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Published online 1 March 1977
Published in Agron J 69:325-326 (1977)
© 1977 American Society of Agronomy
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Method of Soil Temperature Control for Turfgrass Research1

D. E. Aldous, R. A. Spaulding and J. E. Kaufmann2

Since growth of cool season grasses is more related to soil temperatures than air temperatures, a method was developed for independent control of soil and air temperatures utilizing a modified chest-type freezer placed inside a controlled environment growth chamber. The freezer door was replaced with a plywood top insulated with styrofoam. Pots containing two cultivars of Poa pratensis L. were suspended through holes in the top into the freezer chamber and root zone temperature was controlled utilizing a sensitive thermostat. Carboys containing nutrient solution were placed in the chamber and subirrigation was accomplished by pressurizing the carboys with an air pump. The temperature of the material in the pots reached equilibrium with the freezer environment in 4 hours. The system was effective in controlling root-zone temperatures at optimum for shoot growth (22 C) during a 10-week period where ambient temperatures were increased in 4 C increments every 2 weeks from 22 C to 38 C. The system could be used wherever growth or physiological responses to soil temperature must be separated from responses to air temperature.

Key Words: Nutrient culture • Soil temperature • Turfgrass

1 Since growth of cool season grasses is more related to soil temperatures than air temperatures, a method was developed for independent control of soil and air temperatures utilizing a modified chest-type freezer placed inside a controlled environment growth chamber. The freezer door was replaced with a plywood top insulated with styrofoam. Pots containing two cultivars of Poa pratensis L. were suspended through holes in the top into the freezer chamber and root zone temperature was controlled utilizing a sensitive thermostat. Carboys containing nutrient solution were placed in the chamber and subirrigation was accomplished by pressurizing the carboys with an air pump. The temperature of the material in the pots reached equilibrium with the freezer environment in 4 hours. The system was effective in controlling root-zone temperatures at optimum for shoot growth (22 C) during a 10-week period where ambient temperatures were increased in 4 C increments every 2 weeks from 22 C to 38 C. The system could be used wherever growth or physiological responses to soil temperature must be separated from responses to air temperature.

2 Former research assistant, experimentalist, and former assistant professor, respectively, Dep. of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, Cornell Univ., Ithaca. Senior and third author now at Dep. of Crop and Soil Science, Michigan State Univ., E. Lansing, MI 48824.

Received for publication January 9, 1976.




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
The SCI Journals Crop Science Vadose Zone Journal
Journal of Natural Resources
and Life Sciences Education		 Soil Science Society of America Journal
Journal of Plant Registrations Journal of
Environmental Quality		 The Plant Genome
Copyright © 1977 by the American Society of Agronomy.