Re: [compost_tea] Reminding everyone of the first published tea on golf paper

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2004 13:49:30 EST

The Effects of Compost Tea on Golf Course Greens:
Presidio Golf Course, San Francisco CA
 
Christa Conforti1, Marney Blair1, Kevin Hutchins2, and Jean Koch1
CConforti_at_presidiotrust.gov
1. Presidio Trust, San Francisco, California, USA
2. Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company, San Francisco, California, US=
A
 
Abstract
 
In an attempt to reduce the need for pesticides and improve the overall
health of turf and soil, the Presidio Golf Course conducted a field trial t=
o
evaluate the effects of compost tea applications on golf course greens unde=
r
real-world conditions. Greens were sprayed at a rate of one gallon of compo=
st tea per
1000 ft2 for twelve months. Applications occurred weekly during times of hi=
gh
disease pressure, and bi-weekly during times of moderate or low disease
pressure. Turf was evaluated for color, density, root depth, and disease an=
d weed
infestation. Soil was tested for carbon dioxide and oxygen level. Turf trea=
ted
with compost tea had longer root length, and less microdochium patch than
untreated turf. Treated turf did not differ from untreated turf in color, d=
ensity,
soil carbon dioxide, soil oxygen, or weed infestation. Compost tea has beco=
me
an integral part of the Presidio Golf Course pest management and the overal=
l
turf maintenance program. Further trials are needed to evaluate various
application rates and application methods to determine the full potential e=
ffects of
compost tea on golf course turf and soils.
 
Introduction
 
Pest management on golf courses has traditionally included regular pesticid=
e
applications, particularly on greens. Many of these pesticides have the
potential to harm wildlife, humans, or move into groundwater. Golf courses =
are under
increasing scrutiny and pressure to minimize the use of synthetic turf care=
 
chemicals (Balogh and Anderson 1992; Walker and Branham 1992). This pressur=
e
comes both from within the golf course industry and from environmental and=
 
community groups (Dinelli 2000; USGA 1996). Because of this, many golf cour=
se
managers are looking for effective alternatives to chemical pesticides and=
 
fertilizers. Compost tea, or aqueous extract of compost (Bess 2000), has be=
en used in
agriculture to suppress various fruit and vegetable diseases (Quarles 2001;=
 
Hoitink et al. 1997; Brinton 1995). Work with compost tea to suppress turf=
 
diseases and reduce fertilizer needs on golf courses is a relatively new en=
deavor
(Ingham 2001).
The aim of this field trial was to evaluate the effects of a twelve-month
compost tea regimen, under the conditions of a working San Francisco golf c=
ourse.
This trial was not intended to be narrowly focused, precisely controlled
study. Rather, it was intended to determine if the regular use of compost t=
ea was
feasible within an environmentally conscious golf course superintendentâ=
€™s turf
management program, and if this use would reduce the severity of the primar=
y
foliar turf diseases common to this course: microdochium patch (pathogen
Microdochium nivale) and anthracnose (pathogen Colletotrichum graminicola).=
 The
trial also aimed to determine if the use of compost tea would increase soil=
 
microorganism and nutrient levels.
 
Materials and Methods
 
This trial was conducted from November 2000 through November 2001, at the
Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco California, on two creeping bentgrass=
 
(Agrostis spp.) greens. Varieties of bentgrass on both greens were SR1119, =
SR1020,
and SR1019. Both greens were sodded with this blend of bentgrass one year
prior to the beginning of the trial, and they were maintained at a mowing h=
eight
of between 0.125 and 0.18 inches. Both greens were subject to foot-traffic =
of
approximately 70,000 rounds of golf during the duration of the trial. Each=
 
green was divided in half for the purpose of the trial; one side received c=
ompost
tea applications while the remaining side received no compost tea. All othe=
r
maintenance practices including mowing, fertilizer applications, dew-remova=
l,
and soil aerification, were uniform across each green. No pesticide
applications occurred on these greens during this trial.
Compost and compost teas were made on-site. Compost was made from equal par=
ts
wood chips, grass clippings, and horse manure plus horse bedding. The recip=
e
for this compost blend was produced with the help of Woods End Lab, ME. Aft=
er
compost was made, biodynamic preparations (Pfeiffer 1984) were added to the=
 
