Turf grass water management using different cultural practices in Malta

Abstract

Mediterranean climate is well known to be characterized by a distribution of scarce rain fall especially during spring and summer months, determining conditions of drought, which can only be tolerated by cultivated crops by means of irrigation. Using fresh water to maintain turf grass frequently raises debate on whether this limited resource should be used at the expense of other cultures (as food crops, or others that can support an income, or domestic and industrial use) The objective of this work is to investigate the possibilities of reducing the quantities of water used in watering turf grass making part of public areas in Malta, with the aim of obtaining three objectives: 1) preserve water as a valuable, scarce, natural resource, 2) reduce the financial costs involved for irrigation, 3) maintain the grass growing healthy with reduced water amounts. Three public areas with turf grass have been selected for this work. Water used for a number of years has been compared and the cultural practices used investigated (grass species, conditions of watering and grass cutting, feeding... ) in order to assess how the factors have influenced water consumption and identify a strategy for reducing its use. Each of the cultural practices has potential influence on water consumption of turf grass but only their integration has permitted a significant difference in water use and satisfactory results.