Minimum Water Requirements of Four Turfgrasses in the Transition Zone

Abstract

<jats:p>Water requirements for `Meyer' zoysiagrass (<jats:italic>Zoysia japonica</jats:italic> Steud., hereafter referred to as zoysia), `Midlawn' bermudagrass [<jats:italic>Cynodon dactylon</jats:italic> (L.) Pers. × <jats:italic>C. transvaalensis</jats:italic> Burtt-Davy, hereafter referred to as bermuda], `Falcon II' tall fescue (<jats:italic>Festuca arundinacea</jats:italic> Schreb.) and `Brilliant' kentucky bluegrass (<jats:italic>Poa pratensis</jats:italic> L., hereafter referred to as bluegrass) were evaluated under a mobile rainout shelter at deficit irrigation levels of 20% to 100% of actual evapotranspiration (ET<jats:sub>a</jats:sub>), applied twice weekly, between June and September 2001 and 2002. Soil was a river-deposited silt loam (fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Aquic Arquidolls). Minimum annual irrigation amounts required to maintain quality ranged from 244 mm for bermuda to 552 mm for bluegrass. Turfgrass species and respective irrigation levels (% of ET<jats:sub>a</jats:sub>) at which season-long acceptable turf quality was maintained in each year were bluegrass, 100% (evaluated 2001 only); tall fescue, 60% in 2001 and 80% in 2002; bermuda, 60% in both years; and zoysia, 80% in both years. A landscape manager who could tolerate one week of less-than-acceptable quality could have irrigated tall fescue at 40% ET<jats:sub>a</jats:sub> (224 mm) in 2001 and 60% ET<jats:sub>a</jats:sub> (359 mm) in 2002. Likewise, bermuda exhibited unacceptable quality on only one September rating date when irrigated at 40% ET<jats:sub>a</jats:sub> (163 mm) in 2001. Bermuda was able to tolerate a lower leaf relative water content (LRWC) and higher level of leaf electrolyte leakage (EL) compared to other grasses before quality declined to an unacceptable level.</jats:p>

Minimum Water Requirements for Creeping, Colonial, and Velvet Bentgrasses under Fairway Conditions

“…Water requirements for turfgrass growth have been based on water use rates and quantified through measurement of evapotranspiration rate (ET). Water requirements vary with turfgrass species (Youngner et al, 1981; Aronson et al, 1987; Kim and Beard, 1988; Fry and Butler, 1989; Fu et al, 2004) and within cultivars of the same species (Shearman, 1986; Kopec et al, 1988; Shearman, 1989; Bowman and Macaulay, 1991; Salaiz et al, 1991; Ebdon and Petrovic, 1998). Water use rate is also affected by environmental factors, such as the availability of soil moisture.…”

Physiological effects of temperature on turfgrass tolerance to amicarbazone

“…However, bermudagrass had significantly less root uptake, and measured 29% of 14 C applied. Physiologically, cool‐season grasses have greater water requirements than warm‐season grasses . These differences are likely associated with more root absorption of soil‐applied herbicides for cool‐season grasses compared with bermudagrass.…”

“…The spotting solution had a nonionic surfactant (Activator 90 ® ; Loveland Industries, Greeley, CO) included at 0.125% v/v to aid deposition of droplets on leaves. This methodology is similar to previous research for treating turfgrasses with radiolabeled herbicides …”

Evapotranspiration and quality characteristics of some bermudagrass turf cultivars under deficit irrigation

“…Fu et al . () reported that tall fescue, bermudagrass and Japanese lawngrass ( Zoysia japonica Steud.) displayed the same level of turf quality as well‐watered turfgrass when irrigated at 60 or 80% of evapotranspiration.…”