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College of Agriculture to offer turf specialization in the fall

SIUC's College of Agricultural Sciences anticipates its new turf specialization will attract more students, provide more opportunities for graduates and keep pace with a growing industry.

New students are already enrolling in the program, which will be offered during the fall semester.

John S. Russin, associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences, said in a press release that the turf industry left 10,000 job openings unfilled last year.

She-Kong Chong, who is a plant, soil and general agriculture professor, said there is a lot of opportunity in this area.

"Golf courses have to spend 80 to 90 percent of their resources on turf maintenance," Chong said.

The plant, soil and agricultural systems department plans to add several new courses associated with the turf specialization to the curriculum in the fall, covering such topics as turf disease, turf pathology and turf nutrients.

The department currently offers courses in turf grass management, turf issues and strategies, turf grass science, irrigation, weed control and golf course green installation.

In addition to four years of coursework, students must complete internships, which is a key component of the specialization, Russin said.

Until recently, golf course green maintenance was the most common job placement among those who graduate from the department with turf-oriented degrees. The new specialization is expected to broaden the career choices to include things like park management and tourism.

At least 25 students have enrolled in the program so far.

The department is also conducting several turf-related research projects. One of Chong's research teams is studying the effects of foot traffic on Carbondale Community High School's football field during the 2003 season to determine the best methods of maintaining turf quality.

Other projects are developing new kinds of turf root soil, along with new methods of measuring soil's ability to allow water to pass through it.