Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)

Creeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i> L.) is an important cool-season turfgrass species widely used for golf course putting greens; however, it experiences a summer stress-induced quality decline in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates. The objective...

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Main Authors: Xunzhong Zhang, Mike Goatley, Maude Focke, Graham Sherman, Berit Smith, Taylor Motsinger, Catherine Roué, Jay Goos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Horticulturae
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/853
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author Xunzhong Zhang
Mike Goatley
Maude Focke
Graham Sherman
Berit Smith
Taylor Motsinger
Catherine Roué
Jay Goos
author_facet Xunzhong Zhang
Mike Goatley
Maude Focke
Graham Sherman
Berit Smith
Taylor Motsinger
Catherine Roué
Jay Goos
author_sort Xunzhong Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Creeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i> L.) is an important cool-season turfgrass species widely used for golf course putting greens; however, it experiences a summer stress-induced quality decline in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of five amino acid biostimulants on creeping bentgrass drought and heat stress tolerance. The five biostimulants, including Superbia, Amino Pro V, Siapton, Benvireo, and Surety, at the rate of 0.22 g of N m<sup>−2</sup>, were applied biweekly to foliage, and the treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and were subjected to 56 days of heat and drought stress in growth chamber conditions. The amino acid biostimulants Superbia and Amino Pro V improved the turf quality, photochemical efficiency (PE), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase activity, root growth, and viability and suppressed leaf H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> levels when compared to a control. Among the treatments, Superbia and Amino Pro V exhibited greater beneficial effects on turf quality and physiological fitness. The results of this study suggest that foliar application of amino acid biostimulants may improve the summer stress tolerance of cool-season turfgrass species in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates.
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spelling doaj-art-69c4be31e9ff4672897c1ce78f5379452025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242025-07-0111785310.3390/horticulturae11070853Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)Xunzhong Zhang0Mike Goatley1Maude Focke2Graham Sherman3Berit Smith4Taylor Motsinger5Catherine Roué6Jay Goos7School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USASchool of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USAFertinagro Biotech International, S.L., Portage, MI 49024, USASchool of Natural Resources Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, USACreeping bentgrass (<i>Agrostis stolonifera</i> L.) is an important cool-season turfgrass species widely used for golf course putting greens; however, it experiences a summer stress-induced quality decline in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of five amino acid biostimulants on creeping bentgrass drought and heat stress tolerance. The five biostimulants, including Superbia, Amino Pro V, Siapton, Benvireo, and Surety, at the rate of 0.22 g of N m<sup>−2</sup>, were applied biweekly to foliage, and the treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and were subjected to 56 days of heat and drought stress in growth chamber conditions. The amino acid biostimulants Superbia and Amino Pro V improved the turf quality, photochemical efficiency (PE), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase activity, root growth, and viability and suppressed leaf H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> levels when compared to a control. Among the treatments, Superbia and Amino Pro V exhibited greater beneficial effects on turf quality and physiological fitness. The results of this study suggest that foliar application of amino acid biostimulants may improve the summer stress tolerance of cool-season turfgrass species in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/853creeping bentgrassdroughtheatprotein hydrolysateroot viabilitysuperoxide dismutase
spellingShingle Xunzhong Zhang
Mike Goatley
Maude Focke
Graham Sherman
Berit Smith
Taylor Motsinger
Catherine Roué
Jay Goos
Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
Horticulturae
creeping bentgrass
drought
heat
protein hydrolysate
root viability
superoxide dismutase
title Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
title_full Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
title_fullStr Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
title_full_unstemmed Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
title_short Amino Acid Biostimulants Enhance Drought and Heat Stress Tolerance of Creeping Bentgrass (<i>Agrostis Stolonifera</i> L.)
title_sort amino acid biostimulants enhance drought and heat stress tolerance of creeping bentgrass i agrostis stolonifera i l
topic creeping bentgrass
drought
heat
protein hydrolysate
root viability
superoxide dismutase
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/7/853
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