Evaluation of plant growth enhancer(GABA-gamma aminobutyric acid) for the Growth of Poa pratensis L.and Agrostis palustris Huds.

Kentucky bluegrass(Poa pratensis L.) is one of the most widely used cool-season grasses golf course fairways, athletic fields and urban landscape. Creeping bentgrass(Agrostis palustris Huds.) which has high turf quality and recuperative ability is one of the most popular species on golf course putting greens in Korea. GABA enhances nutrients uptake by roots and leaves so that plant nutrient levels are higher than can be achieved with nutrients alone. Many previous researches have been reported for the benefits of GABA for theufgrass growth. The objective o f the study is to evaluation of GABA as aplant growth enhancer for the growth of Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass. The amount of 150 and 300 ppm GABA was applied for the Kentucky bluegrass study. Traffic stress were applied during each week during week 5 and 6. For the creepinf bentgrass study, the amount of 150 and 300 ppm GABA was applied with different timings which are right after seedlings and after germination for 6 weeks. The 300ppm GABA with foliar fertilizer produced higher shoot growth after traffic stress. However, there was no significant difference on clipping dry weight after traffic stress for Kentucky bluegrass. GABA with fertilizer created 27-63% more turf coverage than plots treated by GABA without fertilizer on Oct. 10 for creeping bentgrass. GABA may effective to recover damages from the traffic stress but fertilizer treatments are more effective for the turf growth.