Printer Friendly Version

EDITOR'S BLOG

DROUGHT CONDITIONS PREVAIL
Evapotranspiration affecting surfaces
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

Hot weather, coupled with windy days, is raising evapotranspiration rates which, over time, will have serious consequences to natural grass playing surfaces.

I am sure many of us have either been basking in the sun or have hard at work during this spell of hot, dry weather. For those of you toiling away, don’t forget it’s so important to keep ourselves well hydrated throughout the day.

This hot weather, coupled with some windy days, is raising evapotranspiration rates which, over time, will have serious consequences to natural grass playing surfaces and our gardens if we cannot keep them watered.

Evapotranspiration refers to the combined process of evaporation and transpiration, where water is transferred from the earth's surface to the atmosphere in the form of vapour. It is an essential part of the earth's water cycle.

Evaporation involves the conversion of liquid water into water vapour, primarily from water bodies such as oceans, lakes, and rivers, as well as from moist soil surfaces. Transpiration, on the other hand, is the process by which plants absorb water through their roots and release it into the atmosphere through their leaves in the form of vapour.

Together, evaporation and transpiration contribute to the overall movement of water from the earth's surface into the atmosphere. They are influenced by various factors such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and the availability of water.

Evapotranspiration plays a significant role in regulating the earth's climate system. It affects local and regional weather patterns, as well as the distribution of precipitation. It also influences the water availability for ecosystems, agriculture, and human water supplies. Measurement and understanding of evapotranspiration are important for managing water resources, predicting droughts, estimating crop water requirements, and studying the overall water balance of an area.

Evapotranspiration rates can have a significant impact on sports turf - here's how:

Water demand: Evapotranspiration rates determine the amount of water needed to maintain adequate soil moisture levels. Higher evapotranspiration rates indicate greater water loss from the turf, which means the turf requires more irrigation to compensate for the lost moisture. Understanding evapotranspiration rates helps turf managers establish appropriate irrigation schedules to prevent turf stress or dehydration.

Irrigation management: Evapotranspiration rates provide valuable information for efficient irrigation management. By monitoring evapotranspiration rates, turf professionals can determine the optimal amount and frequency of irrigation needed to replenish the lost water. This information helps prevent overwatering or underwatering, ensuring the turf receives adequate moisture for healthy growth.

Drought conditions: During periods of high evapotranspiration rates, such as hot and dry weather, the turf faces increased water stress. If the irrigation is not adjusted to match the evapotranspiration rates, the turf may suffer from drought conditions, leading to brown and unhealthy grass. Turf professionals need to closely monitor evapotranspiration rates during these conditions and make necessary adjustments to irrigation practices.

Performance and playability: The condition of sports turf greatly affects its performance and playability. Evapotranspiration rates play a role in maintaining optimal turf conditions for sports activities. Proper irrigation based on evapotranspiration rates ensures the turf remains firm, resilient, and able to withstand heavy foot traffic. Inadequate irrigation due to incorrect estimations of evapotranspiration rates can lead to overly soft or dry turf, affecting the playability and safety of sports surfaces.

Disease and pest control: High evapotranspiration rates can increase the stress on turf, making it more susceptible to diseases and pest infestations. When the turf is not adequately hydrated, it becomes weaker and less able to resist pathogens and pests. By managing irrigation based on evapotranspiration rates, turf managers can promote healthier turf and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and pest damage.

In essence during prolonged periods of high evapotranspiration rates - combined with the fact that we are not watering as often - will lead us into a phase of drought conditions where our natural turf and garden plants become plant water deficient.

Plant water deficit, also known as water stress or drought, refers to a condition in which plants experience an insufficient supply of water to meet their physiological needs. Water deficit can occur due to various factors, including insufficient rainfall, high temperatures, low humidity, or poor irrigation practices. When plants are unable to access an adequate amount of water, they can exhibit several physiological and morphological responses.

Physiological responses to water deficit include stomatal closure, which is the partial or complete closure of small openings called stomata on the plant's leaves. Stomatal closure reduces water loss through transpiration but also limits the plant's ability to take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. As a result, photosynthesis and overall plant growth may be reduced.

To cope with water deficit, plants can also exhibit morphological adaptations. For example, some plants may reduce leaf size or shed leaves altogether to minimise water loss through transpiration. Additionally, plants can develop deeper root systems to access water from deeper soil layers or develop a waxy cuticle on their leaves to reduce water loss.

Prolonged or severe water deficit can have detrimental effects on plant health and productivity. It can lead to wilting, reduced growth, impaired nutrient uptake, decreased yield, and even plant death. Different plant species have varying tolerances to water deficit, with some being more drought-tolerant than others.

