Solve a problem related to plants, water, or soil

Problems involving turfgrasses

Plant damage resulting from salt-affected soils and saline waters

Photo: Kikuyu grass irrigated with recycled water, showing signs of damage

Photo courtesy of Stowell and Gelernter.

Symptoms: Kikuyu grass irrigated with recycled water, showing signs of damage.

Diagnosis: Excess salinity in water.

Solution: The fairway was replanted with more salt-tolerant paspalum variety, and is now thriving.
Photo: Turfgrass not surviving well (spotty). Visible accumulation of salt on the surface of the soil

Photo courtesy of Ali Harivandi.

Symptoms: Turfgrass not surviving well (spotty). Visible accumulation of salt on the surface of the soil.

Diagnosis: Salt damage.

Solutions: Leach salt from the soil by irrigating with low-salt water (provided internal drainage is adequate). Replant with salt-tolerant grasses, such as Bermudagrass, alkaligrass, or seashore paspalum.
Photo: Poor survival of seedlings

Photo courtesy of Carrow and Duncan.

Symptoms: Poor survival of seedlings.

Diagnosis: Soil is salt-affected.

Solutions: Leach soil with adequate drainage before replanting with a more salt-tolerant species, such as Bermudagrass or paspalum.
Photo: Seashore Paspalum heavily damaged by white-to-gray salt deposits

Photo courtesy of Carrow and Duncan.

Symptoms: Seashore paspalum heavily damaged by white-to-gray salt deposits.

Diagnosis: Excess salinity and waterlogging. Paspalum is one of the more salt tolerant turfgrass species.

Solutions: The opportunities to reclaim the soil and re-establish paspalum or Bermudagrass appear to be quite limited, because the problem described is very severe.
Photo: This lawn appears to suffer from scalping or scalding during the summer

Photo courtesy of Ken Tanji.

Symptoms: This landscape at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, has been irrigated with recycled water for decades. The lawn appears to suffer from scalping or scalding during the summer.

Diagnosis: An adjacent lawn does not show these symptoms. Diagnosis is inconclusive: cannot determine whether the problem is due to abiotic or biotic causes.

Solutions: Avoid overwatering, since the scalping or scalding occurs mainly during the summer months.
Photo: Over-seeded turfgrass exhibits yellowing during the winter months

Photo courtesy of Carrow and Duncan.

Symptoms: Over-seeded turfgrass exhibits yellowing during the winter months.

Diagnosis: Mild salinity stress.

Solutions: Leach turf of excess salinity prior to winter months.
Photo: A native Seashore Paspalum is taking over a Tifgreen Bermudagrass green

Photo courtesy of Carrow and Duncan.

Symptoms: A native Seashore paspalum (dark green) is taking over a Tifgreen Bermudagrass green (light green) on this site along a seashore.

Diagnosis: The paspalum species is more salt-tolerant than the Bermudagrass.

Solutions: Leaching may reduce invasion of paspalum. If not, allow it to take over the Bermudagrass.
Photo: Intermittent but relatively severe damage from white and black salts

Photo courtesy of Carrow and Duncan.

Symptoms: Intermittent but relatively severe damage from white and black salts.

Diagnosis: Soil water from this site has an ECe of 26 to 85 dS/m and a SAR of 32 to 67. Thus, the soil is both saline and sodic.

Solutions: Reclaim the salt-affected soil by leaching, applying calcium amendments, and providing adequate drainage. Replant as necessary with salt-tolerant species, such as seashore paspalum, alkaligrass, or Bermudagrass.
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