Effects of Consumer End Conservation Products on Bermudagrass Quality in Severe Drought Conditions.

For much of north and west Texas, long-term availability of surface and underground water resources is one of the most pressing issues facing city-dwellers, agriculturists, and municipalities alike. The southern High Plains of Texas is a region of more than 20 counties in the southernmost portion of the Texas panhandle. This area is home to approximately 600,000 people and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the nation. Agricultural operations and urban landscapes are almost completely reliant on diminishing groundwater resources from the Ogallala aquifer to sustain industry, life, and production. Irrigation and conservation technologies are ever evolving and improving to help sustain these resources long term. A 2015-2016 study was conducted at Texas Tech University to evaluate the efficacy of a number of wetting agents, polymer-coated sands, and other conservation targeted turfgrass products on bermudagrass turf under extreme water deficit conditions. Results of the study were mixed, but differences were observed in top dressed polymer-coated sand treatments and humate treatments containing low concentration fertilizers in terms of green color, NDVI, and overall quality. In some cases, green color and acceptable quality were extended by as many as 7 days when compared to other treatments. Additionally, SmartCrop canopy temperature probes were used to monitor each experimental plot in the study, with the intent of correlating spikes in canopy temperature with plant stress and reductions in quality in terms of the measurements and parameters listed above. Future, related studies may include various irrigation levels in addition to complete water deficit over the course of the study.