The Effect of Foliar Application of Oligogalacturonides on the Functional Value of Turfgrass

Abstract

Turf grasses play a crucial role in enhancing the beauty and usability of landscapes, gardens, parks, and sports facilities due to their functional and aesthetic properties. However, various unfavourable conditions, such as plant disorders and environmental pressures, can compromise their amenity value. Ongoing research aims to identify natural remedies that improve the quality and resilience of these grasses. A study was conducted at the Experimental Station of the Agricultural University of Krakow (50°07′ N, 20°05′ E) to evaluate the practical value of the turf produced by seeding of the ‘Super Lawn’ grass mixture. The experiment involved applying a spray containing oligogalacturonides at two doses: 1.0 and 2.0 dm3∙ha−1, along with a commercial fungicide. The traits were analysed using a 9-point scale. Plants in variant III (treated with the higher dose of oligogalacturonides) and variant IV (treated with the commercial fungicide) exhibited the highest aesthetic and functional values. The application of oligogalacturonides and a commercial fungicide resulted in a decrease in plant diseases. The treatment area showed a reduction in pink snow mould (Microdochium nivale) and leaf spot incidence compared to the control area. Variant II showed enhanced outcomes with the application of 1.0 dm3∙ha−1 of the preparation. In this area, the plant canopy had greater coverage, and the plants demonstrated increased resistance to pink snow mould and leaf spot compared to the plants in the control area. The use of commercial fungicide was found to be more effective than applying oligogalacturonides. Additionally, the plants that were protected with the fungicide displayed the highest values for the analysed parameters.