A National Cultivar Evaluation of Turfgrass Water Use and Drought Resistance

A national turfgrass trial evaluating cool-season cultivar response to short and long-term drought situations was initiated in fall 2016. A cooperative project between the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP), the National Water Use and Drought Resistance trial is testing 15 Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and 19 tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus Schreb.) entries, along with one perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) entry. The trials are established at ten locations, which include five sites under rainout shelters (where annual precipitation is > 75 cm) and five rainfed sites utilizing three irrigation schedules based on reference evapotranspiration (ET_o) (where annual precipitation is < 75 cm). Data to be collected over 3 yr include the amount of water needed to maintain a prescribed level of green cover during an imposed 100-d drought period (within the five rainout shelters); recovery rate and turfgrass quality during recovery from the 100-d drought period; and percent green cover, quality and the minimum water required to maintain a targeted level of green cover and turfgrass quality under regular irrigation (from the five ET_o-based sites). Data will be collected for three growing seasons at each site and published via NTEP procedures. Certification via U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Sense^® (or another program) will be sought and applied to qualifying entries.