Turfgrass Field Day set for Aug. 1 in Fayetteville, preregistration open through July 28
July 19, 2023
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
Fast facts
- Turfgrass Field Day offers trade show, pesticide recertification
- Preregistration deadline by July 28 ensures lunch, hat and program packet
- Early bird registration deadline July 24
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A new tool that can provide a golf ball’s perspective as it measures green speeds is among the products and research that will be on display at the 2023 Turfgrass Field Day at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center’s Horticulture Field Laboratory. 1005 W. Mead Ave., on Aug. 1.
The GS3, developed by the U.S. Golf Association’s Green Section, is a Bluetooth-enabled, golf ball-sized sphere with sensors that can measure turf firmness and rolling metrics. An app delivers the metrics to the superintendent.
“The GS3 is something that our two guest speakers, John Rowland with the USGA and John Reilly from Longboat Key Club will be discussing at the field day. It’s one of the coolest things on the program,” said Mike Richardson, professor of turfgrass science for the Division of Agriculture.
The field day begins at 7 a.m. with a trade show and breakfast until 8:40 a.m. Guided field tours from 9-11 a.m. focusing on turfgrass research conducted by faculty, staff, and graduate students with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“The field day provides individuals in lawn care and sports turf management an opportunity to hear the latest, up-to-date information about new products and research studies,” said Hannah Wright-Smith, assistant professor and extension weed specialist for the Division of Agriculture. “It is also an opportunity to network with others in the turf industry and visit with vendors at the trade show.”
The Arkansas State Plant Board Pesticide Recertification program begins at 1 p.m. at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1371 W. Altheimer Dr., and requires documented attendance of the field day presentations, Wright-Smith noted. Attendees must sign in before the morning research tours begin and sign out after the afternoon pesticide recertification session.
Lunch from the Catfish Hole will be served 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A hat and information packet are provided with registration.
"This year's field day is going to be a fun-filled and educational event,” Wendell Hutchens, assistant professor of turfgrass science, said. “We look forward to interacting with the many stakeholders in the turfgrass industry throughout Arkansas and the region. The high-quality research conducted by all the turfgrass graduate students, staff, and faculty will be on full display. I look forward to seeing everyone there!"
To register, please visit https://uada.formstack.com/forms/turfgrass_field_day. The program has been approved for 0.25 education points with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. The points are applicable towards Class A and certification entry and renewal for GCSAA members.
The deadline to preregister at the “early bird” price of $80 is July 24. After three preregistrations from the same organization at $80 per person, each additional attendee is only $40 per person. After July 24, the fee is $100 per person and after three registrations from the same organization at $100 per person, each additional attendee is $50 per person.
The deadline to register is July 28. People may register on-site the day of the event from 7:15-9 a.m. However, organizers can only guarantee meals, hats, and programs for those who preregister.
Field tour presentations
The sessions are divided into two-hour blocks according to topic with 20-minute sessions beginning at 9 a.m.: Golf, Lawncare-Group 1, Lawncare-Group 2, and Sports Turf.
Golf
- GCSAA wetting agent trials, presented by Daniel O’Brien, a Ph.D. horticulture student at the University of Arkansas.
- Putting green diseases trial and Tif3D green, presented by Wendell Hutchens, assistant professor of turfgrass science, Division of Agriculture.
- DMI regulation and safety on creeping bentgrass, presented by Michael Battaglia, turfgrass pathology master’s student, and Jessy Anders, research technician.
- USGA updates and the new GS3 technology, presented by John Rowland USGA agronomist for the Southeast Region, and John Reilly, director of agronomy for the Longboat Key Club.
- Application technology and precision turf management, presented by Jason Davis, extension application technologist, Division of Agriculture
- Zoysiagrass putting green herbicide/PGR tolerance, presented by Mike Richardson, professor of turfgrass science, and Hannah Wright-Smith, assistant professor of turfgrass weed science, Division of Agriculture
Lawncare-Group 1
- Applicator issues and sprayer technology, presented by Davis
- Recognition and establishment of a seeded zoysiagrass, presented by Richardson
- Patch disease management on lawn grasses, presented by Hutchens
- Herbicide trials, presented by Wright-Smith
- Utility of technology in lawn management, presented by O’Brien
- Interactive stop: “What’s the damage from?” with Battaglia and Anders
- Assessing tallgrass prairie species for roadside vegetation in Arkansas, presented by Sarah Paschal, turfgrass science master’s student
Lawncare-Group 2
- Assessing tallgrass prairie species for roadside vegetation in Arkansas, presented by Paschal
- Applicator issues and sprayer technology, presented by Davis
- Recognition and establishment of a seeded zoysiagrass, presented by Richardson
- Patch disease management on lawn grasses, presented by Hutchens
- Herbicide trials, presented by Wright-Smith
- Utility of technology in lawn management, presented by O’Brien
- Interactive stop: “What’s the damage from?” with Battaglia and Anders
Sports Turf
- National Turfgrass Evaluation Program bermudagrass trial, presented by Richardson
- Tour of Razorback Athletics, with Pat Berger, former director of Razorback Sports Turf, and Lance Leader, Razorback Athletic Facility supervisor — sports turf.
Zach Severns of GreenSight and Alex Little of P&K Equipment will provide a demonstration of an autonomous mower at 12:15 p.m.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Hannah Wright-Smith by email or phone (501-251-4416) as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact: John Lovett
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
(479) 763-5929
jlovett@uada.edu