Effect of Synthetic Hydraulic Fluid on Warm-Season Turfgrass

Abstract

Synthetic hydraulic fluid, which was developed for turf equipment in 2005, was compared to traditional hydraulic oils for its potential to cause turf injury. Effects of fluid type, volume, and temperature on area of injury, percent necrosis, and time to healing were investigated at Edison College in 2005‐2006 via three experiments on hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. [Pers.] × C. transvaalensis Burtt‐Davey) or seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum O. Swartz). Synthetic fluid applied on container‐grown ‘Tifeagle’ at 1.85 ml/cm2 caused minimal shoot necrosis that healed within 10 days, while hydraulic oils caused 100% necrosis of shoots. Synthetic fluid applied on putting greens in the field at a volume of 20 ml caused an average of 70 cm2 of injury with 17% necrosis after 5 days. Time to healing was 15 to 30 days. In contrast, hydraulic oils caused larger areas of injury with more necrosis and longer healing times. Increasing volume increased injury area for all fluids tested, but temperature had minimal effect. Increasing volume and temperature increased percent necrosis for synthetic fluid but not for hydraulic oils. Compared to hydraulic oils, synthetic fluid consistently caused less injury to warm‐season turfgrasses and is a viable replacement for traditional hydraulic oil in turf management equipment.

Effect of Petroleum Diesel and Biodiesel Spills on Turfgrass

“…Thus, we conclude that B100 and B20 spills generally result in less turf damage and faster recovery compared with PD spills. This is consistent with research on the effects of vegetable‐based hydraulic fluid spills (Berndt, 2007).…”

“…A related study (Berndt, 2007) evaluated the effect of petroleum, synthetic (polyalkylene‐glycol), and vegetable‐oil hydraulic fluids applied at various temperatures and volumes on the necrosis and recovery of warm‐season turfgrasses. As expected, the synthetic hydraulic fluid resulted in the least necrosis and the most rapid recovery; however, vegetable‐oil‐based hydraulic fluid resulted in less necrosis and faster recovery than petroleum‐based hydraulic fluid.…”

Nonlinear Regression Modeling of Hydraulic Oil Injury on a Bermudagrass Green

“…Fluids that are less dense than water may also be buoyed by soil moisture, limiting infiltration and increasing spreading behavior (Simmons and Keller, 2005). Differences in density may partially explain differences in IA between nonpolar oils, with PHO always producing larger IA than VHO for a given spill volume (Berndt, 2007).…”

“…Testimonials suggested that flushing SHO with water immediately after a spill eliminated turf injury (D. da Costa, personal communication, 2007). Spill volume is an important factor as injury area increases with spill volume (Berndt, 2007). Season may be a significant influence on the dynamics of IA (Berndt, 2014).…”

“…H ydraulic oil leaking from maintenance equipment injures putting green turf. Reports addressing HO injury on turf describe attempts to mitigate turf damage using treatments including activated charcoal, surfactants, calcined clays, and detergents (Shearman et al, 1971; Johns and Beard, 1979; Gaussoin, 1998) or by using HO alternatives such as vegetable seed oil and polyalkylene glycol (PAG) fluids (Elliott and Prevatte, 1995; Kainassy, 2003; Berndt, 2007; Lulis and Kaminski, 2014). Data and information from current literature are valuable, but research to date has not used the mathematics available to more accurately assess the behavior of HO injury with time or injury response to treatment.…”