Dr. Mike Fidanza (Penn State, Berks Campus) served as the Editor-in-chief of the International Turfgrass Society Research Journal (Volume 12), and has agreed to stay on as a member of the ITS Board of Directors. Dr. John Kaminski (Penn State, University Park) was an associated editor. Dr. Rick Latin, of Purdue Univ. (received his Ph.D. at Penn State) gave a keynote address on advances in turfgrass fungicides over the past 40 years. Dr. Bill Johnston, of Washington State Univ. (Penn State alum) presented his research on mesotrione herbicide. (Pictured l. to r. at China’s Great Wall: Drs. John Cisar, Mike Fidanza and Rick Latin)
More than 125 papers and posters were presented in turfgrass science disciplines which included conservation and environmental quality; diseases; establishment and maintenance; genetics and breeding; information technology and education; pests; physiology; biology; soil chemistry and plant nutrition; soil physics and rootzone construction; and weed science.
The ITS is a not-for-profit scientific organization established in 1969 to encourage research and education in turfgrass science, and to promote collaboration among the international community of turfgrass researchers by organizing international conferences to present turfgrass researcher and information on all phases of turfgrass management.
The ITRC is held at 4-year intervals as follows: England (1969), USA (1973, 1993), Germany (1977), Canada (1981, 2001), France (1985), Japan (1989), Australia (1997), U.K. (2005), Chile (2009), and China (2013). The next conference, the 13th ITRC, will be hosted by Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, in July 2017. Dr. Bruce Clarke (Rutgers Univ.) is the President, Dr. Don Loch (Univ. Queensland, Australia) is the Vice-President, and the Treasurer is Dr. John Cisar (Univ. FL). Visit the website, www.turfsociety.com, for more information.
Source: Penn State Turfgrass
