Reducing Irrigation Demand with Polymer Coated Sand.

Residential and urban water use in the summer can increase by 50-75% in the southwestern US, with most applied to the outdoor landscape.  As population growth expands in urban areas of Texas, the demand for water resources will become stronger.  The objectives of this study were to determine the effectiveness of polymer coated sand (PCS) to reduce irrigation needs of established turf and in establishment of new turf.  A two year study was conducted on established TifSport bermudagrass maintained at 1.3 cm.  Treatments consisted of applying PCS in combination with topdressing sand to areas that were aerified or non-aerified.  Additional studies were initiated in 2016 to determine if applying PCS at 0, 1953, or 3906 kg/ha at three irrigation levels.  Five bermudagrass varieties were planted at two planting dates, July and August, and the rate of establishment was measured with visual estimation, digitial image analysis, and stand counts.  The PCS treatments extended green color and quality of turf seven days under moderate water deficit stress following recovery from incorporation.  However, aerifying prior to application did not improve the effectiveness of the PCS.  Limited data analysis has been conducted on the establishment of bermudagrass with PCS, but at this time the PCS does not appear to have resulted in a significant establishment rate under the lowest irrigation level.  Moderate irrigation levels compared to controls have established similar with seeded bermudagrass and at similar rates with sprigged bermudagrass cultivars.  More analysis is required, but PCS can effectively reduce irrigation in established lawns.