Abstract
Due to water shortages, landscape irrigation is limited in many areas of Florida to 1 or 2 days per week. Three frequencies of irrigation on ‘Floratam’ St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze.] were evaluated based on root growth and turf quality. Six irrigation treatments were established using rain sensors set at rainfall thresholds of 3 and 6 mm and irrigation schedules of 1, 2, or 7 days per week. The volume applied per week was the same for all treatments. In addition there was a reduced irrigation treatment set for 2 days per week, with a 40% reduction in scheduled depth of application compared to the other treatments, a 2-day per week treatment without a rain sensor and a non-irrigated treatment. Root mass samples were taken once in 2006 and once in 2007 (15 cm and 30 cm). Analysis showed that frequency of irrigation did not have a significant impact on depth of root growth. The majority of the root mass was in the top 15 cm with 87% in 2006 and 75% in 2007. Turf quality was impacted by irrigation frequency, with 2 and 7 days of irrigation per week typically producing better quality than 1 day.
