AU-turf
2/14/97

Mitch Emmons (emmonmb@mail.auburn.edu)

AUBURN TURFGRASS RESEARCH KEEPING INDUSTRY 'GREEN'

CAPTION: Professor Harold Walker and Assistant Professor Elizabeth Guertal examine one of the bentgrass test plots at AU's turfgrass research units.

AUBURN -- In the Southeast, turfgrass science represents a $1 billion a year industry -- due largely to a booming interest in golf and the growing number of golf courses.

Auburn University keeps it green by providing much of the current knowledge through its research, education and outreach programs

In Alabama alone, golf has a $400 million impact on the annual economy, says Assistant Professor Elizabeth Guertal who along with Professor Harold Walker, and Assistant Professor Jeff Higgins, leads the turfgrass program in the Department of Agronomy and Soils.

While recreation is the undisputable driver of turfgrass research and development, the researchers say lawn and grounds management programs are other significant contributors.

Auburn's turfgrass program offers the roughly 50 students enrolled some of the most hands-on, real-world training available among all degree programs, Guertal said.

"A great deal of what we bring to the classroom comes directly from our field research," she said. "In fact, three-fourths of our labs are taught at the turf research (field) unit."

Students also are very successful in obtaining part-time jobs at leading golf courses, sod farms and other turfgrass businesses during summer months, Guertal added.

Auburn's turfgrass research program spans the areas of weed control, pesticides and grass nutrients as well as variety application assessment.

"A great deal of our work is based on adhering to and developing sound environmental policies," Guertal said.

"Our research is heading more and more into developing bentgrass as an alternative to bermudagrass for putting greens," Walker said.

Bentgrass is not as well suited to Alabama's hot summers, according to Walker, but it offers a better putting surface and is more cold-resistant than bermudagrass. Therefore, consumer demand is enough to warrant intense research and development.

"We don't breed turfgrasses here in Alabama, but we evaluate them," Guertal said. "There is a lot of science associated with selecting and managing appropriate varieties. Our work involves evaluating and determining the best applications and methods for managing these varieties."


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feb97:AU-turf

CONTACT: Guertal, 844-39999; Walker, 844-3994.