Ca) 0.65 meq
Total CEC: 4.84 meq
Experimental Design
Experimental Design
Treatments (5):• Synthetic/FGD Gypsum (Southern Co.)
• Tech. Grade Gypsum (CaSO4•2H2O)
• Calcium Chloride (CaCl2•2H2O)
• Calcitic Lime (100% CCE)• Control
90 columns total; 60 Bermudagrass (‘Princess’ or ‘Sultan’) and 30 turf-type Tall Fescue ‘Rebel’
Half of each instrumented for real-time soil moisture, three replications of six
Experimental Design
The Southern Co. SynGyp, is generated by a ‘wet’ spray-dryer scrubbing process, and contains 23.3% Ca by mass (+/- 0.65), and has a calcium carbonate equivalency of 2.7% (+/- 0.14). Trace element and heavy metal analysis show few impurities
Experimental Design
The Southern Co. SynGyp is 23.3% Ca by mass (+/- 0.65), and has a calcium carbonate equivalency of 2.7% (+/- 0.14). Trace element and heavy metal analysis show few impurities
Application RatesTreatment lbs/Acre (Ca)Lime 4,332 (1,735)FGD and TG Gypsum13,796 (3,224)
CaCl2 11,825 (3,224)
Experimental Design
The Southern Co. SynGyp is 23.3% Ca by mass (+/- 0.65), and has a calcium carbonate equivalency of 2.7% (+/- 0.14). Trace element and heavy metal analysis show few impurities
Application RatesTreatment Mg/ha (Ca)Lime 4.86 (1.94)FGD and TG Gypsum 15.46 (3.61)
CaCl2 13.25 (3.61)
Experimental Design
Cultural MethodsTF columns mowed every 9±3 days @ 3”
heightNo signs/symptoms of pest activity observed
over the 2-year study, hence no pesticides were applied (tall fescue is good like that)
When >half the TF columns showed stunted growth & leaf firing, all were irrigated with 4” in 1” pulses over 24 hours (every 20-35 days)
Post-estab: ¼ lb N & K2O / 1000 ft2 / month
Cultural MethodsBermudagrass columns mowed every 7±3
days @ 1.4” height
Insect activity was chemically controlled when necessary
When >half the bermuda columns showed stunted growth/dormancy, all were irrigated with 4” in 1” pulses over 24 hours (every 30-50 days)
Post-estab: ¾ lb N & K2O / 1000 ft2 / month
Leachate chemistry and composition
Solute transport through 54 cm of red clay, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Leac
hate
Ele
ctric
al C
ond
. (E
C m
S/c
m)
1
2
3
4
5
6
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Aluminum concentration in leachate, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Leac
hate
Al (
mg/
L)
0
1
2
3
4ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Calcium concentration in leachate, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Le
ach
ate
Ca
(m
g/L
)
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Sulfur concentration in leachate, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Le
ach
ate
S (
mg/
L)
8
16
24
32
40
48
360
390
420ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Magnesium concentration in leachate, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Le
ach
ate
Mg
(mg/
L)
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Potassium concentration in leachate, by time after treatment
Months After Treatment (MAT)
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Leac
hate
K (
mg/
L)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
13
14
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Soil nutrient levels by depth
Extractable Ca (meq/100 g soil)
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
So
il de
pth
(cm
)
48
43
38
33
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Extractable S (mg/kg soil)
150 200 250 300 350 400
Soi
l dep
th (
cm)
48
43
38
33ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Ratio of Extractable Base Cations to Al (meq/100 g soil)
0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35
So
il de
pth
(cm
)
48
43
38
33
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Leaf/shoot biomass production
(generally analogous with quality/vigor)
Tall Fescue Shoot Biomass Production by TreatmentPenn State Univ. 2003-2005
Control FGD TG-Gypsum CaCl2 Lime
Clip
ping
Yie
ld (
kg h
a-1 d
-1)
10
11
12
13
14
15
Mean Shoot Biomass Production by Treatment and TurfgrassPenn State Univ. 2003-2005
Princess Sultan Tall Fescue
Clip
ping
Yie
ld (
kg h
a-1 d
-1)
10
11
12
13
14
15
32
34
36
38
40
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Drought-Stressed Bermudagrass Shoot Biomass Production by Treatment(18 out of 45 CY events) Penn State Univ. 2003-2005
