Page 10 - Transitioning Turfgrass

TRANSITIONING TURFGRASS

Photo 1 Festuca arundinacea cut at 2.6 cm by an autonomous mower.

constant mowing height caused the creeping reel mower. A three-way factor experimental
weed species to grow sideways, since the turf- design was adopted. Factor A consisted of four
grass offered no competition for light. N fer- nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg•ha ),
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tilization increased turf quality and mowing factor B consisted of two mowing systems (au-
quality, and also reduced spontaneous weed tonomous mower vs. walk-behind gasoline reel
infestation. Autonomous mowing increased mower with no clipping removal), and factor C
turf quality, mowing quality, but also the per- consisted of two mowing heights (1.2 and 3.6
centage of spontaneous weed cover (Pirchio cm). The interaction between mowing system
et al., 2018a). and mowing height showed that the turf quali-
* Autonomous mowers have several advantag- ty was higher when the turf was mowed by the
es over manually - operated mowers but they autonomous mower and at 1.2 cm rather than
are not designed to mow lower than 2.0 cm at 3.6 cm. Autonomous mowing reduced mow-
and are consequently not used on close mowed ing quality but also reduced leaf width. Lower
turfs. An ordinary autonomous mower was mowing height induced thinner leaves. N fer-
modified to obtain a prototype autonomous tilization increased overall turf quality, reduced
mower cutting at a low height. The prototype weed cover percentage, but also reduced
autonomous mower was tested on a manila mowing quality. These results show that auton-
grass (Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.) turf, and omous mowers can perform low mowing even
compared its performance in terms of turf on tough-to-mow turfgrass species and on high
quality and energy consumption with an ordi- quality sports turfs (Pirchio et al., 2018b).

nary autonomous mower and with a gasoline * Warm-season turfgrasses can be grown suc-

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