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Climate change, recurrent droughts, and increasing urban water demands have limited water availability in urban landscapes. Water quantity challenges have led to irrigation restrictions and turfgrass removal programs. An experiment was conducted at the University of Florida, West Florida Research and Education Center, Jay, FL, to evaluate the effect of turfgrass conversion to other landscape types on nutrient leaching and groundwater recharge. In April 2021, all surface vegetation was removed from existing turfgrass plots using a sod harvester. Thereafter, plots were planted or covered with three landscape types: a pollinator landscape with flowering forbs (Mimosa sp., Coreopsis sp., and Phyla sp.) + turfgrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides); a nitrogen (N)‐efficient lawn (Arachis glabrata + Paspalum notatum); and a low‐input landscape with unplanted woodchip mulch. Undisturbed turfgrass (E. ophiuroides) served as a control. For 2 years, leachate samples were collected weekly from previously installed 168‐L drainage lysimeters for NO3‐N and NH4‐N load determination. Temporal changes in landscape composition, groundwater recharge, water use, and soil bulk density were also quantified. While the mulch leached 44.7 kg ha−1 NO3‐N year−1, this landscape still offers positive attributes, including erosion protection and water conservation. Conversely, the pollinator landscape minimized nitrogen leaching (8.3 kg ha−1 NO3‐N year−1) due to their relatively greater water use rates (3.56 mm day−1). The turfgrass and nitrogen‐efficient lawn returned ∼35% of the water inputs as groundwater recharge while maintaining relatively low nitrogen leaching (3.6 and 2.7 kg ha−1 NO3‐N year−1, respectively), making these landscapes efficient for protecting both water quality and quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Florida, multiple counties restrict the application of N to turfgrass and landscapes during the summer rainy season. These summer fertilizer blackout periods could impact turfgrass quality and the functionality of warm‐season turfgrass species. A 2‐year study was conducted at the University of Florida's Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC) and West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) to assess turfgrass performance of 'Floratam' and 'Classic' St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze] as well as 'Empire' and 'Palisades' zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.), respectively, receiving no N fertilization during summer blackout period using eight fertilization programs compared to an unfertilized control. Visual quality, normalized difference vegetation index, percentage green cover, and dark green color index were assessed biweekly. Roots were collected before and after the fertilizer blackout period to determine root dry weight. While no differences were detected in St. Augustinegrass at the FLREC and zoysiagrass at the WFREC, all fertilized treatments except urea reached and maintained an acceptable turfgrass quality (≥6) throughout the blackout period, suggesting that urea by itself was not sufficient to support an optimal turfgrass performance during a fertilizer blackout period. The addition of P to nutrition programs did not influence turfgrass quality. Results indicate that N source is the most important factor to sustain turfgrass quality year‐round in Florida. Plain Language Summary: Fertilizer "blackout periods" are periods where it is prohibited to apply fertilizer, instituted to prevent the leaching of plant nutrients into water bodies. However, their effect on turfgrass health has not been extensively studied. In our research, we investigated eight different fertilizer programs that were applied outside the summer blackout fertilizer period. Results indicate that N fertilization during the spring is essential to maintain turfgrass health when summer fertilizer blackout periods are enforced. However, older turfgrass stands could sustain turfgrass quality with limited to no N applications year‐round. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several new bermudagrass cultivars are available and commonly used on golf course fairways. However, little is known about their cultural requirements or how these cultivars perform under lower inputs regimes. A 2‐year study was conducted at University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, to assess performance of four hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon L. Pers. X Cynodon transvaalensis (Burtt‐Davy)] cultivars ('Latitude 36', 'Tifway 419', 'TifGrand' and 'TifTuf'), and 2 common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) cultivars ('Bimini' and 'Celebration') irrigated at either 50% or 80% reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and fertilised at either 0, 146, 244, or 342 kg N ha−1 year−1. Plots were evaluated monthly for turfgrass quality, dark green colour index (DGCI), normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), and Chlorophyll Index, and seasonally for N tissue content. Plots watered at 80% ETo enhanced bermudagrass quality compared to 50% ETo, DGCI and NDVI only in two months out of 24. Latitude 36 and Celebration were the top‐rated cultivars, and their quality was not affected by no N fertilisation. Conversely, TifGrand, TifTuf and Tifway that received no N fertilisation resulted in insufficient quality during the second year of the study. Insufficient quality may be linked to reduced N metabolization compared to the highest rated cultivars. Results show that new cultivars such as Latitude 36 and Bimini could be maintained at sufficient quality levels with reduced water and N inputs in South Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common carpetgrass (Axonopus fissifolius Raddi) is a stoloniferous, sod-forming species used sparingly as a turfgrass. No information is available regarding the relationships between germplasm accessions of this species. Accordingly, the initial objective of this study was to evaluate the relatedness of common carpetgrass germplasm for morphological and turfgrass performance traits. This was accomplished using principal component and cluster analysis. Resulting principal components were separated into related traits that influenced plant architecture, aesthetic appeal, and inflorescence characteristics. The secondary objective was to identify if collection location impacted genotype performance. This was completed by arranging genotypes into groups on the basis of their geographic origin within the collection area and subsequently analyzing the groups to determine if collection location impacted growth and performance. Differences were found for winter color, establishment, and seedhead density between the SE group and other groups (SW, NE, and NW) which were not different from each other. Groups refer to regions; specifically, SE represents south of 31[degrees] N latitude and east of 86[degrees] W longitude, SW represents south of 31[degrees] N latitude and west of 86[degrees] W longitude, NE represents north of 31[degrees] N latitude and east of 86[degrees] W longitude, and NW represents north of 31[degrees] N latitude and west of 86[degrees] W longitude.