Minimum water requirements of cool‐season turfgrasses for survival and recovery after prolonged drought

Abstract

AbstractWater restrictions may be imposed on irrigation during drought with little regard for damage to turfgrass. Minimal irrigation that may result in dormancy during prolonged drought but allows for recovery thereafter may save water and prevent expensive reestablishment. Our objectives were (a) to determine minimum water amounts in turfgrass during drought that allow for acceptable recovery, and (b) to evaluate turfgrass quality and performance during drought and recovery among irrigation levels. Sodded ‘Seed Research 8650’ tall fescue (TF, Schedonorus arundinaceus Schreb.) and a ‘Mallard’ and ‘Ridgeline’ Kentucky bluegrass blend (KB, Poa pratensis L.) were watered weekly with 0–50% reference evapotranspiration (ETo) replacement during two summers under rainout shelters near Manhattan, KS. Soil moisture, percentage green cover, normalized difference vegetation index, and turfgrass quality were measured weekly. After fall sodding, TF recovered fully after 60–83 d dry downs in both years even without water inputs. However, KB in all ETo treatments did not recover in either year. Irrigation at 50% ETo maintained TF above minimally acceptable quality 15–43 d longer than 0% ETo during drought, recovered 17–18 d faster, and reduced water inputs by 38% compared with 80% ETo, which is usually recommended for well‐watered cool‐season turfgrass. Results indicate TF is better adapted than KB to prolonged drought in the first summer after fall sodding.