Determining ways to maintain athletic fields without pesticides can cause even the best turf managers to stumble – literally. There is a fine line between aesthetics and safety when talking about athletic fields, according to UConn researchers who are studying the best practices to comply with a 4-year-old law banning pesticide use on school grounds that serve students through grade eight.
“People are used to seeing lush green grass, but they are uncomfortable using pesticides to keep the fields in good shape,” says Julie Campbell, a Ph.D. student in plant science. “That means other strategies have to be developed that protect the fields from the kind of overuse that can lead to uneven ground or rough patches that may cause falls or other injuries.”
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