Evaluation of warm & cool season turf variety performance using salinity gradient irrigation W. Gelernter and L. Stowell (PACE Turfgrass Research Inst); B. Darrock, J. Guzman and B. Sandland (Fairbanks Ranch CC)
FINANCIAL SUPPORT Fairbanks Ranch Country Club San Diego GCSA GCSA of Southern California Hi-Lo GCSA California GCSA IN-KIND SUPPORT Mesa Verde Country Club Turf-Seed, Inc. University of Georgia West Coast Sod
Growing turf in Coastal California: Not as easy as you d think Warm season turf quality is compromised by: low light levels cool weather shade Cool season turf growth is compromised by high soil salts due to: lack of leaching rainfall poor quality well or reclaimed water
Difficult overseeding transitions Mixtures of cool and warm season varieties in fairways and roughs Uneven playing surfaces Unsightly appearance
A 3-year study was designed to address these problems Determine whether it is possible, and under what conditions, to grow high quality, uniform fairway and rough turf on a year-round basis. Determine which management changes (overseeding, irrigation practices, variety selection) will be necessary to accomplish this goal.
Turf varieties tested 1. Standard rye (Brightstar II) 2. Salt tolerant rye (Charger II) 3. Salt tolerant rye (2SLX) 4. Standard tall fescue (Bonsai) 5. Salt tolerant fescue (Tomahawk E) 6. Salt tolerant fescue (5TOR) 7. Tifway 2 hybrid bermudagrass 8. Standard paspalum (Excalibur/Adalayd) 9. Improved paspalum (Sea Isle 1)
Water sources tested Fairbanks well water: POOR QUALITY Fairbanks domestic water: GOOD QUALITY 50:50 blend of well:domestic: MID QUALITY Well water Domestic water Desired values EC (ds/m) 2.97 0.84 <1.2 SAR adj 10.09 3.72 <11 Boron (ppm) 0.9 0.15 <0.5
Salinity gradient irrigation POOR well water MID 50/50 GOOD domestic water MID 50/50 POOR well water
Planting: 9/16/00
Turf establishment: 12/19/00
Full establishment: 9/10/01
Evaluations Percent turf cover/establishment Turf quality (visual and Field Scout CM1000 Chlorophyll Meter) Soil chemistry (20 factors) Water EC/ pounds of salts delivered to soil (Oakton in-line EC meters), volume of water applied (Great Plains Int l flow meters). Data logged with Campbell Scientific CR23X Weather (Spectrum Watchdog Weather Station)
RESULTS A salinity gradient has been established, with ECs reaching 6.5 ds/m in the poor quality well water plots
Salinity gradient establishment 7 6 SOIL EC (ds/m) 5 4 3 2 1 0 low mid good WATER QUALITY 10/2/01
ESTABLISHMENT OF WARM SEASON TURF For the first 9 months post-plant, use of poor quality water had a negative effect on establishment of warm season turf -- particularly Sea Isle I paspalum. By 12 months post-plant, all varieties were well established in all water quality treatments.
Establishment of Tifway II bermudagrass % cover 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 GOOD MID POOR 0 10/18/00 11/29/00 1/10/01 2/21/01 4/4/01 5/16/01 6/27/01
Establishment of Sea Isle I Paspalum % cover 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 GOOD MID POOR 0 10/18/00 11/29/00 1/10/01 2/21/01 4/4/01 5/16/01 6/27/01
Establishment of Tifway II vs. Sea Isle I paspalum % cover 100 a a a a a a a a ab ab 90 b b b b ab c 80 b c b 70 b c c d 60 b b c d c 50 40 c GOOD c d d e MID 30 d d POOR 20 e e 10 0 10/18/00 11/29/00 1/10/01 2/21/01 4/4/01 5/16/01 6/27/01 paspalum
Tifway II bermudagrass Sea Isle I paspalum 3/8/01
Tifway II bermudagrass Sea Isle I paspalum 9/10/01
ESTABLISHMENT AND QUALITY OF COOL SEASON TURF All varieties established well in all water quality treatments. Tall fescues, particularly Tomahawk and 5 TOR consistently performed better than any of the ryegrass varieties tested -- in all water quality treatments. Soil salinity is not high enough yet to have an impact on cool season turf quality.
Effect of water quality on cool season turf quality Average of 8 rating dates, 11/00-6/01 6.6 * * WATER QUALITY 6.4 * ** * * poor mid good Turf Quality 6.2 6 5.8 Tomahawk fescue 5TOR fescue Bonsai fescue Brightstar rye Charger rye 2SLX rye
The Spectrum Field Scout chlorophyll meter provided good measurements of turf quality
Turf quality = 2.71 X ln ( meter reading) - 9.71 r 2 = 0.73 (p<0.001) 9 8 Visual quality rating 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 55 148 403 1097 Chlorophyll meter reading
Studies have been initiated on warm season varieties to investigate the interactions among: type of renovation procedure (light, heavy or none) overseeding (400 lbs rye/acre) or no overseeding turf variety water quality
10/2/01
10/16/01
Effect of Water Quality on Overseed Success: November 23, 2001 400 Turf Quality 350 300 250 200 Poor Medium Good Water Quality
Effect of Renovation Strategy on Overseed Success: November 23, 2001 Turf Quality 400 380 360 340 320 300 280 None Light Heavy Renovation Strategy
Factors that influence overseeding success water quality renovation strategy