Dominic Petrella

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor (Assistant) at University of Minnesota

Ice encasement is a major concern for turfgrass managers in cold climates; however, there is a lack of data about both which turfgrasses are best suited for survival under these conditions and the reasons behind the superior recovery of some grasses from long‐term ice encasement. In this study, we encased golf course putting greens‐height field plo...

Winter damage of golf turf in northern environments is a persistent challenge, and reseeding is often necessary to promote recovery and to maintain adequate density and uniformity for play. However, adverse conditions associated with spring seedings can negatively impact reestablishment of creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera L.) (CBG) on golf...

Turfgrass seeds are often sold as mixtures of several species to increase the probability of positive responses toward abiotic and biotic stresses, a response to drought being one of these. Several species of turfgrass are already thought to be better suited for drought, such as hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey) and tall fescue [Schedonorus ar...

Hard fescue is an allo‐hexaploid, caespitose, cool‐season grass that is part of the fine‐leaved ovina complex of the Lolium–Festuca clade in Poaceae. It is predominantly used as a low‐maintenance turfgrass and soil stabilization grass in situations with reduced inputs of nitrogen and water. While often recommended for use under tree canopies, prolo...

Turfgrass stakeholder surveys have indicated fine fescue (Festuca spp.) seed will become in higher demand, but fine fescue seed production in the United States, especially in Oregon, has not increased. Northern Minnesota is conducive for cool‐season turfgrass seed production and has existing infrastructure to produce turfgrass seed. There is an exc...

Background Many plant species exhibit genetic variation for coping with environmental stress. However, there are still limited approaches to effectively uncover the genomic region that regulates distinct responsive patterns of the gene across multiple varieties within the same species under abiotic stress. Results By analyzing the transcriptomes o...

Many plant species exhibit genetic variation for tolerating environmental stress. A transcriptome investigation of over 100 maize inbreds revealed many cis- and trans-acting eQTLs that influence the expression response to heat stress. The cis-acting eQTL in response to heat stress are identified in genes with differential responses to heat stress b...

Background Neutral density shade cloth is commonly used for simulating foliar shade, in which it reduces light intensity without altering spectral quality. However, foliar shade also alters spectral quality, reducing the ratio of red to far-red (R:FR) light, altering the ratio of blue to green (B:G) light, and reducing ultraviolet light. Unlike sha...

Consumers often have multiple choices when purchasing retail lawn products in stores. In this study, we evaluated the acute drought performance of locally available retail lawn seed products (mixtures or blends) at two mowing heights of 2.5 and 3 inches. We hypothesized that the species present in the products and the height-of-cut differentially i...

Weed suppression has been observed in the fine fescues, a group of low‐input turfgrasses. Of the fine fescues, Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin; CH) and strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. rubra Gaudin; ST) displayed the strongest weed suppression ability in previous research while hard fescue (F. brevipila Tracey; H...

Background Neutral density shade cloth is commonly used for simulating foliar shade, in which it reduces light intensity without altering spectral quality. However, foliar shade also alters spectral quality, reducing the ratio of red to far-red (R:FR) light and altering the ratio of blue to green (B:G) light. Unlike shade cloth, photoselective filt...

There is a need to reduce inputs on golf course putting greens. In the north‐central United States, the use of alternative species, like fine fescues (Festuca spp.), could be part of a solution, but information is needed on management and cultivar choices. Our objectives were twofold: (a) to compare performance of fine fescues (strong creeping red...

Propiconazole is often used to remove fungal endophytes from turfgrass to study the effects of Epichloë endophytes. However, besides a fungicidal effect, propiconazole can bind to the genes in the cytochrome P450 family and affect the biosynthesis of brassinosteroids. For this reason, outside of fungicidal application, propiconazole has also been u...

Fine fescues, taxa within the Festuca genus, are considered some of the most shade‐tolerant cool‐season turfgrasses, but past research from field studies has been inconsistent. The objective of this research was to evaluate variation in Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaudin, CH), hard fescue (F. brevipila Tracey, HD), and strong c...

Halotropism is a form of adaptive directional growth in which roots grow away from areas of high salt concentrations. Halotropism is thought to function in cooperation with the more well-understood mechanisms of ion exclusion and sequestration to mediate salt tolerance. Halotropic growth is dependent upon precisely regulated changes in auxin transp...

Salt stress causes worldwide reductions in agricultural yields, a problem that is exacerbated by the depletion of global freshwater reserves and the use of contaminated or recycled water (i.e. effluent water). Additionally, salt stress can occur as cultivated areas are subjected to frequent rounds of irrigation followed by periods of moderate to se...

Rice production, which accounts for roughly 20% of the world's caloric intake, is increasingly threatened by drought or salinity stresses resulting from the depletion of freshwater reserves, the use of contaminated well water, or the aggregation of agricultural fertilizers. The root system is generally the first part of the plant to experience the...

Anthocyanins are plant pigments that are in demand for medicinal and industrial uses. However, anthocyanin production is limited due to the harvest potential of the species currently used as anthocyanin sources. Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis L.) is a perennial turfgrass known for accumulating anthocyanins, and may have the potential to serve as a...

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation poses a potential stress for plant growth and development due to its effect on photosynthesis and plant productivity. In the northern hemisphere, peak UV radiation exposure is predicted to occur from 2010 to 2020, with reduced color from UV-related injury, a possibility for turfgrasses. The objective of this study was to...

Anthocyanins are increasingly being used as natural alternatives in medicinal, food, and industrial products. However, production of anthocyanin extract is often inefficient due to agronomic limitations. On the other hand, the use of turfgrasses for anthocyanin production has been suggested to increase yield twofold. Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis...

Pigments and phenolics that absorb ultraviolet light (UV) are involved in the protection of the photosynthetic apparatus dur-ing periods of high ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation and can be of benefit to turfgrasses. This study initiated in October 2010 and repeated in March 2011 aimed to characterize protective pigment responses to elevated UV-B in c...

In the food coloring and pigment industry, there is a need for natural pigments and anthocyanins are highly sought after. These pigments range in color from red to blue depending on pH, and are in demand by consumers for not only their color but also for their health promoting properties. A majority of the plants used for commercial anthocyanin pro...