Usefulness of Non-Chemical Water Conditionersfor Managing Turfgrasses and their Rootzones

摘要

Physical water conditioning products have been used on golf courses to improveturfgrass quality, improve rootzone salinity, and to reduce irrigation water use. Afour-year study was conducted at New Mexico State University to investigate theeffects of non-chemical in-line water conditioners (two catalytic, one magnetic,one hydro-electric, and a control treatment) on turfgrass establishment, and onturfgrass quality and rootzone salinity of a perennial ryegrass stand. Conditioningtreatments were applied under potable [Electrical conductivity (EC) = 0.6 dS/m]and saline (EC = 3.1 dS/m) irrigation. Conditioning treatments did not affectperennial ryegrass establishment, only saline irrigation delayed establishment.Turfgrass quality on control plots did not differ from conditioner treated plots forboth water qualities on all but one sampling date. The rootzone salinity resultswere inconclusive; no clear consistent trends were found for individual measuredparameters. After four years of research, a consistent positive impact of theseconditioning units on turf quality and rootzone salinity could not be substantiated.