Growth retardant effects on visual quality and nonstructural carbohydrates of creeping bentgrass

Abstract

Plant growth regulators are becoming important tools for managing high-quality turf. However, long-term suppression of growth might affect the potential of the turf to recuperate from summer stresses. This study was initiated to determine the impact of popular commercial turfgrass growth regulators (TGR) on the accumulation of total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC), and their effect on turf quality. Three experiments, one each year from 1994 through 1996, were conducted on creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera Huds. 'Penncross') in a greenhouse. Growth retardants evaluated included trinexapac-ethyl at 0.28 kg · ha-1, flurprimidol at 0.56 kg · ha-1, and paclobutrazol at 0.28 kg · ha-1. Each retardant was applied at three different intervals: a single initial application or multiple applications every 2 or 4 weeks, for the first 8 weeks of each experiment. The verdure and roots were harvested and analyzed for TNC. Trinexapac-ethyl, flurprimidol, and paclobutrazol significantly increased the TNC of creeping bentgrass 2 weeks after their initial application, but TNC levels began to decrease at week 4. The TNC content was strongly influenced by TGR application rate but not application intervals. A single trinexapac-ethyl application at 0.28 kg · ha-1 reduced TNC content more than did split applications, each at lower rates. Accordingly, TNC levels recovered more rapidly with lower, more frequent application rates; however, the retardation effect on vegetative growth diminished as the concentration was lowered. On the other hand, repeated low application rates of trinexapac-ethyl may have minimal effect on TNC accumulation. Chemical names used: [4(cyclopropyl-α-hydroxy-methylene)-3,5-dioxocyclohexanecarboxylic acid ethyl ester] (trinexapac-ethyl); {α-[1-methylethyl]-α-[4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]-5-pyrimidine-methanol} (flurprimidol); [(2RS,3RS)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)4,4-dimethyl-2-1,2,4,-triazole-1-yl)penta-n-3-ol ] (paclobutrazol).