Golfdom, April 2016
rolling frequency reduces dollar spot University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture TEST SUMMARY TO DATE Plots were unrolled Rolled 3 times week Rolled 4 times week Double roll 2 days Rolled 6 times week Double roll 3 days Initial Results Increased rolling frequency reduced dollar spot 40 60 in 2015 Clipping yields were reduced and positively correlated with increased rolling frequency Different fungicide spray schedules were also tested Threshold vs Calendar at 21 days interval and initial results indicate rolling can reduce fungicide applications if threshold based spray programs are used This should be a major cost reduction if second year test plots confirm this We also observed less thatch depth where rolling was performed again directly correlated to frequency but wasnt quantified at this time Soil penetrometer tests confirmed that rolled plots had higher resistance to penetration We presume ball roll will be increased however further studies are needed to evaluate these affects Additional studies will be performed next year For years rolling was just for greens Today you could be in for a big surprise Preliminary testing shows that rolling fairways suppresses dollar spot reduces time spent cutting which in turn reduces wear and tear on machinery and cuts labor costs Geunhwa Jung and Jay Popko Stockbridge School of Agriculture More rollers with more features than anyone
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