ABSTRACT
Non-food and non-fiber grasses are important to human beings, including ornamental grasses and turfgrasses. In order to discuss the topic thoroughly, turfgrass stresses are grouped into four sub-topics: biotic stresses, abiotic stresses, turf use and management stresses, and environmental pollution stresses. Turfgrass nutrient enhancement under these stresses can minimize the severity and longevity of stresses and even can be a critical factor under certain conditions. Nutrients themselves that become deficient or toxic are abiotic stresses to turfgrasses in addition to other abiotic stresses. The most significant turfgrass management practice that disturbs a golf course’s playability is core cultivation. Differences in nutrient uptake kinetics and enzyme activities exist in cool-season turfgrasses leading to different nutrient use efficiency. Turfgrasses can be genetically modified in growth habits and appearance to meet turf needs such as finer leaf textures, enhanced horizontal growth habits with more stolons and rhizomes, and dwarf types to tolerate lower mowing heights.
