Cool‐season golf course fairway species irrigation requirements under limited irrigation

Improving water conservation efforts for golf course turf is a constant industry goal. While creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.; CBG) the preferred fairway species throughout most of cool-humid regions, requirements alternative cool-season with better acute drought tolerance at mowing heights (e.g., <0.5 inch) are not well documented. A 2-yr field study compared two irrigation strategies (80% reference evapotranspiration, ETo, replacement or green cover threshold, GCT, response-based approach) 60-d summer period six grown under fixed roof rainout structure on silt-loam soil. For GCT approach, plots were imaged three times per week and if plot fell below 55 65% in 2017 2018, respectively, predetermined amount was added. The 80% ETo received total 8.63 8.26 inches respectively. By contrast, strategy required substantially less which varied by year. Among species, turf-type tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; syn. Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.] Mid-Atlantic type Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) approximately 45 52% to CBG Where paramount, planting more tolerant cultivars employing like can result significant savings.