Reducing Salinity Parameters with Cultivation Practices and Products on Golf Course Fairways.

Golf courses in the Southwestern U.S. rely heavily on irrigation to maintain quality and playability due to high evapotranspiration demand and persistent drought. The water quality of the Ogallala aquifer has declined due to the rapid depletion resulting in greater accumulated salts. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial products with or without cultivation practices to reduce salinity levels with normal irrigation. Research was conducted at two golf courses in Lubbock, TX. Cultivation practices included core aerification, Aerway slicer, or untreated, and products were applied based on product label. Electrical conductivity (EC) and pH were determined from soil samples collected in June, August, and October. Visual turf quality, digital image analysis, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and volumetric water content were obtained every two weeks. A RapidScan CS-45 meter measured spectral band ratios weekly. The injury associated with cultivation practices initially reduced visual turf quality, NDVI, and green cover by 5% on average until recovery occurred. Core aerification treatments at one location significantly improved ratio vegetation index and water insensitive chlorophyll index after turf injury healed following cultivation. Granular applied products significantly increased soil EC levels by 200 μs/cm in August and 100 μs/cm October compared to liquid products and untreated controls. Heavy rainfall events in spring and summer likely leached accumulated salts from all plots, which provided similarities among all treatment combinations.