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Autonomous (i.e., robotic) mowers have recently garnered interest with the public and within the turfgrass industry. However, limited research has been conducted on their use for mowing warm-season turfgrasses. An experiment was conducted at the University of Florida’s West Florida Research and Education Center (Jay, FL, USA) to investigate the performance of an autonomous mower using a lower than recommended height-of-cut on St. Augustinegrass ( Stenotaphrum secundatum ). Treatments included an autonomous mower with a height-of-cut of 2.5 inches set to mow daily and a conventional mulching mower with weekly mowing at recommended height-of-cut of 3.5 inches. Data collection included weekly digital images that were subjected to digital image analysis to determine overall turfgrass quality, percent green cover, and uniformity. The autonomous mower resulted in greater overall turfgrass quality from January to March and in November, and greater green cover from November to April compared with conventional mowing. Additionally, the autonomous mower produced greater turfgrass uniformity than conventional mowing. Results indicate that autonomous mowers can be successfully used to maintain St. Augustinegrass at a lower than recommended height-of-cut.

Greenhouse research was conducted to examine effects of adding humic products to fertilizers on turfgrass. The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of humic products to fertilizers will increase turfgrass root and shoot morphological parameters. Kentucky bluegrass (KBG; Poa pratensis L.) and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] were established in sand‐filled tubes. Treatments included synthetic fertilizer with black gypsum (22N‐0P‐3.3K, 30% gypsum and 4.7% humic acid), polymer‐coated humic‐coated urea (PCHCU; 2% humic acid), urea with humic dispersing granules (HDG; 70% humic acid), starter fertilizer (18N‐10.5P‐10K) with HDG, starter fertilizer, stabilized nitrogen, urea, and a control group. Fertilizers were applied at 48.8 kg N ha−1 and HDG was applied at 44.4 kg ha−1. Starter fertilizer and starter fertilizer with HDG increased KBG total root length (105 and 112%), root biomass (232 and 244%), and shoot biomass (205 and 204%) compared with urea. In KBG, PCHCU and urea with HDG increased total root length (37 and 20%) compared with urea. In bermudagrass, starter fertilizer and starter fertilizer with HDG increased total root length (241 and 248%), root biomass (672 and 707%), and shoot biomass (821 and 808%) relative to urea. Besides treatments with starter fertilizer, no treatments were different from urea for bermudagrass. These results suggest that starter fertilizer application is critical to turfgrass rooting at establishment. Adding humic products to the starter fertilizer did not increase rooting. In the absence of a starter fertilizer, PCHCU and urea with HDG improved KBG total root length compared with urea.

Seasonal fertilizer restriction periods (blackouts) are commonly implemented in Florida to reduce potential nutrient losses during the summer rainy season; however, their effects on sports turf performance under traffic stress are not well documented. A two-year field study (2022–2023) was conducted in Citra, FL, to evaluate the influence of nitrogen (N) fertilization timing and frequency on ‘Bimini’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) traffic tolerance and post-traffic recovery. Treatments included bi-weekly (24.4 kg N ha−1) and monthly (48.8 kg N ha−1) N applications, a pre-blackout (97.6 kg N ha−1) N application, and a non-treated control. Simulated traffic was applied using a modified Baldree traffic simulator for a total of 60 traffic events each year. Turfgrass performance during traffic and recovery was assessed using percent green cover (PGC), dark green color index (DGCI), soil moisture, surface hardness, and rotational resistance. In both years, bi-weekly and monthly N applications consistently resulted in greater PGC and DGCI during traffic and recovery compared to the pre-blackout and non-treated treatments. The pre-blackout treatment provided limited and inconsistent benefits, particularly under prolonged traffic stress. Fertilizer effects on soil moisture and surface hardness varied between years, while rotational resistance was unaffected by treatment. These results indicate that reliance on pre-blackout fertilization alone may be insufficient to maintain bermudagrass traffic tolerance and recovery during periods of sustained traffic stress. Under sustained traffic pressure, applying a single fertilizer treatment just before the restriction period was less effective and produced inconsistent improvements in turfgrass coverage and color compared with staged fertilization during the growing season, reinforcing that routine N fertilization is necessary when turfgrass experiences sustained traffic.

