Net irrigation requirements for Florida turfgrasses

A long-term (30 year) historical analysis of turfgrass monthly net irrigation requirements for southeast USA is analyzed and discussed in this paper. The process involved gathering weather data for ten locations in Florida plus one in Alabama, from 1980 through 2009, and data quality. Available weather data included maximum and minimum temperature, maximum and minimum relative humidity, wind speed, and rainfall. Solar radiation was estimated using the Hargreaves–Samani equation, and coefficients were calibrated for every location. Reference evapotranspiration (ETos) was calculated using the ASCE-EWRI standardized reference evapotranspiration equation. Net irrigation was estimated using a daily soil–water balance. Variability in soil types and root depth was taken into account during the simulations, and three sets of monthly Kc values from the literature were applied from north through south Florida. Results showed that the calibrated Hargreaves–Samani adjustment coefficients varied from 0.14 in Tallahassee to 0.24 in Key West, with an inland average value of 0.15, and a coastal average value of 0.18. The calculated ETos ranged from 1,296 mm year−1 in Tallahassee to 1,658 mm year−1 in Miami. The estimated net irrigation ranged from 423 mm year−1 in Mobile, AL, to 1,063 mm year−1 in Key West, FL. The number of irrigation events per year varied from 25 in Mobile to 161 in Key West. May and December were the months with the highest and lowest net irrigation requirements, respectively.

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