Turf Research Program

All enquiries are to be directed to Dr Tim Colmer:
Tel: 08 6488 1993, Fax: 08 6488 1108
E-mail: tdcolmer@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
or to Dr Louise Barton:
Tel: 08 6488 2543, Fax 08 6488 1108
E-mail: lbarton@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

Background

A "Turf Industries Research Steering Committee" was established in 1995, and this bought together the major stakeholders in Industry, Government, and Research. Three priority areas for research were identified: (i) water use and drought tolerance in turf, (ii) the use of soil amendments to improve water and nutrient management in turf, and (iii) turf nutrition and fertiliser use efficiency.

The UWA Turf Research Facility at Shenton Park was established in 1997 to provide the infrastructure required to evaluate turf under various management practices. Industry members have played a leading role in the establishment of the facility which includes: (i) an innovative variable-speed travelling boom irrigator, (ii) soil water monitoring equipment, (iii) a weather station, and (iv) access to analytical laboratories at the UWA Campus.

The close involvement of our industry partners has ensured a two-way flow of information between researchers and members of the Turf Industries. Furthermore, our findings will be made available to others by way of publications, seminars, and field days.

Turf plots at the UWA
Turf research facility

Irrigation channel for
facility

The variable-speed
travelling boom
irrigator