Case Study: 21 % Thatch Reduction
Case Study: 21 % Thatch Reduction with biological and mechanical methods
Yavor Atanasov is the Superintendent of the Pravets Golf Club, a Peter Harradine designed 18 holes Golf Course in Bulgaria, one of the top Golf Courses in Eastern Europe.
The Festuca / Agrostis greens are 12 years old. To keep on top of thatch development, Yavor intensified his efforts last season. TourTurf® Thatch-Less® Enzyme Thatch Degrader (ETD)was an important part of his strategy.
TourTurf® Thatch-Less® Enzyme Thatch Degrader (ETD) is a biological activator for more rapid thatch degradation, it contains 15% cellulase enzymes and four different cellulase producing microorganisms. The combination of readily active enzymes and steadily performing microorganisms effectively degrade thatch into plant nutrients, sugars and soil humus.
European Turfgrass Laboratories tested the greens Organic Matter content (OM) by Loss-on-Ignition in spring before the treatment and again in autumn (Loss-on-Ignition measures the weight of an oven-dried soil sample before and after burning its organic matter for 2 hours at 360 °C with the loss in weight expressed as a %). The rootzone was tested in the following depths separately: 0-20 mm, 20-40 mm, 40-60 mm, 60-80 mm, 80-100 mm, 100-120 mm. Not surprisingly, the OM content was highest in the top layers 0-20 mm and 20-40 mm.
Mechanical work:
- No hollow coring for the whole year
- Scarifying greens in the spring
- Needle tines monthly
- Light topdressing monthly
Applications:
Mid-June: TourTurf® ETD 10 l / ha
End June: TourTurf® ETD 10 l / ha
Mid-July: TourTurf® ETD 10 l / ha
End July: TourTurf® ETD 10 l / ha
Results:
The organic matter in the top layer of the rootzone 0-20 mm reduced by 21 %. Interestingly, at the same time the OM in the deeper layers increased slightly, maybe because of organic matter being broken down and mobilised, increasing microbial activity in deeper soil layers.
Conclusion:
With time, greens naturally accumulate organic matter, especially thatch in the top layer of the rootzone.
Frequent light top dressing, scarifying, increasing soil oxygen with needle tines in combination with cellulase enzymes and cellulase producing microorganisms in TourTurf® Thatch-Less® Enzyme Thatch Degrader (ETD) can significantly reduce thatch and soil organic matter within one season.
Biological methods will not replace mechanical work. If thatch continues to build up, biological and mechanical measures need to be used continuously. Also check your input of nutrients, type of fertilizer and moisture management to get consistent good results. The level of organic matter in the rootzone can naturally fluctuate because of temperature and soil moisture. Yavor will repeat the tests this year to see if similar results can be observed.
