Update on UWA Turf Research Projects

Transcription

1 Update on UWA Turf Research Projects Presented by Warren Stephens Chair of the UWA Turf Industries Research Steering Committee and Manager Parks and Environment, City of Belmont

2 FACULTY OF SCIENCE Effectively Utilising Water Allocations for Managing Turfgrass in Open Spaces Louise Barton, Sam Flottmann and Tim Colmer

3 Local Government and Turfgrass Manage largest areas of turfgrass in metropolitan and regional areas Turfgrass used for recreation and sports Maintaining green areas important for encouraging physical activity, and maintaining a sense of well-being Turfgrass managers are under continued pressure to restrict water use, while also maintaining high quality surfaces In WA, the water allocation was originally 7500 kl ha -1 per year (7.5 ML ha -1 per year), but has been lowered in new developments.

4 Project Objectives Investigate approaches to best manage current and possible future water allocations to turfgrass in public open spaces

5 Key Questions Can turfgrass be maintained with a water allocation (7500 kl ha -1 per year)? Implications of further lowering the allocation on turfgrass quality? How best to distribute an annual water allocation? Does applying a wetting agent improve the effectiveness of a water allocation?

6 UWA Turf Research Facility Kikuyu, >20 years Contained mat No sting nematode Water repellent Selby Park, August 2011

7 Selby Park, September 2011

8 July 2012

9 Summer Symptoms of dry-patch?

10 Turfgrass Quality: Summary Decreasing the water allocation decreased colour 7500 kl ha kl ha kl ha -1 Applying a wetting agent improved turfgrass colour sufficiently in summer, except at very low water allocation

11 Turfgrass Quality: 7500 kl ha -1, Budget No wetting agent Plus wetting agent

12 Turfgrass Quality: 6250 kl ha -1, Budget No wetting agent Plus wetting agent

13 Turfgrass Quality: 5000 kl ha -1, Budget No wetting agent Plus wetting agent

14 Conclusions-to-date after two years (one more to go!) Can turfgrass be maintained with a water allocation (7500 kl ha -1 per year)? Yes, but will depend upon extent of wear and year Implications of further lowering the allocation on turfgrass quality? Decreases quality. Wear? May be overcome (to some extent) by applying an effective wetting agent How best to distribute an annual water allocation? Budget approach is simple and effective. Does applying a wetting agent improve the effectiveness of a water allocation? Yes, but only to a point!

15 Postscript Shift from kikuyu to couch when water allocation lowered

16 More Information? UWA Turf Research Programme website Quarterly newsletter To subscribe, Seminars and field days Notification through newsletter

17 Acknowledgements This project has been facilitated by Horticulture Australia Ltd (Project TU11012) in partnership with the Australian Turf Industry (see nextl slide) UWA Turf Industries Research Steering Committee Subcommittee: Nick Bell, Doug Hall, Blake Humble, Ken Johnston, Vinny Kapur In-kind support from business and organisations City of Belmont, City of Canning, City of South Perth, City of Stirling WA Turf Growers Association UWA Staff, McGillvray Oval

18 Acknowledgements This project has been facilitated by Horticulture Australia Ltd in partnership with the Australian Turf Industry. With funding from: A consortium of local government authorities including: City of Armadale, City of Belmont, Town of Cambridge, City of Canning, City of Cockburn, City of Gosnells, Town of Kwinana, City of Joondalup, City of Melville, City of Nedlands, City of Rockingham, City of South Perth, City of Stirling, City of Subiaco, Town of Vincent, and City of Wanneroo. Organic 2000, Turf Grass Association of Australia (WA), and the Turf Growers Association of Western Australia. The Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority, Department of Education, Department of Sports & Recreation, and Department of Water. Golf Management Australia, WA Golf, Cottesloe Golf Club, Lake Karrinyup Country Club, Mt Lawley Golf Club, Royal Perth Golf Club, All Seasons Sanctuary Golf Resort, Wanneroo Golf Club, Busselton Golf Club, Bunbury Golf Club.

