Pogo Turf Pro System Manual page 84

Canopy Temperature (Continued)
Another key fundamental process in turf is respiration. While photosynthesis builds compounds the plant depends upon for growth and
performance, respiration breaks compounds (sugars) down creating the energy exchange the turf depends upon for nearly everything it does (i.e.
root growth, manufacturing of key compounds internally, movement of nutrients and other vital elements and compounds, tillering, recuperative
capacity...you name it, if the plant has to do it, it depends on respiration to drive those processes with energy). While photosynthesis is light and
temperature dependent, respiration occurs always. Even in dormant states in the dead of winter, we can still find some minute level of respiration
occurring.
Most importantly, in stressful conditions, respiration is in high gear while photosynthesis can be absent entirely. This leads to a rapid decline of
turfgrass performance and even death which some call 'turf crash'. Respiration depends on free diffused O in the turf system which again, is
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highly influenced by the air/moisture balance we maintain on a daily basis.
Two other physiological actions in turf include transpiration and translocation. Transpiration is a one way movement of moisture form the root
system up through the turf plant and out of the leaves. It ONLY occurs when the moisture beneath the top 2" or so is HIGHER than the moisture
above it and through the canopy. If we allow the moisture in the top 5.5 cm (2.2") to exceed the moisture below (or if we are in high humid states
under rain or high ambient relative humidity), transpiration stops. Transpiration drives the strength and turgor in the turf plant to stand it tall and
become rigid with high recuperative capacity. If we maintain moisture too high in the prominent region of the rootzone as discussed earlier,
transpiration stops...period. Again, transpiration is highly impacted by the air/moisture balance measured quickly and easily by POGO.
Translocation, the last of the 4 important physiological activities in turf systems, is hard to measure. It is the movement of things internally like
when you apply Iron (Fe3+) to leaves and you see an ensuing green up in turf. That is the effect of translocation of elemental components in that
application that move from outside the turf to a key part of the internal makeup of the turf. Radioactive dyes are used to measure internal
activities, but this is not a routine practice. However, what we do know is that when the other three processes are optimal, the translocation of
elements, nutrients, compounds and internal vigor of the turf is also optimized.
So why are we talking about turfgrass physiology anyway?