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Deficit Irrigation and Simulated Traffic on ‘Tifway’ Bermudagrass Summer Performance and Autumn Recovery
Author(s) -
Hejl Reagan W.,
Wherley Benjamin G.,
White Richard H.,
Thomas James C.,
Fontanier Charles H.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2015.03.0197
Subject(s) - cynodon dactylon , irrigation , canopy , agronomy , evapotranspiration , biology , environmental science , horticulture , botany , ecology
Golf course water use continues to be highly scrutinized. Information is limited regarding minimal levels of reference evapotranspiration (ET o )‐based irrigation needed to maintain adequate summer fairway performance and autumn recovery. The objectives of this 2‐yr study were to (i) characterize ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy] fairway response to irrigation levels of 0.6, 0.45, 0.3, and 0.0 × ET o, with and without simulated summer traffic and (ii) evaluate effects of irrigation and traffic on autumn recovery at full irrigation levels. Without traffic, ≥0.3 × ET o was generally adequate for maintaining acceptable quality both years. Withholding irrigation altogether resulted in unacceptable turf quality both years. Summer traffic reduced quality and percentage green cover at all irrigation levels. Canopy temperatures increased with diminishing irrigation, with up to 25°C difference between 0.6 × ET o and unirrigated plots. Upon resumption of full irrigation in autumn, deficit and unirrigated treatments rebounded to 80 to 90% green cover by late autumn. However, in Year 2, only irrigated plots recovered to adequate cover levels, with unirrigated plots suffering substantial injury with only 30% green cover by late autumn. While no rooting differences were detected in Year 1, turf the 0.3 × ET o and unirrigated treatments had lower root dry weights than 0.45 and 0.6 × ET o treatments in Year 2. These data suggest provision of minimal deficit irrigation levels during summer drought may be important for sustaining turf viability and promoting autumn recovery of bermudagrass following successive years of summer drought stress.