...then I have won the poa annua seedhead battle for the last four years. As you know, our greens are comprised primarily of poa annua. This grass type has two key limitations: it has poor heat stress tolerance and it is a prolific seedhead producer. The seeding of the poa annua in the spring can be a playability issue due to the bumpiness and slower speeds caused by the seedheads.
Seedhead suppression is a complicated endeavor due to the hundreds of poa annua biotypes that exist and several environmental factors that affect seedhead production each year. Inconsistent results from traditional growth regulator applications prompted me to experiment with new approaches to seedhead suppression four years ago. The new model I have developed takes into account the variability of the spring weather and has produced extremely consistent results. As I have learned over this period, you can not stop seedhead production. The goal of these growth regulators applications is to suppress the seedheads, keeping them low in the turf canopy and not affecting ball roll.
Below is a photo I took from an untreated area on #13 green. The check plot received none of the growth regulator applications. As you can see, the seedheads are exploding and high in the turf canopy. The leaf texture of the turf is also much more coarse than the rest of the green which was treated. The contrast between the treated and untreated is stark, hence the decision to seek out better seedhead suppression alternatives.
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| Untreated seedheads on #13 green |