Perennial ryegrass is generally known as exhibiting poor drought tolerance with poor recuperative capacity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute drought followed by a recovery period, on 11 perennial ryegrass varieties (Apple SGL, Azimuth, Barrage, Caddieshack, Double, Double Time, Ecologic, New Orleans, Pizzaz 2, Rainwater, Turfgold) and one tall fescue (Olympic Gold). The study was conducted in a rain-out structure to control water inputs. Green cover percentage, visual quality, color, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and soil moisture were measured weekly. Eighty percent coverage was considered optimal and was reached only during the first two weeks of the drought period. Starting from the fourth week, a significant decrease in green cover was observed for most of the perennial ryegrass cultivars. However, 5 cultivars displayed a visual quality rate greater than 6, which is considered acceptable during this period, while color ratings were recorded greater than 6 for 7 cultivars. At the end of the drought phase, the cultivar ’New Orleans’ exhibited significantly greater green cover compared to most other perennial ryegrasses. The recovery of the grasses was slow and at the end of the experiment the variability in green cover between cultivars was greater than during the first week.

Turfgrass systems have been identified as potential sources of nitrate leaching and subsequent groundwater contamination. The HYDRUS (2D/3D) model was used to quantify nitrate leaching from bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and buffalograss [ Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm] established by either seed or sod and irrigated with either tailored (defined as reclaimed water with an N concentration of 15 mg L ⁻¹ ) or potable water and fertilized with calcium nitrate. A parameter sensitivity analysis conducted prior to model calibration revealed that soil texture, denitrification rate, and plant uptake all affected nitrate leaching. Simulated nitrate flux matched the experimental data more accurately when denitrification rate varied by soil depth. Moreover, nitrate leaching also differed between turfgrass species and between establishment methods. Leaching was higher from grasses propagated by seed than from sod at the beginning of the establishment period. Increasing the concentration of nitrate in tailored water from 0 to 200 mg L ^–1 increased concentrations at 50‐cm depths for both species but the increase was significantly higher under buffalograss than bermudagrass and was attributed to lower nutrient uptake and denitrification rates under buffalograss. Nitrate concentrations at 50‐cm depth were significantly higher for coarse sand compared with loamy sand, which was attributed to differences in retention times of the two soil types. Soil texture was even more important than nitrate application rate in predicting nitrate leaching losses and the results of the sensitivity analysis demonstrated that nitrate leaching was affected more by denitrification than by plant uptake.

Broadleaf (Plantago major L.) and buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) are perennial weeds that are notoriously difficult to control in alfalfa cropping systems. Sharpen^® (saflufenacil) herbicide has been registered for broadleaf weed control in dormant alfalfa, although it has not been evaluated on plantain control. Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of saflufenacil on plantain control with assessments of damage to alfalfa and effects on yield. In the greenhouse, applications of saflufenacil alone caused greater injury to both broadleaf and buckhorn plantain compared to the non-treated control (NTC). Additionally, applications of saflufenacil in combination with other herbicides (imazethapyr or imazamox) caused the greatest amount of injury to both broadleaf and buckhorn plantain compared to all other commercially available herbicide treatments. However, this injury was not enough to effectively control the weeds and prevent recovery and regrowth over time. In the field, alfalfa did not exhibit damage symptoms, or have reduced yield when treated with saflufenacil compared to the NTC. This research indicates that applications of saflufenacil provided temporary injury throughout the duration of the study to both broadleaf and buckhorn plantain with few negative effects to alfalfa in the field.

Strategies to conserve water have been implemented by many municipalities in the US Southwest to minimize quantities of water used for irrigating urban landscapes. Some of them encourage and even enforce homeowners to remove the turfgrass to reduce the irrigation water demands. This strategy not only ignores the numerous benefits derived from the turfgrasses but also fails to recognize the energy savings for the buildings surrounded by green landscapes. Quantitative analysis of the effect and importance of different types of landscapes on urban heat load and the subsequent energy consumption inside those buildings is of great practical need. Field experiments were conducted at New Mexico State University to assess the effect of different landscapes on heat transfer and ambient air and surface temperatures from June 2017 to October 2018. Two standard wood frame walls covered with stucco and surrounded by either Kentucky bluegrass or by hardscape were set up and equipped with sensors, measuring wall and air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and the solar and far infrared radiation balance. Our results show that overall heat load from the xeric landscape is noticeably higher than the one from the grass landscape. Based on these data, we assessed the potential for energy savings by utilizing turfgrass landscaping.

Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2017 to assess the feasibility of establishing three warm‐season grasses—buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Natt.) Eng.] ‘SWI 2000’, inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata L.), and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) ‘Princess77’—with tailored water (tertiary treated effluent with 15 mg L^–1 of NO₃–N) and to examine the impact on nitrate accumulation in soils and plant tissue and on root development. Grasses were established from seed in a loamy sand and irrigated with either tailored or potable water plus granular Ca(NO₃)₂ fertilizer. Leachate collected at 10‐ and 30‐cm depths was analyzed for NO₃–N and electrical conductivity. Root samples were collected to measure root length density (RLD) and root surface area (RSA). Weekly clippings were collected to determine total clipping yield and measure N content. Generally, there was no difference in establishment, RLD, or RSA between the two irrigation treatments. Highest RLD values were reported for bermudagrass, followed by buffalograss and inland saltgrass. Correlation analyses suggest that nitrate levels in leachate were lower in faster‐growing grasses and in grasses with more extensive root systems, compared with slower‐growing grasses with less roots, regardless of fertilization treatment. Total N in clippings was highest in inland saltgrass and lower in buffalograss and bermudagrass, indicating that N was limiting for faster‐growing grasses. More research is needed to determine optimal N rates for establishing grasses that both optimize growth and minimize nitrate leaching.

Although treated effluent is being increasingly used to irrigate mature turfgrass, information on its use to establish grass is limited. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2017 to examine establishment and nitrate leaching from three warm‐season grasses: buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Natt.) Eng.] ‘SWI 2000’, inland saltgrass [Distichlis spicata (L.) Greene], and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] ‘Princess77’. All grasses were grown with tailored (tertiary treated effluent with 15 mg L^–1 of NO₃–N) water. Grasses were established from seed in a loamy sand and irrigated with either tailored or potable water plus granular Ca(NO₃)₂ fertilizer. Leachate collected at 10‐ and 30‐cm depths was analyzed for NO₃–N and electrical conductivity. Overall, establishment was faster and coverage was greater in 2015 than in 2017, but neither differed between irrigation treatments when grasses were analyzed separately. At the end of both establishment periods, bermudagrass and buffalograss coverage was generally greater than that of inland saltgrass. In 2017, bermudagrass irrigated with tailored water resulted in greater coverage than buffalograss or inland saltgrass. In 2015, nitrate concentrations were greater in leachate collected from bermudagrass and inland saltgrass irrigated with tailored water than from grasses irrigated with potable water. Nitrate concentrations in leachate were generally lower in 2017, reaching a maximum value of 65.3 mg L^–1 when averaged over all treatment combinations, and did not differ between treatments. Our data suggest that the three grasses studied can be successfully established from seed using tailored waters.