Soil Moisture Effects on Wear Tolerance of Native Soil Bermudagrass Athletic Fields.

Turfgrass wear caused by sporting events is a challenge that all athletic field managers experience. Numerous studies have addressed turfgrass wear due to traffic on athletic fields. However, the relationship between soil moisture and turfgrass wear tolerance is poorly understood. The objective of our study was to determine the relationship between soil moisture and simulated athletic event-type traffic on ‘Tifway’ hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon x C. transvaalensis) established on Sequatchie silt loam soil. Four soil moisture treatments were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Soil moisture ranges included 8 to 14%, 15 to 21%, 22 to 29%, and 30 to 40%. Plots were maintained in these ranges by daily monitoring with a time-domain reflectometry probe and applying overhead irrigation accordingly. If rain events occurred traffic was suspended until plots returned to the desirable ranges. Soil moisture was kept at these ranges for fourteen days leading up to the start of traffic.  Twenty-five simulated traffic events were applied to plots maintained at desired soil moisture ranges. In fall 2014, plots maintained at the highest soil moisture content (30 to 40%), lost green cover at a rate four times faster than the two lowest soil moisture contents (8 to 14% and 15 to 21%). Results found that soil moisture and surface hardness had a negative correlation coefficient of -0.84. Our results suggest that athletic events played on silt loam soils with high soil moisture content (30 to 40%) should be avoided due the increased potential for turfgrass cover loss from wear.