FAIR-WATER I: TOWARDS BETTER DROUGHT RESISTANCE AND REDUCED WATER CONSUMPTION ON GOLF COURSE FAIRWAYS

PROJECT PERIOD: JANUARY 2023 - APRIL 2026

FUNDING (kSEK)

• Screen eight soil surfactants for their potential to prevent drought stress, reduce water • consumption and enhance recovery after drought.

• Validate in field trials in Norway and Germany the two most drought-tolerant blends/ mixtures and the two best-performing surfactants identified in previous steps, to optimise fairway quality under drought.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR / CONTACT PERSON

Trygve S. Aamlid, NIBIO Department for Urban Greening and Vegetation Ecology, Turfgrass Research Group, Landvik, N-4886 Grimstad, Tel: + 47 90 52 83 78.

E-mail: trygve.aamlid@nibio.no

CO-APPLICANTS AND COLLABORATORS

Anne F. Borchert and Karin Juul Hesselsøe, NIBIO, Norway

Peter Edman, Swedish Golf Federation

Wolfgang Prämaßing, Osnabruck University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Thomas Fischer, iNova Green, Germany

Project Objectives

The main aim is to develop management strategies for resilient GC fairways that retain acceptable quality with no or strongly reduced consumption of potable irrigation water. Specific objectives are to:

• Identify the most drought-resistant cultivars and blends of the turfgrass species/subspecies commonly seeded on (a) fairways and (b) semi-roughs/lawns in Northern Europe, including mixtures of these species.

Project Description

During the past five years, many European golf courses (GCs) have experienced an increased risk of drought due to global warming. Scarcity of potable water for irrigation has become an issue even in the Nordic countries.

With a focus on Northern Europe, this project will (1) identify the most drought-resistant cultivars and seed blends/mixtures for available for golf course fairways and (2) explore the potential of market-ready soil surfactants to prevent drought on unirrigated fairways. The project includes replicated trials at NIBIO Landvik and Hochschule Osnabrück.

The project will emphasise ready-to use research and technology transfer, including revision of STERFs irrigation handbook.