This study evaluated the water use of 10 cool season turfgrass species over two years. It found that the species fell into three categories: lower water use (tall fescue), intermediate water use (perennial ryegrass, colonial bentgrass, creeping bentgrass, velvet bentgrass, kentucky bluegrass), and higher water use (annual bluegrass, strong CRF, slender CRF, chewings fescue). Mowing height significantly impacted water use, with higher mowing heights using less water. No differences were observed between nitrogen fertility treatments. The goal was to assess newly established turfgrass water use in a field setting and evaluate new stress detection technology.

1. T. Blankenship, R. Golembiewski, and B. McDonald
Oregon State University

2. INTRODUCTION
“Species effect on water use of urban
landscapes can be a very important variable,
but its impact will be dependent on which
species are compared under what conditions.
This is probably why such contrasting results
have been reported in the literature.”
(Devitt and Morris 2008)

3. 1BASED ON THE MOST WIDELY USED CULTIVARS OF EACH SPECIES
Cool Season
Turfgrass Species1
Mean Summer ET rate
mm/day
Relative Ranking
Hard Fescue 7 – 8.5 Medium
Chewings Fescue 7 – 8.5
Red Fescue 7 – 8.5
Perennial Ryegrass 6.6 – 11.2 High
Tall Fescue 3.6 – 12.6
Creeping Bentgrass 5 – 10
Annual Bluegrass >10
Kentucky Bluegrass 4 -­‐ >10
Colonial Bentgrass *
Velvet Bentgrass *
REPORTED MEAN RATES OF TURFGRASS EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ET)
(KENNA 2006)

4. INTRODUCTION
Limited information
regarding newly
established sites
Current and pending laws
and regulations
This research unique in
that evaluating nearly all
cool season turfgrass
species in a side by side
field setting

5. OBJECTIVES
Assess water use of
newly established cool-­‐
season turfgrass species
in a field setting
Evaluate the potential of
new technology to
detect turfgrass water
stress

6. MATERIALS & METHODS
Experimental Design
Silty clay loam
Strip-­‐split plot design
3 replications
10 turfgrass species as
horizontal treatments,
two mowing heights
(16 mm and 51 mm) as
vertical treatments,
and two nitrogen levels
(49 and 195 kg/ha/yr)
as subplot treatments
Species
Seeding Rate
kg per ha Variety
Kentucky Bluegrass
146.4Poa pratensis Prosperity, Langara , Touche
Creeping Bentgrass (fairway type)
73.2 Crystal Blue Links, 007, MacKenzieAgrostis stolonifera
Colonial Bentgrass
73.2 Alister, SR7150, SR7100Agrostis capillaris
Velvet Bentgrass
73.2 Greenwich , SR7200, Vesper Agrostis canina
Perennial Ryegrass
292.8 Silverdollar, Express II, Zoom Lolium perenne
Tall fescue
292.8 Coronado TDH , SR8650, Mustang 4Festuca arundinacea
Slender Creeping Red Fescue
195.1 Seabreeze GT, Shoreline Festuca rubra
Chewings Fescue
195.1 Treazure II, SR5130, Windward Festuca rubra ssp. tryachyphylla
Strong Creeping Red Fescue
195.1 Shademaster III (8000), Garnet Festuca tryachyphylla
Annual Bluegrass
Sod Northwest Poa GreensPoa annua var. reptans

7. MATERIALS & METHODS
Treatments:
Plots maintained at a
16 mm and 51 mm
height of cut were
mowed three times
and 1 time per week
respectively

8. Low Mow
High Nitrogen
High Mow
High Nitrogen
Low Mow
Low Nitrogen
High Mow
LowNitrogen
3.6 m
3.6 m
0.9 m
0.9 m 0.45 m
MATERIALS & METHODS
Data Collection:
Plots assessed on overall
functionality (playability)
and rated daily on a
numerical scale (0-­‐2;
0=no water stress,
1=some water stress,
2=water stressed)
Once individual subplot
rated a 2, irrigation
applied at a rate of 7.6
mm through a hose end
nozzle attached to a
batch and flow meter