compost windrows. Mature compost was taken from compost piles no less than =
four
months old that had previously been maintained at 135°F for three to f=
ive
days. Compost tea was brewed in a fifty-gallon Growing Solutions Microbrewe=
râ for
the first six months of the trial, and in a one-hundred-gallon Growing
Solutions System100â for the last six months. Before each brewing cycl=
e, water was
placed in the brewer and de-chlorinated by aerating the water for at least =
one
hour. Additives, such as molasses and a compost tea catalyst by Growing
Solutions (made of sea kelp, cane sugar, rock dust, and yeast) were added t=
o the
de-chlorinated water. Compost was then placed in the brewer baskets. One
five-gallon bucket of compost was used in the Microbrewerâ, and approx=
imately two
five-gallon buckets of compost were used in the System100â. Brewing o=
ccurred for
eighteen to twenty-four hours, respectively. The resulting compost tea was=
 
transferred to a spray rig and applied to the turf within four hours of bre=
wing
time. Quality testing of the compost and compost tea was performed quarterl=
y
during the trial. Testing was performed by Soil Foodweb, Corvallis OR.
The compost tea was applied through a Smith Co. Spray Star 1600 boom spraye=
r
with a fifteen-foot boom. Compost tea was mixed with de-chlorinated San
Francisco municipal water, and sprayed at a rate of 1-gallon compost tea/10=
00 ft2.
Applications occurred weekly during periods of high disease pressure (Novem=
ber
through March), and biweekly during moderate to low disease pressure (April=
 
through October). Applications generally occurred in the early morning befo=
re
7:30 am. Application methods alternated between (a) drench applications in =
which
the spray was watered in with five to ten minutes of irrigation following t=
he
application, and (b) foliar applications, in which the spray was left on th=
e
surface of the green.
 
Analytical Methods
 
Each experimental green was divided into quadrants (two treated with compos=
t
tea, two untreated) for the following evaluations:
 
Percentage turf affected by weeds and disease symptoms were recorded weekly=
 
for one randomly selected square foot per quadrant.
A subjective rating of turf color and turf density on a scale of 1-10 was
recorded weekly for one randomly selected square foot per quadrant.
Root depth was measured monthly by pulling a soil profile sample with a soi=
l
probe, to determine thatch and root depth (inches).
Soil CO2 level, and soil O2 level were measured monthly by placing a soil g=
as
meter approximately two inches deep into the soil beneath the turf.
 
For all turf and soil characteristics except disease occurrence, data was
graphed as time series plots of the mean value for each sample date, and an=
 ANOVA
for each characteristic versus treatment and date was performed on data fro=
m
last ten months of the trial. For disease occurrence, data was graphed as t=
ime
series plots of the mean disease occurrence for each sample date within the=
 
time span of high disease pressure, and an ANOVA for disease occurrence ver=
sus
treatment and date was performed on data from time span of high disease
pressure.
 
Results
 
Root Depth
 
Figure 1 shows a time series plot of the root depth for treated and untreat=
ed
turf. During the first two months of the trial, root depth of turf treated=
 
with compost tea did not significantly differ from untreated turf (P=0.12=
0).
During the last ten months of the trial, turf treated with compost tea did =
root
significantly deeper than untreated turf (P=0.001). Mean root depths (n=
=4)
during the last ten months of the trial for treated and untreated turf were=
 2.49,
and 1.89 inches, respectively.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Microdochium Patch
 
Figure 2 shows a time series plot of the microdochium patch symptoms during=
 
times of highest microdochium disease pressure, for treated and untreated t=
urf.
During this time, turf treated with compost tea showed less microdochium
patch symptoms than untreated turf (P<0.001). Mean percent turf areas with=
 
microdochium symptoms (n=4) on treated and untreated turf were 0.042%, an=
d 0.604%,
respectively.
 