These periods of hot dry weather now seem to be becoming more regular, so perhaps we should be looking at finding ways to be more efficient on how we manage, store and utilise our current water supplies.

We essentially now need to start looking at ways of preventing plants from becoming water deficient with ways of managing our plants environment.
To mitigate the impact of water deficit on plants, various strategies can be employed. These include:

Proper irrigation: Providing plants with adequate and timely irrigation can help maintain soil moisture levels and minimise water stress.

Mulching: Applying a layer of organic mulch around the base of plants can help conserve soil moisture by reducing evaporation and weed competition.

Soil management: Improving soil structure and fertility through practices such as adding organic matter can enhance its water-holding capacity.

Plant selection: Choosing plant varieties that are adapted to local climate conditions and have higher drought tolerance can improve their resilience to water deficit.

Water conservation practices: Implementing water-saving techniques such as drip irrigation or using rainwater harvesting systems can help optimize water use.

Overall, managing plant water deficit involves a combination of water conservation practices, proper irrigation, and selecting appropriate plant species or varieties that are well-suited to the prevailing environmental conditions.

NEWS

RECOGNITION AT 'GOLF CLUB OF THE FUTURE'
Master Greenkeeper status

Master Greenkeeper status has been bestowed

In our first WEB ONLY story the Master Greenkeeper Certificate is awarded to those who have reached the highest standards of greenkeeping and golf course management.

CAMPEY TAKE ON NEW MACHINERY RANGE
Supplying UK & Ireland

In our next WEB ONLY story company says they can provide the sales, service and back-up network to drive the whole range of machinery.

NEWS

ST GEORGE'S PARK LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
Over 60 turf professionals attend event

Seminar day focussed on the future of football estate management, including discussions on legislation, environmental pressures, and ecology management.

Over 60 turf professionals recently attended Agrovista Amenity’s The Future of Football Estate Management seminar, which was held at St George’s Park - the home of England’s national football teams.

The seminar day focussed on the future of football estate management. Content included discussions on legislation, environmental pressures, fertiliser coating technology and nutrition, and ecology management.

The company joined forces with DLF, ICL, Campey Turf Care, and BASF to ensure the seminar programme featured a variety of expert speakers.

Andy Gray, head of grounds and estates at St George’s Park, was delighted to host the seminar and stressed the importance of industry events: “Covid stopped events like this for a while, and it isn’t until they do stop that you realise how much you miss them,” he said.

“I’m very proud to show people what we have achieved in a small amount of time here. If one person takes just one thing away from what we do here at St George’s Park, then that is enough for me.”

Danny Stunt, head of grounds at Tonbridge School in Kent, was one of many delegates who benefited from attending the seminar: “To visit St George’s Park was amazing and the event has given me something to aspire to. Not only that, but it has showed me how to get there. This has been the best place to come to help further my career.

“We are very invested in ecology and sustainability so to find out more about that was fantastic,” continued Danny. “I will be going away and introducing wildflowers to certain areas at the school, and I will be putting lots of things I have learnt today into practice.”

Joe Berry, head groundsman at Bristol City FC’s training ground, said, "Events like this are very important to not only experience new products but also to speak to people in the industry and pick their brains about what they might be doing on their sites at different times of the year. The more we talk to one another the more we learn from one another.”

Pete Ashworth, head groundsman for Preston North End FC agreed: “It has been brilliant to come to this stunning venue to see old and new friends - it is great to share stories with one another and catch up. Sometimes you get stuck in a rut with products and other things, so it is good to get out and learn about new technologies. Going around the pitches at St George’s Park and seeing what Andy and the team do here has helped me to pick up a few new ideas.”

Reflecting on the seminar, Dan Hughes, Agrovista Amenity’s head of commercial, said, “It is really important for us to bring experts and expertise together. When you put professional turf managers together, they start sharing their problems and solutions."

BATTERY POWER FOR OPEN
Returning to Royal Liverpool Golf Club

Dealership is providing battery power to the The Open

Local dealership is supporting the golf club's efforts to make the event as successful as possible.

The Open returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club for the 13th time in July and helping prepare the course is a raft of battery powered Toro turfcare machinery.

L-R: Mike Turnbull, Reesink Turfcare; James Bledge, Royal Liverpool Golf Club; Jon Cole, Reesink Turfcare and Steve Halley, Cheshire Turf Machinery

Machinery dealer Cheshire Turf Machinery who has worked with Royal Liverpool for over 20 years and Toro’s UK distributor Reesink Turfcare will be providing extensive championship support and a fleet of machines for the duration of the event.

Steve Halley, managing director of Cheshire Turf Machinery, said, “It really has been striking how enthusiastic and excited links manager James Bledge and his team are about staging The Open. We are delighted to support their efforts to make the event as successful as possible.”

