WEAR TOLERANCE IN AMENITY AND SPORTS TURF : A REVIEW 1980–85

Over the past five years research into the wear tolerance of amenity and sports turf has included studies verifying research techniques; establishing tolerances for grass species, mixtures and cultivars; elucidating optimum nutrient levels; and comparing construction types.

There are important differences between species, with Lolium perenne being the most wear tolerant followed by Poa pratensis.
New, more wear tolerant cultivars of all turfgrass species are becoming available each year.
When these differences are compared with sward management components such as nutrient levels, however, species and cultivar differences are much less important.
Optimum levels of nitrogen for Lolium perenne under wear conditions being approximately 225 kg. ha^-1 yr^-1. Similarly when compared to construction type sward management components are less important, the over-riding factor being water infiltration rate which is, on heavily used pitches, governed by soil texture.
The construction is therefore the most important factor regarding playability on intensively used sports pitches.
For areas of lesser wear however, the correct management regime, species and cultivar selection can give improved wear tolerance.

The Scientific Management of Vegetation in the Urban Environment

J.W. Hacker

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1987.195.4