Effects of the Rutgers Wear Simulator and Cady Traffic Simulator On the 2011 NTEP Kentucky Bluegrass Trial.

Researchers have developed machines to impart wear and the combined stresses of wear and compaction on turfgrass. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of the Rutgers Wear Simulator (RWS) and the Cady Traffic Simulator (CTS) on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). The field trial included all entries of the 2011 NTEP Kentucky Bluegrass Trial seeded in October 2011 on a loam in North Brunswick, NJ. Three separate machine treatment strips (RWS, CTS, and non-treated control) were applied across 92 Kentucky bluegrass entries in a strip-plot design with three replications. Sixteen passes of the RWS and CTS were made (2 passes per week) during 26 Sept. to 14 Nov. 2012 (8 weeks). Fullness of turf canopy (FTC; 0 to 100% scale) and turf quality (1 to 9 scale) were visually assessed and percent green cover was determined by digital image analysis. After 16 passes, machine treatments ranked as control>CTS>RWS for FTC, turf quality, and percent green cover and the factors of machine and entry interacted for each of these parameters. The RWS reduced the FTC and percent green cover for all entries relative to the control. The CTS did not reduce the turf quality, percent green cover, nor FTC of three, twelve, and sixteen entries respectively, compared to the control. BAR VV 0709 and Pp 10847 had the best turf quality and greatest FTC and percent green cover after 16 passes of the RWS. Entries with the best turf quality, and greatest FTC and percent green cover after operation of the CTS were AKB 2282, A03-1017, BAR Pp 110358, J-1770, Pick 4340, and BAR 8PP 504. Entries with the poorest turf quality and least FTC and percent green cover after 16 passes of both machines were PST-K4-3, A05-329, A06-47, PST-K9-97, and PST-K9-90.