ISHS Acta Horticulturae 762: XXVII International Horticultural Congress - IHC2006: International Symposium on Horticultural Plants in Urban and Peri-Urban Life
EFFECTS OF MOWING HEIGHT AND FREQUENCY ON SOME AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A TURF-TYPE WEEPING GRASS (MICROLAENA STIPOIDES (LABILL.) R.BR VAR. STIPOIDES) |
| Authors: | R. Murdoch, D.E. Aldous, C.J. Delpratt |
| Keywords: | turf management, native grass, amenity grasslands, environmental horticulture |
| Abstract:
Weeping grass is distributed over the wetter, temperate coastal regions of eastern Australia, South Australia and SE Western Australia, as well as parts of New Zealand and the islands of the South Pacific. The grass has been shown to be sustainable under restricted watering conditions and low light. More recently a number of tuft-type species have shown to have potential as a low maintenance grass for golf course fairways and roughs, home lawns, parks and reserves, roadside verges and lawn cemeteries. The objective of the trial was to determine the effects of mowing height and frequency on some agronomic characteristics of a turf-type weeping grass. Grass performance was examined under four mowing heights (0, 12.5 mm, 25 mm, and 50 mm), grown under field conditions for a period of 90 days. Results showed that mowing heights of 12.5 mm and 25 mm produced significantly higher dry matter yields compared to the 50 mm treatment and the non-mown control. Lower mowing heights improved tiller density but produced less new shoot regrowth over the test period. Final root dry weights showed that non-mown plants produced more roots when compared to cutting frequencies of 7 day and 14 day intervals, and their respective heights. Under the regime of known mowing heights and one-third shoot tissue removal, the 25 mm mowing height, at frequencies of 14 day intervals over the growing season, provided not only improved tiller density, but also improved total yield and turf quality. | |
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