DTM 2200 - MATH FOR IRRIGATION

CULTIVATING TURF PERFORMANCE

Lawi Njeremani, Turf Care Consultant
BACKGROUND TO STUDY

Texas Tech University, Li Li, May 2017 - Reducing Salinity

with Cultivation Practices and Products on Golf Course
Fairways

Ogallala Aquifer = Main irrigation source West Texas

Largest freshwater aquifer in North America 174000 sq mile

Study to evaluate effectiveness of commercial products with

or without cultivation practices to reduce soil salinity

https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2346/72670/LI-
THESIS-2017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
STUDY SITE DESCRIPTION

Rawls Golf Course, opened 2003

Meadowbrook Golf Club, opened 1960

Both in Lubbock, TX

Soil particle analysis of 22 soil samples

Randomized blocks in both golf clubs

9 strips divided into 10 experimental units

The randomized plots were treated with 10 products

 CULTIVATION
PRACTICES AND SOIL PH AND EC
PRODUCT APPLICATIONS MEASUREMENT
Cultivation practices were applied in mid-June Soil pH and EC of soil samples measured using
of 2015 and 2016 a pH/conductivity meter

Salt removal products obtained from industry

partners

9 different products and a randomized VISUAL TURF QUALITY

untreated control Visual turf quality assessed every 2weeks from
the initiation of the study through October in
fall in 2015 and 2016 for each experimental
plot

Turf quality visually rated on 1 to 9 scale

9 = dark green, dense, and uniform turf, 1= thin
and completely brown turf,
6 = minimum acceptability.

Golf course fairways generally rated 5 to 7.

PERCENT GREEN COVER

Digital image analysis (DIA) conducted -
VOLUMETRIC WATER 0%=NO green cover, 100%=complete green
cover
CONTENT
Digital image analysis (DIA) conducted -
0%=NO green cover, 100%=complete green
cover
RESULTS

THANK YOU