BRUNSWICK, Ga. – BlueYellow today announced the results of two university studies providing new details about the company’s BlueYellow™ Engineered Turf System products and their impact on turf establishment and soil and nutrient runoff.
Beginning in July 2004, Dr. Greg Bell at Oklahoma State University conducted a study to determine if BlueYellow mats seeded with Riviera bermudagrass were effective for rapid germination and/or turf establishment. The study compared BlueYellow mats to seeding with no mulch and seeding with straw mulch.
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“Based on one year’s research at a single site, we found that the use of the BlueYellow Engineered Turf System resulted in more rapid germination and establishment, speeding up the process by almost two weeks,” Dr. Bell said. “With BlueYellow, the turf establishment process was faster than seed with straw mulch, as well as seed with no mulch.”
Within 24 days after seeding, BlueYellow plots achieved 81-percent turfgrass cover. This compares to seeding with no mulch, which was at 8-percent cover at the same time, and broadcast seeding with straw mulch at 37 percent.
It is not until 42 days after seeding that BlueYellow and conventional seeding with straw mulch are at equal levels of 95-percent turfgrass cover. Seeding with no mulch is at 59-percent cover at the same time.
Dr. Bell also stated that the study found the unique BlueYellow cellulose mat provided a slight edge over other treatments with regard to weed suppression.
Meanwhile, under the direction of Dr. Mike Richardson, the University of Arkansas conducted a study beginning in August 2004 to compare nutrient and sediment runoff on slopes seeded conventionally, hydroseeded and seeded with BlueYellow mats.
“Preventing or effectively reducing runoff is critical to minimize the impact of rainfall and erosion,” said Dr. Richardson. “We found that the BlueYellow Engineered Turf System allowed the soil to take in more moisture until the point of saturation, thereby effectively reducing the likelihood of runoff occurring compared to either of the other two planting treatments.”
Whereas the standard seeded plots experienced runoff after only 28 minutes of simulated rain and hydroseed at 49 minutes, the BlueYellow plots did not experience runoff for 77 minutes. Based on the volume of water applied, this correlated to 0.91 inches of simulated rain with standard seeding, compared to 1.6 inches with hydroseed and 2.52 inches with BlueYellow.
Also noteworthy is the volume of runoff once it starts. The BlueYellow system experienced 50-percent less runoff volume than either of the other two treatments over the same period of runoff evaluation. There was no difference in hydroseeding and standard seeding.
Important to protecting water quality, Dr. Richardson also stated that the study found that BlueYellow technology significantly reduces – by up to four times – the concentration of phosphorus in runoff water.
“The results of these two university studies confirm what landscape and golf professionals are telling us after using it firsthand,” said John Martin, agronomist, BlueYellow. “The BlueYellow Engineered Turf System can produce results more quickly than traditional seeding methods and it’s a particularly good choice for moderately sloped areas.
“The Arkansas study shows that BlueYellow can reduce runoff around environmentally sensitive areas,” Martin continued. “We expect to continue these studies to more firmly establish the benefits of using BlueYellow products.”
To see the full results of the two studies and for more information on BlueYellow Engineered Turf System products, visit www.blueyellowpro.com, or contact John Martin at 800/667-3268.