9. MATERIALS & METHODS
Data Collection:
Water use correlated with
rating scale based on
volumetric water content
(VWC) readings taken daily at
3.8 cm with a TDR soil moisture
probe
Daily visual turf ratings taken
with Underhill Early Stress
Detection Glasses
Digital images taken weekly and
evaluated using SigmaScan

10. 2009 RESULTS
Annual
Bluegrass
Strong
CRF
Slender
CRF
Chewings
Fescue
Colonial
Bentgrass
Velvet
Bentgrass
Kentucky
Bluegrass
Creeping
Bentgrass
Perennial
Ryegrass
Tall
Fescue
Low Mow 203.2 196.85 184.15 144.78 138.43 106.68 105.41 105.41 96.52 93.98
High Mow 189.23 144.78 132.08 128.27 120.65 105.41 100.33 91.44 87.63 81.28
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
Irrigation Inputs (mm)
Water Use of Cool Season Turfgrass Species

11. 2009 RESULTS
Annual
Bluegrass
Strong
CRF
Slender
CRF
Chewings
Fescue
Colonial
Bentgrass
Velvet
Bentgrass
Kentucky
Bluegrass
Creeping
Bentgrass
Perennial
Ryegrass
Tall
Fescue
Low Mow 92.06 89.18 83.43 65.59 62.71 47.76 48.33 47.76 43.73 42.58
High Mow 85.73 65.59 59.84 58.11 47.76 54.66 45.46 41.43 39.70 36.82
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percent of Reference ET
Percentage of 2009 Reference ET Applied

12. 2010 RESULTS
Annual
Bluegrass
Strong
CRF
Slender
CRF
Chewings
Fescue
Colonial
Bentgrass
Velvet
Bentgrass
Kentucky
Bluegrass
Creeping
Bentgrass
Perennial
Ryegrass
Tall
Fescue
Low Mow 96.03 98.29 94.89 95.46 68.18 42.62 50.00 62.50 36.36 31.25
High Mow 86.37 70.46 68.75 74.43 51.14 43.75 49.51 39.21 32.39 26.13
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percent of Reference ET
Percentage of 2010 Reference ET Applied

13. SUMMARY OF 2009-­‐2010 COMBINED
Annual
Bluegrass
Strong
CRF
Slender
CRF
Chewings
Fescue
Colonial
Bentgrass
Velvet
Bentgrass
Kentucky
Bluegrass
Creeping
Bentgrass
Perennial
Ryegrass
Tall Fescue
Low Mow 94.04 93.74 89.16 80.52 65.45 45.19 49.17 55.13 40.05 36.91
High Mow 86.05 68.02 64.29 66.27 49.45 49.21 47.24 40.32 36.04 31.48
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percent of Reference ET
Combined Difference in Percent Reference ET

14. 1BASED ON THE MOST WIDELY USED CULTIVARS OF EACH SPECIES
Cool Season Turfgrass
Species1
Reported Mean
Summer ET Rate
mm/day
Mean Summer Two
Year Study ET Rate
mm/day
Relative Ranking
Hard Fescue 7 – 8.5 * Medium
Chewings Fescue 7 – 8.5 3.4
Red Fescue 7 – 8.5 3.5
Perennial Ryegrass 6.6 – 11.2 2.7 High
Tall Fescue 3.6 – 12.6 2.0
Creeping Bentgrass 5 – 10 2.7
Annual Bluegrass >10 4.0
Kentucky Bluegrass 4 -­‐ >10 2.6
Colonial Bentgrass * 2.7
Velvet Bentgrass * 2.7
SUMMARY

15. SUMMARY
3 categories of juvenile cool season turfgrass water use:
Lower Water Use
Tall Fescue
Intermediate Water Use
Perennial Ryegrass, Colonial Bentgrass, Creeping Bentgrass,
Velvet Bentgrass, Kentucky Bluegrass
Higher Water Use
Annual Bluegrass, Strong CRF, Slender CRF, Chewings
Fescue,
Mowing height significantly influenced water use
No differences observed between fertility treatments