While most of the machinery fleet at the links at Hoylake on the west coast of England is Toro, on the greens, tees and surrounds will be the Toro eFlex 1021 lithium-ion battery-powered pedestrian greensmowers and Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 all-electric ride-on greensmowers.

Links manager James Bledge explained, “We have a new par 3 which will be the biggest change since The Open was last hosted here - it is a very short but challenging hole with stunning views of the estuary and Wales. What hasn’t changed is the club’s commitment to sustainable course management in that we’re always looking for the best carbon-neutral options. And when you find a pedestrian greensmower that provides this level of precision and quality, powered by a battery, you don’t look anywhere else.

“The weather will dictate the greens speed for the week and the work we have done in the last year will ensure we have more control over this. For us that’s six teams of two out doing single and double cuts with the eFlex 1021 pedestrian mowers.”

James continued, “The greenkeepers are the heroes here. They’re the ones out there putting in the hours and miles; they are an extremely talented team.”

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. Creating the most diverse volunteer team handpicked from all the best places, bringing together someone from every championship venue, having mentors from across the world to turn to and having the best brands and businesses to work with has been rewarding and will be an incredible opportunity for everyone involved. It’s great to see everyone come together with the common goal to put on the best event possible.”

Jon Cole, divisional business manager at Reesink Turfcare, added, “It’s a privilege to be a part of The 151st Open and supporting the team at Royal Liverpool throughout the Championship again. We have worked with at least 30 of the 40 host venues of The Open that have taken place in our 40 years as Toro distributor and to be involved is always an honour.”

DEFIBRILLATORS ADDED TO BUGGIES
In world's first

Golf club is thought to be the first in the world to fit defibrillators to all its buggies.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club is thought to be the first golf club in the world to fit defibrillators to all its buggies.

The buggies chosen to carry this potentially life-saving device are Star EV’s Capellas from Reesink Scotland.

Royal Dornoch in Scotland already had defibrillators in the clubhouse and halfway house, but this concept goes one step further to ensure they can be accessed while out on the course and provide treatment more quickly.

The initiative and decision to put the devices on buggies came about by coincidence, as Royal Dornoch general manager, Neil Hampton explains: “The arrival of the buggies coincided with David Sullivan, a Surrey businessman and ex-military trainer, visiting the course on his ten-week challenge putting a golf ball from John O’Groats to Land’s End, stopping along the way to teach 30,000 people CPR.

“We got talking about how we could support David’s mission to promote widespread access to the lifesaving devices and it seemed logical to install them on the buggies that are hired out to golfers with medical conditions. In fact, it almost seemed unbelievable that it hadn’t been done before.”

It seems the concept has started a trend and the club has already had enquiries about the project from other clubs. Neil explained, “There’s been some promising interest. Defibs are so easy to use, training isn’t even needed. They talk you through the process and alert you if treatment isn’t needed. There’s nothing to fear about putting them on your buggy fleet, they can even be insured.”

ATV SAFETY CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF
#WearItandShareIt

The aim say organisers, is to make all operators ask why anyone would put themselves, or their workers, at risk?

The National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) is launching a social media campaign on ATV safety to impress the importance of wearing a helmet.

Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive

Operators are being invited to share photos of themselves wearing a helmet with the hashtag #wearitandshareit.

The aim say the NAAC, is to make all operators ask why anyone would put themselves, or their workers, at risk (and break the law) by not wearing a helmet on a sit-astride ATV (aka a quad bike)?

The Association is raising the question why anyone would choose to ride, or deliberately send a worker or family member out on a job with a sit-astride ATV, with no helmet, knowing there is a real and proven risk of loss of life, which could easily be reduced by using a helmet.

Commenting Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive said, “ATV users should take pride in wearing a helmet to protect their safety and help minimise the risk of the worst possible news being delivered to their family if an incident occurs. None of us are infallible and the NAAC wants the industry to get behind us by sharing photos of themselves wearing a helmet under #wearitandshareit”

Continuing Jill said, “It is a legal requirement to wear a helmet at work and if you leave it behind, you are more likely to suffer a serious head injury, or worse, if you come off. The NAAC is working with Logic helmets to provide a discount to members, removing any final excuses why a helmet would not be worn.”

Of course say the NAAC, simply wearing a helmet will not keep everyone fully protected and it is vitally important to ensure that anyone riding an ATV is competent and trained to handle the machine.

JOBS

ADVERTISE YOUR JOBS HERE
Amazing success rates!

Advertise your jobs on TurfPro Weekly Briefing

Advertise your recruitment needs on TurfPro Weekly Briefing and reach our targeted audience of recipients every week.

Contact Nikki Harrison for details - 01491 837117