Soil survey challenges conventional thinking

The Global Soil Survey, launched in 2013, made history by demonstrating that turf quality and playability can be maintained at much lower nutrient levels than were previously thought possible. Using new, more sustainable soil guidelines developed by researchers at PACE Turf and the Asian Turfgrass Center, participants in the 2013 survey report they had good results following the new guidelines with many able to cut their rates of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus by over 50 percent with no negative impact. Now in 2014, survey researchers are seeking additional turf managers who want to learn how to implement the new guidelines at their locations.

“Our findings challenge the soil nutritional guidelines that most of us have been using for years,” said survey researcher Dr. Larry Stowell of PACE Turf. “While these older guidelines all produced good quality turf, they frequently resulted in unnecessary applications of fertilizer. Today, when everyone is concerned about budgets and environmental impact, anything we can do to reduce inputs is going to be incredibly beneficial.”

The Global Soil Survey invites turf managers from around the world to participate by submitting three soil samples for analysis. Participants receive a kit that contains all of the materials needed to package and ship the soil samples taken from good performing areas of their facility. The samples are analyzed by Brookside Laboratories and the data interpreted by Dr. Micah Woods of the Asian Turfgrass Center and Dr. Stowell.

“The Global Soil Survey is an exciting citizen science project that helps each participant determine just the right amount of each nutrient for their turf, at their location,” Dr. Woods said. “When turf is fed with just the amount it needs, we see that fertilizer rates usually go down quite significantly.”

Each participant in the Global Soil Survey receives a report that shows their soil nutrient levels, predicts how much of each nutrient is required as fertilizer, and shows where each nutrient is on a sustainability index. The data from each participant is also added to a large database of over 17,000 soil samples, so that it can be used to refine and validate new, more precise soil guidelines. Available on the Global Soil Survey webpage, (http://www.paceturf.org/journal/global_soil_survey), these “Minimum Levels for Sustainable Nutrition” guidelines and methods for implementing them will be updated periodically as the Global Soil Survey progresses, and will be accessible, free of charge, to the public.

“We’ve had turf managers from all around the world participate in the Survey,” said PACE Turf’s Dr. Wendy Gelernter. “The large amount of data that we’ve accumulated gives us confidence that our guidelines will benefit turf that is grown in a very wide spectrum of situations.”

For more information on the Global Soil Survey for Sustainable Turf or to order the $250 Global Survey kit, visit the Global Soil Survey webpage at http://www.paceturf.org/journal/global_soil_survey or the Global Soil Survey Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/globalsoilsurvey.

The Asian Turfgrass Center and PACE Turf are leaders in the drive to implement more sustainable soil, water and pest management practices for turf. The Asian Turfgrass Center works with turf facilities throughout Asia to provide expert and unbiased advice on how to best obtain desired turfgrass conditions. Its website at www.asianturfgrass.com contains turf news and agronomic research information that is used by turf managers around the world.

PACE Turf is a membership organization that provides breaking research news, information and expert advice on its website www.paceturf.org.  The mission of PACE Turf is to generate and share independent and objective agronomic information for turf professionals, so they may develop management programs that are effective, practical and scientifically sound.