Winter-hardness and large root mass are important and critical for bermudagrass putting greens particularly in the transition zone. Both silicon and sodium have been reported in recent years as beneficial elements to plants by increasing stress resistance or increasing root mass. However, documentation of the combination effects of the two elements to turfgrasses is lacking. This study was designed to determine silicon and sodium effects on winter hardness and root mass of an ultra-dwarf bermudagrasses (C. dactylon (L.) Pers. X C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) cultivar, ‘Mini Verde'. The study includes applications of calcium silicate at 0, 389, 778, 1,556 kg ha-1 and sodium chloride solution concentrations of 0 or 3,000 ppm applied weekly at a volume of 3.95 L m-2, which is equivalent to a 1/8 strength of normal sea water sodium chloride salt concentration (32,000 ppm). The evaluation parameters of the study include clippings yield, Si and Na concentrations in clippings, and root mass in addition to turf quality and winter hardness. This study includes a field trial on a Mini Verde putting green and a greenhouse experiment using pots. The results and findings will be further addressed.
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