Soil amendments are widely promoted to improve turfgrass performance and soil properties in suboptimal soil; however, their effectiveness under field-managed conditions remains unclear. Two concurrent field experiments (i.e., turfgrass and soil and reduced nitrogen) were conducted from August 2022 to November 2023 in Gainesville, FL, using a randomized complete block design to evaluate organic and biological amendments under standard and reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization. In the turfgrass and soil portion, treatments included granular humic + fertilizer, liquid humic + fertilizer, biochar + fertilizer, microbial inoculant + fertilizer, compost, natural fertilizer, fertilizer, and a non-treated control. In the reduced N experiment, fertilizer rates for all amendment combinations and the natural fertilizer were applied at 50% (12.2 kg N ha−1), while the full-rate fertilizer (24.4 kg N ha−1) and non-treated control were included for comparison. Treatments were applied to St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze) and zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp. Willd.) established on a sand-based root zone. Turfgrass performance was assessed using visual quality, normalized difference vegetation index, and percent green via digital image analysis. Soil properties were evaluated using physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Treatment responses varied by amendment type and N rate. All treatments improved turfgrass performance relative to the non-treated control, with compost producing the greatest improvements in turfgrass quality and soil properties, including organic matter, pH, and plant-available P, K, and Fe. Humic substances, biochar, and microbial inoculants primarily increased potentially mineralizable N but provided limited improvements in turfgrass performance compared with fertilizer alone. Nitrogen rate was the primary determinant of turfgrass performance, with full N treatments producing the highest quality. Although reduced N treatments improved turfgrass quality relative to the control, amendment additions did not consistently enhance turfgrass performance under reduced N conditions.

Tall fescue ( Schedonorus arundinaceus ) offers an alternative to kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis ) for use on athletic fields. Tall fescue has the ability to withstand athletic field traffic, but little is known about the best management practices such as optimal height of cut (HOC). A 2-year study was conducted on established ‘Snap Back’ tall fescue grown over a native soil root zone to determine optimal HOC under simulated athletic field traffic. Plots were maintained at various HOC treatments (1.5, 2, or 3 inches) for the duration of the growing season. Twenty-five simulated traffic events were applied each fall with a modified Baldree traffic simulator. The percentage of green cover (GC) loss per traffic event by HOC varied between years. In 2017, the 1.5-inch HOC improved traffic tolerance (–1.7% GC per event) compared with the other HOC treatments (–2.6% GC per event) in terms of percentage of GC. In 2018, the HOC did not have an impact on traffic tolerance. Differences in traffic tolerance between years could be a result of differences in precipitation (78 mm in 2017, 6 mm in 2018) during the period when traffic occurred, which suggest that the lower HOC performs better under wet conditions compared with the greater HOC. There were no differences among treatments for the safety variables measured (surface hardness, rotational resistance, and soil moisture).

Due to rising pressure to appear egalitarian, subtle discrimination pervades today's workplace. Although its ambiguous nature may make it seem innocuous on the surface, an abundance of empirical evidence suggests subtle discrimination undermines employee and organizational functioning, perhaps even more so than its overt counterpart. In the following article, we argue for a multidimensional and continuous, rather than categorical, framework for discrimination. In doing so, we propose that there exist several related but distinct continuums on which instances of discrimination vary, including subtlety, formality, and intentionality. Next, we argue for organizational scholarship to migrate toward a more developmental, dynamic perspective of subtle discrimination in order to build a more comprehensive understanding of its antecedents, underlying mechanisms, and outcomes. We further contend that everyone plays a part in the process of subtle discrimination at work and, as a result, bears some responsibility in addressing and remediating it. We conclude with a brief overview of research on subtle discrimination in the workplace from each of four stakeholder perspectives—targets, perpetrators, bystanders, and allies—and review promising strategies that can be implemented by each of these stakeholders to remediate subtle discrimination in the workplace.