Princess Sultan
Clip
ping
Yie
ld (
kg h
a-1 d
-1)
25
30
35
40
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Turfgrass water useby soil depth
0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
CaCl2
Lime
Gypsums
Control
Top 13-33 cm
Bottom38-58cm
Tall Fescue H2O-use by depth over (14) 10-35 d dry down periods
cm water / day
Turfgrass nutrient concentration and uptake
Princess Sultan Tall Fescue
Leaf
Ca
(g k
g-1)
3
4
5
6
7 ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Princess Sultan Tall Fescue
Lea
f K (
g k
g-1
)
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Princess Sultan Tall Fescue
Lea
f Mg
(g
kg-1
)
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Princess Sultan Tall Fescue
Leaf
S (
g kg
-1)
1.2
1.6
2.0
2.4
2.8
3.2
3.6
ControlFGDGypsumCaCl2Lime
Visual qualityor
percent green coverage
Princess Bermudagrass Overlay Representing Turf
(60 days after planting, DAP)
Of the 3.8 x 106 pixels in this image, 881,598 are green, exactly 23.2 %
Princess Bermudagrass Sultan Bermudagrass
300 DAP 300 DAP
Princess Bermudagrass % Green Cover
0.25
0.35
0.45
0.55
70 120 170 220 270 320 370
CaCl2ControlLimeGypsum (FGD + TGG)
Princess Bermudagrass % Green Cover
0.25
0.35
0.45
0.55
70 120 170 220 270 320 370
CaCl2ControlLimeGypsum (FGD + TGG)
Princess Bermudagrass % Green Cover
0.25
0.35
0.45
0.55
240 260 280 300
CaCl2ControlLimeGypsum (FGD + TGG)
aa
ab b
b
% Green Cover by Treatment of Bermudagrasses in Drought Stress
Princess and Sultan % Green Cover
Gypsums v.Control +9.0 %Lime +7.2 %All others +21.6%FGD v.Control +6.0 %All others +17.2%
Turfgrass root growth by soil depth
Tall Fescue root length in the 38 –62 soil depths
Greenhouse Study Summary• Gypsum trts effectively penetrated 60 cm of
clay soil 1 year after a ~7 ton/A application
• Differences between mined & synthetic gyp were slight, allowing pooled analysis
• Benefits to TF were stark: enhanced growth, total & deep water uptake, deep roots, and leaf S; compared to both Lime and Con trts (with no resulting base cation deficiencies)
• Benefits to bermudagrass include: enhanced growth & color response under drought conditions (deeper roots?)
Griffin field experiment
Griffin field experiment
• TurfBermuda
Zoysia
Bentgrass
• TreatmentsControl
Lime
Gypsum (low and high)
Lime + gypsum (low and high)
TDR soil moisture meter rods
Soil profile beneath zoysia
Zoysia soil moisture use at 8 -23 inches depth (9-23-2004)
1: control2: lime + gypsum
1 2
soil
moi
stur
e (%
)
22
24
26
28
Turf field demonstrations
usace.army.mil/
Lane Creek – Athens, GA
•Piedmont region
•Heavy red clay
•Acidic soil
•Bermudagrass
The Farm – Dalton, GA
•Ridge and Valley
•Yellow clay
•Neutral soil
•Zoysiagrass
Waterfall – Clayton, GA
•Blue Ridge Mtns
•Rocky, thin soil
•Acidic
•Bentgrass
Grand Hotel – Mobile Bay
•Coastal Plain
•Sandy soil
•Close to neutral
•Bermudagrass
Musgrove – Jasper, AL
•Ridge and Valley
•Yellow clay
•Acidic soil
•Bermudagrass
Chateau Elan – Buford, GA
•Piedmont region
•Heavy red clay
•Acidic soil
•Bermudagrass
UGA soccer fields – Athens
•Piedmont region
•Heavy red clay
•Acidic soil
•Bermudagrass
Taqueta Falls – Lookout Mtn.
•Ridge and Valley
•Yellow clay
•Acidic soil
•Bermudagrass
Grapevine researchChateau Elan
Full Size Pilot Study, Apr 04
• East Lake G.C., Atlanta GA
Root sampling
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
Root Yield (lbs/acre)
Depth
(in
ches)
Control
Gypsum Treatment
Effect of Gypsum Addition on Root Growth at East Lake Golf Club
• Gypsum treatment = 4 tons/acre, April 11, 2005• Samples collected May 19, 2006
Summary• Large (>5 ton) gypsum apps to turfgrass did
not induce salt or phytotoxic injury
• More significant advantages of gypsum applications are associated with turfgrasses poorly adapted to weathered, acid soils
• Continuing turfgrass root analysis should demonstrate advantages of increased Ca:Al ratio in acid subsoils
• Leaf Ca and S were not always correlated to root length and water use benefits
Acknowledgements• Lamar Larrimore, Southern Company
• Dr. Bill Miller, University of Georgia
• Dr. John Kruse, University of Georgia
• Dr. Malcom Sumner, University of Georgia
• Michael Wolfe, Southern Company