Usefulness of Non-Chemical Water Conditioners for Managing Turfgrasses and their Rootzones

Physical water conditioning products have been used on golf courses to improve turfgrass quality, improve rootzone salinity, and to reduce irrigation water use. A four-year study was conducted at New Mexico State University to investigate the effects of non-chemical in-line water conditioners (two catalytic, one magnetic, one hydro-electric, and a control treatment) on turfgrass establishment, and on turfgrass quality and rootzone salinity of a perennial ryegrass stand. Conditioning treatments were applied under potable [Electrical conductivity (EC) = 0.6 dS/m] and saline (EC = 3.1 dS/m) irrigation. Conditioning treatments did not affect perennial ryegrass establishment, only saline irrigation delayed establishment. Turfgrass quality on control plots did not differ from conditioner treated plots for both water qualities on all but one sampling date. The rootzone salinity results were inconclusive; no clear consistent trends were found for individual measured parameters. After four years of research, a consistent positive impact of these conditioning units on turf quality and rootzone salinity could not be substantiated.