Low-Temperature Chamber for Winterkill Research

Dr. Kevin W. Frank and Dr. Emily Merewitz
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.

Graduate student Kevin Laskowski adjusting the temperature of the low-temperature chamber.