B.Sc. Horticulture Semester VII – Elective Specialization

Turf management

Credits: 2 (1+1) Floriculture and Landscaping

Course Overview

Official detailed syllabus from the ICAR Sixth Deans’ Committee curriculum.

Course Objectives

1. To impart hands-on training on practical aspects of turf management practices

2. To impart entrepreneurial skills in turf establishment

Theory Syllabus

History, present status and prospects of turf industry; basic requirements, site selection and evaluation, concepts of quality of soil pertaining to turf grass establishment, criteria for evaluation of turf quality. Types, species, varieties, important breeders, grasses for different locations and conditions and their compatible groupings as per climatic conditions; Turfing for roof gardens. Turf establishment methods such as seeding, sprigging/dibbling, plugging, sodding/turfing, turf plastering, instant turfing (portable), hydro-seeding, Turf management – Irrigation, drainage, nutrition, special practices like aerating, rolling, coring, dethatching, verti-cutting, soil topdressing, use of plant growth regulators and micronutrients, Turf mowing – mowing equipment, techniques to minimize wear and compaction, weed control, biotic and abiotic stress management in turfs, standards for turf, use of recycled water etc., Making of different sports arenas: Establishment and maintenance of turfs for playgrounds, viz. golf, football, hockey, cricket, residential and public parks, turfing of Govt. and Corporate office gardens, turf colourants.

Practical Syllabus

Identification of turf grasses and turf machinery, Soil preparation, turf establishment methods, provision of drainage, Layout of macro and micro irrigation systems, Water and nutrient management, Special practices – mowing, raking, rolling, soil top dressing, weed management, Biotic and abiotic stress management, Project preparation for turf establishment, Visit to parks and golf courses, corporate, Govt. organizations, Rejuvenation of lawns, Turf economics.

Suggested Readings

1. Jankiram T, Namita and Jain Ritu. 2015. Introduction to Turfgrasses. (1st Edn.). Westville Publishing House.

2. Nick E. 2016. Christians Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management. (5th Edn.) Aaron J. Patton, Quincy D. Law. Wiley

3. Tiwari A K, Singh, K P, Shephalika Amrapali, Girish, K S and Singh Premjit. 2015. Lawn Management. ICAR-Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune-411005 (Maharashtra), India 1-48.