ROOTED IN RESEARCH
SOD STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS OF 51 COOL-SEASON TURFGRASS MIXTURES
By Joshua Friell, PhD; Eric Watkins, PhD; Brian Horgan, PhD; and Matthew Cavanaugh. Edited for “Rooted in Research” by Casey Reynolds, PhD.
Sod provides many benefits such as rapid establishment and soil stabilization, both of which are important on roadsides following construction. Previous research has evaluated both natural and man-made erosion control materials on a sloped roadside and suggested that sod (natural), straw (natural), and jute (man-made) were the only products to effectively reduce both runoff and sediment losses when used at construction sites. In that study, sod reduced runoff to a greater extent than straw or jute with runoff being decreased by 61, 25, and 16 percent, respectively, as compared to bare ground. On newly constructed roadsides, species exhibiting rapid germination may also be seeded as a natural control for erosion and runoff. However, many of those species, such as smooth brome, bird’s-foot trefoil, reed canarygrass, and crown vetch have proven to be invasive. Successful sod installation on roadsides can provide instant erosion and runoff control while minimizing weed encroachment.
In the upper Midwest, Kentucky bluegrass is the dominant turfgrass due to its ability to provide high quality turf. Te rhizomatous growth of Kentucky bluegrass and its ability to knit and transport well have also made it a champion of the sod production industry. However, Kentucky bluegrass has been observed to not perform well on roadsides in Minnesota and has inferior salt tolerance compared to many other species, which is often important for snow and ice management practices that rely on salt. Other turf species such as tall fescue, creeping bentgrass, and fine fescues may also be used to produce sod; however, tall fescue and fine fescue species have not been extensively used for sod production except in mixtures with Kentucky bluegrass or if netting is used to hold the sod together. Te bunch-type growth habit of those species is thought to create poor harvesting, handling, and transport properties due to low mechanical strength.
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Research plots were established at the Rosemount Research and Out- reach Center in Rosemount, MN, and at the University of Minnesota at St. Paul, MN. Photo courtesy of Eric Watkins, PhD
TPI Turf News September/October 2018
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