Principles of Flow and Transport in Turfgrass Profiles, and consequences for management

Sport turfs require specific soil and water management strategies to achieve optimal sport turf performance and grass quality. In this study the know-how of flow and transport mechanisms in turfgrass porous media is highlighted under drought conditions when water repellency cause preferential flow. An illustration is given of the principles that cause soil water repellency and dry spots for the Ouddorp site in the Netherlands, and ways to prevent or alleviate dry spots. The concept of the critical soil water content is discussed and illustrated with field observations and with computer simulation results. Furthermore, an integrated monitoring and management system is proposed aiming at optimizing soil and water management strategies for sport turfgrass systems. The system is based on the integrated knowledge of soil profile characteristics, the actual soil water content status, and short-term weather expectations.