Pregnancy represents a critical time during which women are increasingly susceptible to challenges that can shape maternal health postpartum. Given the increasing number of women who are working through the duration of their pregnancies, in this study, we examine the extent to which both maternal psychological and physical health are influenced by social support received at work during pregnancy. Specifically, we examine 118 pregnant employees’ perceptions of coworker support, supervisor support, and stress over the course of 15 working days. We then link prenatal stress levels with postpartum maternal health outcomes following women’s return to work. At the within-person level, coworker support predicted next-day decreases in stress during pregnancy; however, stress did not predict next-day change in coworker support. There was no relationship between supervisor support and next-day change in stress during pregnancy or vice versa. At the between-person level, an interactive effect between coworker support and supervisor support emerged in predicting prenatal stress, such that women who benefitted from supportive coworkers and supportive supervisors during pregnancy reported the lowest levels of prenatal stress which were, in turn, associated with lower incidence of postpartum depression and quicker recovery times from birth-related injuries. Significant indirect effects suggested that when perceptions of supervisor support were higher (but not lower), coworker support during pregnancy predicted lower incidence of postpartum depression and quicker recovery times through reduced prenatal stress. Taken together, our findings provide novel insight into how specific aspects of the workplace environment may interact to shape maternal psychological and physical health during pregnancy and postpartum.

Aeration and sand topdressing are important cultural practices for organic matter management on golf course putting greens. Many golf courses lack the budget for applications of new sand topdressing material. A 2-year study was conducted to investigate the effect of recycling sand from hollow-tine aerification cores on a sand-based creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera ) putting green soil properties and playability. Treatments included traditional [T (cores removed and sand topdressed)], verticut [V (cores broken up with verticutter)], and recycle [R (cores recycled using a core recycler)]. There were no differences in root zone organic matter, bulk density, soil porosity, infiltration rates, percent sand recovered during mowing, surface firmness, and ball roll distance between treatments during the study. Immediately after aerification treatments, T had the highest percent green cover (PGC) (38.3%) compared with V (26.9%) and R (26.8%), indicating that T offered the least sand present on the surface. Seven days after treatments, there was no difference in PGC (85.3% to 90.1%), indicating all treatments recovered similarly. Alternative aerification treatments V and R could be useful techniques to minimize or reduce the amount of sand used for backfilling core aeration holes without compromising the putting green soil properties and playability.

The use of nonpotable water for irrigation on various sport venues has led to an increased use of seashore paspalum ( Paspalum vaginatum ) turf in Hawaii. An ongoing challenge many seashore paspalum turf managers struggle with is bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon ) infestations. Herbicide efficacy studies were conducted at the Hoakalei Country Club [‘SeaDwarf’ seashore paspalum (fairway cut)] and the Magoon Research Station [‘SeaStar’ seashore paspalum (grown in container)] on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. Spray applications of the herbicides mesotrione, topramezone, metribuzin, and ethofumesate were evaluated alone and in tank mixtures for bermudagrass suppression and seashore paspalum injury. At the Hoakalei Country Club, maximum bermudagrass injury with minimal seashore paspalum discoloration was obtained with tank mixes of mesotrione (0.06 lb/acre) + metribuzin (0.19 lb/acre) + ethofumesate (1.00 lb/acre) and topramezone (0.02 lb/acre) + metribuzin (0.19 lb/acre) + ethofumesate (1.00 lb/acre). Unacceptable seashore paspalum turf injury was obtained in all treatments that did not include metribuzin. At the Magoon Research Station, maximum selective bermudagrass suppression was achieved with tank mixes of topramezone (0.01 lb/acre) + ethofumesate (1.00 lb/acre) and topramezone (0.01 lb/acre) + metribuzin (0.09 lb/acre) + ethofumesate (1.00 lb/acre). The addition of metribuzin and/or ethofumesate to the tank mix safened (reduced turf discoloration) seashore paspalum to topramezone or mesotrione foliar bleaching. Tank mixes of mesotrione, topramezone, metribuzin, and ethofumesate have the potential for bermudagrass suppression and control of other grassy weeds in seashore paspalum turf.

The decision to express a stigmatized identity inside and outside of the workplace is highly complex, with the potential for both negative and positive outcomes. This meta-analysis examines the intrapersonal and interpersonal workplace and non-workplace outcomes of engaging in this identity management strategy. Synthesizing stigma and relationship formation theories, we hypothesize and test boundary conditions for these relationships including the visibility and controllability of the stigma, the study setting, and the gender of the interaction partner. Through our analysis of 65 unique samples (k = 108), we find that expression is more likely to lead to beneficial outcomes in interpersonal, workplace, and non-workplace domains, but only for less-visible stigmas and for studies conducted within a field vs. lab setting. Finally, we explore stigma expression across specific stigmatized identities and determine that there are consistently positive outcomes of expression for individuals with stigmatized religious and sexual orientation identities.