 
 
 
 

____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 

Anthracnose & Weeds
 


Figures 3 and 4 show time series plots of mean anthracnose damage (n=4) f=
or
times of high anthracnose disease pressure, and mean weed infestations (n=
=4)
throughout the trial. Turf treated with compost tea did not significantly d=
iffer
from untreated turf in terms of anthracnose symptoms (P=1.0) or weed
infestation (P=0.519).
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Turf Color & Turf Density
 
Figures 5 and 6 show time series plots of mean turf color (n=4) and mean =
turf
density (n=4) throughout the trial. Turf treated with compost tea did not=
 
significantly differ from untreated turf in color (P= 0.112) or density
(P=0.110).
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 

 
 
Soil CO2 & Soil O2
 
Figures 7 and 8 show time series plots of mean soil CO2 levels (n=4) and =
mean
soil O2 levels (n=4) at a soil depth of two inches. Turf treated with com=
post
tea did not significantly differ from untreated turf in soil CO2 (P= 0.25=
2)
or soil O2 levels (P= 0.584).
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 
____ treated
_ _ _ untreated
 

 
 
 
Conclusions
 
The use of compost tea on golf course greens suppressed the severity of
microdochium patch although anthracnose was not affected. The difference in=
 mean
root depth during the last ten months of the trial was 0.60 inches, or a 31=
.7%
increase. The difference in microdochium patch symptoms was 0.562%. While t=
hese
differences were small, they were significant within the context of a golf=
 
course green. On turf that is under the stress of a 0.125-inch mowing heigh=
t and
the foot-traffic of 70,000 rounds of golf per year, and under the foggy
conditions of San Francisco, both of these differences are substantial. Sin=
ce a
deeper root system allows turf to better withstand foot traffic and thresho=
lds
for turf diseases on golf greens are very low, these differences were
significant to the golf course superintendent.
Areas that warrant further study include increasing the compost tea
application rate or adjusting the application method to move the compost te=
a into the
soil profile, and adjusting the recipe of the compost and compost tea to
improve microbial aspects of the compost tea. Quality tests run during the =
trial
showed high bacterial levels and moderate fungal levels in the compost tea =
(data
not shown). Increasing the temperature during brewing, testing various
catalysts, or allowing the microbe populations in the compost to further ma=
ture and
stabilize might possibly improve the quality of the compost tea and influen=
ce
the results.
More study is needed to fully understand how to use compost tea to its
greatest benefit on golf course greens. However, due to the results of this=
 trial,
and additional work done to improve the application protocol, compost tea h=
as
become an integral part of the pest management and general turf management=
 
program on all Presidio Golf Course greens.
 
References
 
Balogh, J.C., and J.L. Anderson. 1992. Environmental impacts of turfgrass
pesticides. p. 221-353. In J.C. Balogh and W.J. Walker (ed.) Golf Course
Management and Construction: Environmental Issues. Lewis Publishers, Chelse=
a, MI.
 
Bess, V.H. 2000. Understanding Compost Tea. BioCycle. 41(10):71-72.
 
Brinton, W., M. Droffner. 1995. The control of plant pathogenic fungi by us=
e
of compost teas. Biodynamics. 197:12-16.
 
Dinelli, Dan. 2000. IPM on Golf Courses. The IPM Practitioner, 22(8):1-8.
 
Hoitink, H. A. J., Stone, A. G., and Han, D. Y. 1997. Suppression of plant=
 
diseases by composts. HortScience. 32:184-187.
 
Ingham, E.R. 2001. The Compost Tea Brewing Manual, 2nd Ed. Soil Foodweb Inc=
.,
Corvallis, OR.
 
Pfeiffer, E. 1984. Using Biodynamic Compost Preperations and Sprays.
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association. San Francisco, CA.
 
Quarles, W. 2001. Compost tea for organic farming and gardening. The IPM
Practitioner. 23(9)1-8.
 
USGA. 1996. USGA 1996 Turfgrass and Environmental Research Summary The Unit=
ed
States Golf Association, Golf House, Far Hills, NJ.
 
Walker, W.J., and B.Branham. 1992. Environmental impacts of turfgrass
fertilization. P. 105-219. In J.C. Balogh and W.J. Walker (ed.) Golf Course=
 
Management and Construction: Environmental Issues. Lewis Publishers, Chelse=
a, MI.
 
 

Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa









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Received on Tue Nov 09 2004 - 15:09:26 EST

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