Differential effects of lower day and night soil temperatures on shoot and root growth of creeping bentgrass

Turf quality of creeping bentgrass (Agrotis palustris L.) often declines during summer months. Reducing soil temperature alleviates bentgrass quality decline at supraoptimal air temperatures. The objective of this study was to investigate whether reducing soil temperature during the night is more effective than during the day in improving shoot and root growth when air temperature was supraoptimal for creeping bentgrass. The experiment was conducted in growth chambers using water baths to manipulate soil temperatures. Plants were exposed to the following temperature treatments: 1) optimal air and soil temperature during the day and night (20/20°C, day/night, control); 2) high air and soil temperature during the day and night (35/35°C, day/night); 3) lower soil temperatures during the day (20/35, 25/35, and 30/35°C, day/night); and 4) lower soil temperature during the night (35/20, 35/25, and 35/30°C) while air temperature was maintained at 35°C during the day and night. Turf quality (on 1-9 scale) increased to the level of 6.5, 3.0, and 2.5 by reducing day soil temperature to 20, 25, or 30°C, respectively, at 28 days of treatment, compared to the quality of 2.0 at 35/35°C. Turf quality increased from 2.0 at 35/35°C to 7.0, 6.0, and 4.5, respectively, by 28 days of exposure to night temperatures of 20, 25, and 30°C. Chlorophyll content, root number, and root weight also were increased by reducing day or night soil temperature, and the increases were more pronounced for reduced night temperatures than day temperatures. These results demonstrated that reduced night soil temperature was more effective than reduced day soil temperature in improving shoot and root growth in creeping bentgrass under high air temperature conditions.