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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Convention Center, Exhibit Hall BC, Second Floor
Abstract:
Prior research at Michigan State University has resulted in the recommendation of frequent irrigation applications to produce high quality cool season home lawns. Recently many local municipalities throughout Michigan have instituted residential watering restrictions that limit home lawn irrigation to at most every other day.
The research objective was to determine the effect of irrigation frequency and nitrogen (N) rates on the growth and quality of two turfgrass species and a common lawn mixture. The irrigation treatments were precipitation only, 0.5 cm of water every other day, and 1.8 cm of water once per week. The N treatments were 98, 156, and 208 kg N ha-1 yr-1. The low, medium, and high N treatments were applied over 2, 4, and 6 applications, respectively. Treatments were applied to Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and a common lawn mixture of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.). Turfgrass color and quality ratings were taken every two weeks. Turfgrass clippings were collected every month and weighed. Soil volumetric water content was measured at 12 cm depth every two weeks. There were no significant differences between the weekly and every other day irrigation treatments for turfgrass color, quality, or clipping yield throughout the research. The precipitation only treatment had lower turfgrass color, quality, and clipping yields than the irrigation treatments for three months in 2005 and two months in 2006. There was a significant N rate effect regardless of irrigation treatment. The medium and high N rate treatments had the highest turfgrass color, quality, and clipping yields throughout the research.
The research objective was to determine the effect of irrigation frequency and nitrogen (N) rates on the growth and quality of two turfgrass species and a common lawn mixture. The irrigation treatments were precipitation only, 0.5 cm of water every other day, and 1.8 cm of water once per week. The N treatments were 98, 156, and 208 kg N ha-1 yr-1. The low, medium, and high N treatments were applied over 2, 4, and 6 applications, respectively. Treatments were applied to Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and a common lawn mixture of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.). Turfgrass color and quality ratings were taken every two weeks. Turfgrass clippings were collected every month and weighed. Soil volumetric water content was measured at 12 cm depth every two weeks. There were no significant differences between the weekly and every other day irrigation treatments for turfgrass color, quality, or clipping yield throughout the research. The precipitation only treatment had lower turfgrass color, quality, and clipping yields than the irrigation treatments for three months in 2005 and two months in 2006. There was a significant N rate effect regardless of irrigation treatment. The medium and high N rate treatments had the highest turfgrass color, quality, and clipping yields throughout the research.