T.  Blankenship,  R.  Golembiewski,  and  B.  McDonald

Oregon  State  University

INTRODUCTION

“Species  effect  on  water  use  of  urban  landscapes  can  be  a  very  important  variable,  but  its  impact  will  be  dependent  on  which  species  are  compared  under  what  conditions.    This  is  probably  why  such  contrasting  results  have  been  reported  in  the  literature.”  

(Devitt  and  Morris  2008)

1BASED ON THE MOST WIDELY USED CULTIVARS OF EACH SPECIES

Cool  SeasonTurfgrass  Species1

Mean  Summer  ET  ratemm/day

Relative  Ranking

Hard  Fescue 7  – 8.5 Medium

Chewings  Fescue 7  – 8.5

Red  Fescue 7  – 8.5

Perennial  Ryegrass 6.6  – 11.2 High

Tall  Fescue 3.6  – 12.6

Creeping  Bentgrass 5  – 10

Annual  Bluegrass >10

Kentucky  Bluegrass 4  -­‐ >10

Colonial  Bentgrass *

Velvet  Bentgrass *

REPORTED MEAN RATES OF TURFGRASS EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ET)  (KENNA 2006)

INTRODUCTION

Limited  information  regarding  newly  established  sites

Current  and  pending  laws  and  regulations

This  research  unique  in  that  evaluating  nearly  all  cool  season  turfgrass  species  in  a  side  by  side  field  setting  

OBJECTIVES

Assess  water  use  of  newly  established  cool-­‐season  turfgrass  species  in  a  field  setting

Evaluate  the  potential  of  new  technology  to  detect  turfgrass  water  stress

MATERIALS &  METHODS

Experimental  DesignSilty  clay  loam

Strip-­‐split  plot  design

3  replications

10  turfgrass  species  as  horizontal  treatments,  two  mowing  heights  (16  mm  and  51  mm)  as  vertical  treatments,  and  two  nitrogen  levels  (49  and  195  kg/ha/yr)  as  subplot  treatments    

SpeciesSeeding Ratekg  per  ha   Variety  

Kentucky  Bluegrass

146.4Poa  pratensis   Prosperity,  Langara  ,  Touche  

Creeping  Bentgrass  (fairway  type)  

73.2 Crystal  Blue  Links,  007,  MacKenzieAgrostis  stolonifera  

Colonial  Bentgrass

73.2 Alister,  SR7150,  SR7100Agrostis  capillaris  

Velvet  Bentgrass

73.2 Greenwich  ,  SR7200,  Vesper  Agrostis  canina  

Perennial  Ryegrass

292.8 Silverdollar,  Express  II,  Zoom  Lolium  perenne  

Tall  fescue

292.8 Coronado  TDH  ,  SR8650,  Mustang  4Festuca  arundinacea  

Slender  Creeping  Red  Fescue

195.1 Seabreeze  GT,  Shoreline  Festuca  rubra  

Chewings  Fescue

195.1 Treazure  II,  SR5130,    Windward  Festuca  rubra  ssp.  tryachyphylla  

Strong  Creeping  Red  Fescue

195.1 Shademaster  III  (8000),  Garnet  Festuca  tryachyphylla  

Annual  Bluegrass

Sod   Northwest  Poa  Greens Poa  annua  var.  reptans  

MATERIALS &  METHODS

Treatments:  Plots  maintained  at  a  16  mm  and  51  mm  height  of  cut  were  mowed  three  times  and  1  time  per  week  respectively  

Low  MowHigh  Nitrogen

High  MowHigh  Nitrogen

Low  MowLow  Nitrogen

High  MowLowNitrogen

3.6  m

3.6  m

0.9  m

0.9  m 0.45  m

MATERIALS &  METHODSData  Collection:

Plots  assessed  on  overall  functionality  (playability)  and  rated  daily  on  a  numerical  scale  (0-­‐2;  0=no  water  stress,  1=some  water  stress,  2=water  stressed)

Once  individual  subplot    rated  a  2,  irrigation  applied  at  a  rate  of  7.6  mm  through  a  hose  end  nozzle  attached  to  a  batch  and  flow  meter

MATERIALS &  METHODSData  Collection:

