Herveld, The Netherlands
Lumbricus, Environmental Research & Consultancy
Turfgrass (Agrostis capillaris, var. Cleek (DLF))
RootFit, Flexx, Topmix 8-5-8, FertAmino 7-2-2 & PlantForce
Objective
This study aimed to assess whether the GrowSolutions strategy (treatment F) improves turfgrass growth and quality under controlled water deficit conditions compared with reference treatments and a fertilised control. The experiment also verified that the imposed moisture gradient induced measurable water stress.
Treatments
The water deficit experiment evaluated seven treatments (A–G) with six replicate pots per treatment in a completely randomized design across three blocks. Over two months, repeated non-destructive measurements and destructive biomass harvests were conducted. Pots (19 cm depth, 1,539 cm³) contained an 80/20 sand–heather compost mixture (pH 5.5; 1.2% organic matter; C:N ratio 24; bulk density 1.336 g/cm³). Biostimulants (B–G) were applied per manufacturer specifications, with nitrogen standardized to isolate biostimulant effects. Water stress was imposed using three irrigation re-gimes – ~80% Field Capacity (FC) (low waterstress), ~60 FC (medium waterstress), and ~40 FC (high waterstress) – controlled via pot mass. This trial info sheet focusses on the results at ~40% FC.
- Treatment F (GrowSolutions) consistently promoted turfgrass performance under high water stress.
- Turf treated with GrowSolutions showed the greatest height, highest vitality, and highest biomass, indicating clear drought-mitigating effects.
- Other treatments displayed limited or inconsistent responses, highlighting the robust and reliable benefit of GrowSolutions under severe water deficit.
Turfgrass growth height (40% FC)
Growth height was measured biweekly using a prism above 8 mm cutting height. Under high water stress (40% FC), treatment F (GrowSolutions) consistently produced the greatest height turfgrass in weeks 6, 8, and 10 after the start, indicating a clear growth-promoting effect under drought conditions.
Turfgrass vitality under water deficit (40% FC)
Vitality was scored visually on a 1–10 scale throughout the 10-week experiment. Under high water stress (40% FC), treatment F (GrowSolutions) consistently showed the highest vitality scores, particularly at weeks 8 and 10, indicating a clear positive effect on turfgrass condition. Other treatments showed lower or variable vitality, highlighting the consistent benefit of GrowSolutions under drought.
Turfgrass dry matter under water deficit (40% FC)
Dry matter was measured destructively at weeks 0, 4, and 8 by harvesting aboveground biomass, drying at 65 °C for 48 hours, and weighing per pot. Treatment F (GrowSolutions) started with the lowest biomass at week 0 but reached the highest dry matter at weeks 4 and 8, indicating strong growth and biomass accumulation under drought. Other treatments, notably D, produced less biomass, highlighting the pronounced positive effect of GrowSolutions.
The GrowSolutions strategy (treatment F) consistently improved turfgrass performance under high water stress (40% FC). Turf treated with GrowSolutions maintained the greatest height, highest vitality scores, and highest biomass, demonstrating consistent improvements in growth and stress resilience, while other treatments showed limited or variable effects.
