Turfgrass

Turf Aeration

The Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Research and Education Facility was built by the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation (OTF) at Waterman. The hub of diverse education, research, and outreach programs in turfgrass science, it is used by The Ohio State University’s Turfgrass Science Team, which focuses on the management of turfgrass on golf courses, athletic fields, and home lawns. Faculty use the 23-acre facility to conduct field experiments, hold university classes, and host educational and scientific field days.

Education

The OTF Research and Education Facility:

  • provides an opportunity for hands-on learning for students pursuing careers in turfgrass management.
  • provides field and laboratory experiences for Ohio State courses in plant pathology, horticulture and crop science, entomology, and natural resources.
  • includes coursework in integrated turf health management, ecology of managed ecosystems, principles of turfgrass selection and management, turfgrass management for golf course managers, sports turf management, and plant disease diagnostics.

Research

Research at the OTF Research and Education Facility encompasses multiple disciplines including agronomy, plant pathology, entomology, and natural resources. During a typical growing season, more than 50 experiments are conducted at the facility by faculty and graduate and undergraduate students.

Experiments focus on pesticide efficacy and phytotoxicity, integrated pest management, cultivar evaluation, water use and conservation, turfgrass disease management, fertilizer programs and sources, sustainable and low-input turfgrass management, advanced cultural practices, natural and hybrid athletic fields, natural and biological pest control, genetically engineered species evaluation, and weed ecology and control.

Outreach

The facility hosts multiple educational field days annually. Hundreds of turfgrass professionals learn about the latest trends in industry practices during the OTF/Ohio State Turfgrass Research Field Day and the Ohio Lawn Care Association Summer Workshop. The facility also hosts tours for local FFA and career centers, and is used by local and regional equipment manufacturers as a site for product demonstrations.