Water  use  correlated  with  rating  scale  based  on  volumetric  water  content  (VWC)  readings  taken  daily  at  3.8  cm  with  a  TDR  soil  moisture  probe

Daily  visual  turf  ratings  taken  with  Underhill  Early  Stress  Detection  Glasses

Digital  images  taken  weekly  and  evaluated  using  SigmaScan  

2009  RESULTS

Annual

Bluegrass

Strong

CRF

Slender

CRF

Chewings

Fescue

Colonial

Bentgrass

Velvet

Bentgrass

Kentucky

Bluegrass

Creeping

Bentgrass

Perennial

Ryegrass

Tall

Fescue

Low Mow 203.2 196.85 184.15 144.78 138.43 106.68 105.41 105.41 96.52 93.98

High Mow 189.23 144.78 132.08 128.27 120.65 105.41 100.33 91.44 87.63 81.28

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

225

Irrig

ation  Inpu

ts  (m

m)

Water  Use  of  Cool  Season  Turfgrass  Species

2009  RESULTS

Annual

Bluegrass

Strong

CRF

Slender

CRF

Chewings

Fescue

Colonial

Bentgrass

Velvet

Bentgrass

Kentucky

Bluegrass

Creeping

Bentgrass

Perennial

Ryegrass

Tall

Fescue

Low Mow 92.06 89.18 83.43 65.59 62.71 47.76 48.33 47.76 43.73 42.58

High Mow 85.73 65.59 59.84 58.11 47.76 54.66 45.46 41.43 39.70 36.82

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent  o

f  Referen

ce  ET

Percentage  of    2009  Reference  ET  Applied

2010  RESULTS

Annual

Bluegrass

Strong

CRF

Slender

CRF

Chewings

Fescue

Colonial

Bentgrass

Velvet

Bentgrass

Kentucky

Bluegrass

Creeping

Bentgrass

Perennial

Ryegrass

Tall

Fescue

Low Mow 96.03 98.29 94.89 95.46 68.18 42.62 50.00 62.50 36.36 31.25

High Mow 86.37 70.46 68.75 74.43 51.14 43.75 49.51 39.21 32.39 26.13

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent  o

f  Referen

ce  ET

Percentage  of    2010  Reference  ET  Applied

SUMMARY OF 2009-­‐2010  COMBINED

Annual

Bluegrass

Strong

CRF

Slender

CRF

Chewings

Fescue

Colonial

Bentgrass

Velvet

Bentgrass

Kentucky

Bluegrass

Creeping

Bentgrass

Perennial

RyegrassTall Fescue

Low Mow 94.04 93.74 89.16 80.52 65.45 45.19 49.17 55.13 40.05 36.91

High Mow 86.05 68.02 64.29 66.27 49.45 49.21 47.24 40.32 36.04 31.48

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Percent  o

f  Referen

ce  ET

Combined  Difference  in  Percent  Reference  ET

1BASED ON THE MOST WIDELY USED CULTIVARS OF EACH SPECIES

Cool  Season Turfgrass  Species1

Reported  Mean  Summer  ET Rate

mm/day

Mean  Summer  Two  Year  Study  ET  Rate

mm/dayRelative  Ranking

Hard  Fescue 7  – 8.5 * Medium

Chewings  Fescue 7  – 8.5 3.4

Red  Fescue 7  – 8.5 3.5

Perennial  Ryegrass 6.6  – 11.2 2.7 High

Tall  Fescue 3.6  – 12.6 2.0

Creeping  Bentgrass 5  – 10 2.7

Annual  Bluegrass >10 4.0

Kentucky  Bluegrass 4  -­‐ >10 2.6

Colonial  Bentgrass * 2.7

Velvet  Bentgrass * 2.7

SUMMARY

SUMMARY

3  categories  of  juvenile  cool  season  turfgrass  water  use:Lower  Water  UseTall  Fescue

Intermediate  Water  UsePerennial  Ryegrass,  Colonial  Bentgrass,  Creeping  Bentgrass,  Velvet  Bentgrass,  Kentucky  Bluegrass

Higher  Water  UseAnnual  Bluegrass,  Strong  CRF,  Slender  CRF,  Chewings  Fescue,

Mowing  height  significantly  influenced  water  use

No  differences  observed  between  fertility  treatments