Michigan State University
The low-temperature growth chamber that was purchased
earlier this year by a partnership between the Michigan Turfgrass Foundation’s
Founders Society, MSU AgBio Research, and the MSU
Growth Chamber Facility has arrived at MSU.
The chamber will be used by MSU turf researchers
to investigate winterkill of Poa annua
putting greens. Initial research
projects have been funded by the USGA, MSU
Project GREEEN and Syngenta and began earlier this summer at the
Hancock Turfgrass Research Center.
Research is focusing on the effects of plant growth regulators and plant
health treatments on turfgrass survival under ice. Turfgrass cores from the field plots have
been extracted and are in the process of being acclimated for ice treatment in
the low-temperature chamber. The
objectives of these research projects are to determine treatments that can
ultimately be used by golf course superintendents to minimize the risk of
winterkill on putting greens.
Thanks to the MTF Founders Society, MSU AgBio Research, and the
MSU Growth Chamber Facility for purchasing the low-temperature chamber to
facilitate our winterkill research efforts.
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| Graduate student Kevin Laskowski adjusting the temperature of the low-temperature chamber. |