Seeding Date and Irrigation System Effects on Establishment of Warm‐Season Turfgrasses

Abstract

The need for water conservation in urban landscapes requires research to investigate alternative irrigation methods that are more efficient than overhead sprinkler systems. A study was conducted in 2009 at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and was repeated in 2013 at the University of California, Riverside, to compare the establishment of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) ‘Princess 77’ ] and seashore paspalum [Paspalum vaginatum (Sw.) ‘Sea Spray’] seeded on either 15 April or 15 May and irrigated at 100% reference evapotranspiration (ETos) with either an overhead sprinkler (OSI) or subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. Higher germination rates were observed at both locations when OSI was used. All treatments reached full ground cover by the end of the growing season in California, whereas SDI plots seeded in May in New Mexico reached only 75% ground cover. May seeding resulted in slower establishment in New Mexico with 147 d to reach 75% ground cover, but not in California. Results suggest that loss of water by deep percolation may be the cause of slower establishment with SDI in New Mexico. Based on our results, warm‐season turfgrasses should be established earlier in the season if SDI is used in light textured soils.