19 Use of soil amendments to maintain turf under reduced irrigation: first summer results on water relations Pieter Poot Gausul Azam Tim Colmer Louise Barton This project has been funded by HAL using the turf industry levy, voluntary contributions from industry and matched funds from the Australian Government

20 Water supply (GL) Increasing gap between water supply and water demand 120 GL 365 GL Year Source: Water forever, Water Corporation, 2009

21 Future options: Source: Water forever, Water Corporation, 2009

22 Water used for turf? Public open space (60 GL, 16%) Residential outdoors (87 GL, 30%) Garden bores (114 GL, 31%) Source: Water forever, Water Corporation, 2009

23 How to decrease turf water use without compromising quality? Perth has sandy soils that don t hold much water and get water repellent in summer Decrease soil water repellence (soil wetting agents/soil water retainers) Use of soil amendments Pieter Poot Louise Barton

24 soil water content (%) How would amendments help? How much water can be held in a soil is to a large extent dependent on organic matter content and soil particle size Need to add smaller particles or organic matter 0

25 Major goal Providing turf industry and turf consumers with independent advice on how to reduce turf water use without compromising turf quality

26 Which amendments to choose? 2011/12 tender soil amendment subcommittee votes willingness of companies to financially contribute to the project Mature compost (10%) Bentonite (5%) Kaolinite (10%) Ready Grit (10%) Spongelite (5%) Zeolite (5%) Control + 12 amendment treatments in top 10 cm

27 Experimental design 1 REG ALC 2 3 BEN 4 5 KAO 6 ZEO 7 KAO 8 9 BEN 10 REG 11 BEN ZEO 14 SPO 15 ZEO 16 KAO 17 ZEO 18 REG 19 SPO 20 REG 21 KAO 22 SPO 23 BEN 24 SPO 25 BEN ZEO 28 ZEO 29 ZEO 30 REG 31 ZEO 32 BEN 33 REG 34 KAO 35 KAO KAO 39 SPO 40 REG 41 BEN 42 SPO 43 SPO 44 KAO 45 REG 46 SPO BEN 49 REG 50 ZEO BEN 53 KAO 54 REG REG 57 BEN 58 REG 59 SPO KAO 62 ZEO 63 BEN KAO 66 ZEO 67 KAO 68 SPO 69 SPO 70 BEN 71 SPO 72 ZEO 73 ZEO 74 SPO 75 REG 76 REG 77 ZEO 78 KAO 79 ZEO BEN 82 SPO 83 REG KAO 86 KAO KAO 89 BEN 90 ZEO 91 BEN 92 REG 93 SPO 94 SPO 95 BEN 96 Random allocation of 12 treatments to each of 8 blocks (96 plots) Two irrigation treatments: 65% replacement of ET (3x per week) 43% replacement of ET (2x per week) Four reps for each treatment combination

28 Experimental species Soft Leaf Buffalo grass most commonly selected for domestic lawn?

29 A C B D Setup of site at the Shenton Park turf research facility E F

30 Turf colour (hue angle - chromameter) 4 Dec 2013 (-60) 29 Jan 2014 (-4) 5 Feb 2014 (3) 12 Feb 2014 (10) 19 Feb 2014 (17) 26 Feb 2014 (24)

31 26 Feb 2014 (24) 5 March 2014 (31) 12 March 2014 (38) 19 March 2014 (45) 2 April 2014 (59)

32 Do amendments maintain colour?. 22 Jan Jan Compost amended plots tend to be slightly greener before start of exp.. * * 5 Feb Feb Feb 2014 Effects are small: kaolinite, bentonite, ready grit + compost spongelite + compost tend to do better at start

33 *... *** 26 Feb March ** * 12 March * *. 19 March 2014 Effects are small: 2 April 2014 negative effect of kaolinite and bentonite when combined with compost

34 Plot surface temperature: infrared thermography

35 Plot surface temperature: infrared thermography overview

36 Plot surface temperature (during experimental period)

37 Plot surface ambient air temperature (during experimental period)

38 Effect of amendments in top 10cm on volumetric water content (1 st week) Most have a clear positive effect But how much of the extra water is plant available?

39 Conclusions Methodology seems to have worked results seem quite consistent Low irrigation treatment was too severe especially the 4 th day without water next growing season: 50% ET replacement instead of 43% as lowest Only small effects of amendments, especially at the start of the treatments

40 Turf was partly still in its establishment phase not much time to acclimate to harsher conditions

41 Future Projects are proposed All local governments need to make a financial contribution for this work to continue

42 Acknowledgements Tim Colmer, Louise Barton, Pieter Poot, Sam Flottmann and Gausul Azam - UWA Mick Stronach - Spongelite