Winterkill of Iowa athletic fields is dependent on several factors. Abiotic and biotic stress conditions before and during the winter season can lead to turf death the following spring. This is particularly true of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and annual bluegrass, which is very susceptible to winter stresses common to Iowa. Winterkill can be a result of poor freeze acclimation and direct low temperature kill, crown hydration, hypoxia (lack of oxygen), desiccation, or diseases like snow mold. These environmental effects vary depending on location making it difficult to characterize and predict. In addition to these winter stresses, overall plant health plays a vital role in determining the amount of damage to expect. Throughout this article, we will address each environmental condition and offer suggested maintenance practices to reduce severity.
As the weather cools down in the fall, cool-season turfgrasses upright shoot growth slows, leaf area diminishes, and the plant begins to focus on accumulation of lipids and carbohydrates in preparation for winter. The colder weather and shrinking day lengths trigger these physiological and structural changes inside turfgrass cells. Turf requires several cycles of …show more content…
The tissue water content drops during the hardening process from approximately 85% to 65-70% range as creeping bentgrass begins to enter dormancy (Beard, 1997). The low-temperature hardiness for creeping bentgrass is similar to that of Kentucky bluegrass and more than likely has a similar drop in tissue water content and accumulation of carbohydrates. In contract, perennial ryegrass is unable to lower its water content below 80%, resulting in increased likelihood of direct low temperature kill (Beard, 1997). Overall, the degree at which the turfgrass can make these physiological and structural changes inside cells relates to the turfgrasses overall freezing
As the weather cools down in the fall, cool-season turfgrasses upright shoot growth slows, leaf area diminishes, and the plant begins to focus on accumulation of lipids and carbohydrates in preparation for winter. The colder weather and shrinking day lengths trigger these physiological and structural changes inside turfgrass cells. Turf requires several cycles of …show more content…
The tissue water content drops during the hardening process from approximately 85% to 65-70% range as creeping bentgrass begins to enter dormancy (Beard, 1997). The low-temperature hardiness for creeping bentgrass is similar to that of Kentucky bluegrass and more than likely has a similar drop in tissue water content and accumulation of carbohydrates. In contract, perennial ryegrass is unable to lower its water content below 80%, resulting in increased likelihood of direct low temperature kill (Beard, 1997). Overall, the degree at which the turfgrass can make these physiological and structural changes inside cells relates to the turfgrasses overall freezing