School of Plant Biology

The Turf Research Program brings together major stakeholders in industry, government and research.

Priority areas are:

1. water use and drought tolerance in turf
2. use of soil amendments to improve water and nutrient management in turf
3. turf nutrition and fertiliser efficiency.

Our research facility at Shenton Park, WA, provides infrastructure to evaluate turf under various management practices.

Industry members have played a leading role in establishing:

1. variable-speed travelling boom irrigator
2. soil-water monitoring equipment
3. weather station
4. access to analytical laboratories.

Research

1. Water repellency in turf grass grown in sandy soils
2. Water use by soft-leaf buffalo
3. Irrigation of turf grass with saline water
4. Kikuyu Research Project

Older research

1. Development of nutrient management systems for the WA turf industry
   Final report available on the HAL website
2. Evaluation of a soil water sensor control system for improved water use efficiency and reduced nutrient leaching in turf
   Final report available on the HAL website
3. Fly ash amendements to improve water and nutrient management in turf 
4. Water use and drought tolerance in turf grasses 
   Final report available on the HAL website

Steering Committee

• Brian Vidovich, WA Turf Growers Association
• Steve Lindsay, WA Turf Growers Association
• Darren Wilson, WA Golf Course Supers Assoc.
• Ken Johnston, Turf Consultant
• John Brennan, Water Corporation
• Don Crawford, Department of Water
• Toby Riseborough, Organic 2000
• Digby Short, CSBP

• Les Graney, Local Government Representative
• Allan Conroy, Local Government Representative
• Nick Bell, Turfgrass Association of Australia (WA Branch)
• David Parker, Lawn Mowing Contractors Association
• Kim Bailey, Turf and Landscape Industries Association
• Doug Hall, Irrigation Association of Australia (WA Branch)
• Tim Colmer, UWA
• Louise Barton, UWA

Newsletter

Industry Events

Turf Industry Seminar Day 2009

Tuesday 11th August from 8:30am-4pm

At Challenger TAFE, Murdoch Drive, Murdoch.

Registration Essential - closing date July 22nd

Factsheet

Minimising nitrogen leaching from warm-season turfgrass: Irrigation and fertiliser strategies

The RTF version does not contain this diagram so if you would like further information, please contact Louise Barton (lbarton@cyllene.uwa.edu.au)

Scientific and Industry Publications 

A list of the Scientific and Industry Publications can be found below