The long-term use of reclaimed water for landscape maintenance and the effects on soil chemistry and soil structure were investigated. Irrigation with reclaimed versus potable water for five years or more affects chemical properties of soil. Soils irrigated with reclaimed versus potable water had higher EC. Monsoon precipitation had less of a leaching effect than anticipated and significantly reduced EC only on two out of 13 sites. Soils irrigated with reclaimed water had higher SAR values than those irrigated with potable water and can potentially develop infiltration problems in the future. Contour maps of the EC for three depths of one site as measured by soil samples and EC as predicted by EM38 measurements for pre- and post-monsoon sampling times were developed.

This study was conducted in a greenhouse, using hydroponics system, to compare growth responses of three cool-season turfgrass species, Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera), Rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis), and Perennial ryegrass (Lolium sperenne) in terms of shoot and root lengths and dry matter (DM), and percent canopy green cover (%CGC) under salinity and drought stresses. Grasses were grown in Hoagland solution for 90 days prior to initiation of salinity or drought stresses. Then, 24 meq NaCl/L culture solution/day were added for each -0.1 MPa OP of salinity stress, or 75 and 119 g of PEG/L were added for -0.2 and -0.4 MPa OP of drought stress treatments, respectively. The treatments included control, -0.2 and -0.4 MPa OP salinity, -0.2 and -0.4 MPa OP drought stress. Four replications of each treatment were used in a RCB design experiment. During the stress period, grass shoots were clipped weekly for DM production, shoot and root lengths were measured, and %CGC was evaluated. The weekly clippings and the roots at the last harvest were oven dried at 60o C and DM weights were recorded. All 3 grass species were more severely affected by drought than salinity. Bluegrass was the most and bentgrass the least severely affected by either drought or salinity stress.

Certainty, Monument, and TranXit gave variable Poa control in the spring at 6 to 8 months after applications that were made prior to fall overseeding. There was not consistent Poa control with respect to timing of applications from one month to two weeks before overseeding. Most Poa control in February or April was marginally acceptable at 85% control or less. Common bermudagrass treated with the sulfonylurea herbicides was affected with observable reduced quality. The ryegrass density at 10 days after first water appeared to be less for all treatments compared to the untreated check. At one month after overseeding, all plots had ryegrass well-established and quality ratings were comparable to the untreated check for all treatments.

Sequential applications of all of the ALS-inhibiting herbicides offered acceptable to excellent levels of nutsedge control in turf. Single applications generally provided nutsedge control for 2 to 6 weeks. Single applications of halosulfuron and flazasulfuron offered effective control for 2 weeks and less than 4 weeks. Effective nutsedge control by trifloxysulfuron and sulfosulfuron was observed at 31 days after treatment (DAT) and began to decline at 42 DAT. Sulfosulfuron at 0.094 lb a.i./A applied sequentially at either 4 or 6 weeks gave near complete nutsedge control at the end of the season at the end of September. A second application of trifloxysulfuron at 0.026 lb a.i./A at 4 or 6 weeks after a first application in mid-July resulted in controlling nutsedge better than 85% at the end of September. Flazasulfuron at 0.047 lb a.i./A applied sequentially at 6 weeks provided improving nutsedge control through the summer and resulted in near complete control at 95% at the end of September. Halosulfuron at 0.062 lb a.i./A showed only 65% control after the first application and a sequential application at 4 weeks improved control to 92% for only an additional 2 weeks and then control was less than acceptable at the end of the season. Imazaquin at 0.5 lb a.i./A gave less than acceptable but consistent control until sequential applications at both 4 and 6 weeks improved nutsedge control to acceptable levels.

No masked chafer larvae were observed for treatments of imidacloprid, imidacloprid plus bifenthrin, clothianidin, and the two higher rates of DPX-E2Y45. The inconsistent and low populations of masked chafer larvae and billbugs in the turfgrass did not provide for conclusive results. Clothianidin and the two higher rates of DPX-E2Y45 had no billbug larvae. An early rating date showed that more billbug adults were in turf treated with imidacloprid and DPX-E2Y45. Later rating dates showed a decline in adults for all treatments.

Rapid blight is a new disease of cool season turf grasses caused by Labyrinthula terrestris. It is problematic in Arizona and ten other states in cool season turfgrasses at sites with elevated salinity of soil and/or irrigation water. L. terrestris colonizes Tifgreen bermudagrasses in the field, but causes no apparent disease. Laboratory trials have shown that as concentrations of sodium chloride in irrigation water increase, disease severity increases, and when calcium and potassium salts are used to increase salinity, disease is greatly reduced or not observed. In preliminary field assays of cool-season turfgrasses irrigated with effluent, L. terrestris was observed in laboratory cultures from non-symptomatic turfgrass. To further substantiate if L. terrestris and/or other Labyrinthula species were present in non-symptomatic turfgrass in the field and to determine if disease could be induced by increased salinity, a trial was conducted at the Karsten Turfgrass Research Facility of The University of Arizona. In August 2006, field plots were established in bermudagrass "Tifway 419" and overseeded with Poa trivialis "Laser" in October. Plots were treated with potassium chloride, potassium sulfate or sodium chloride salts to increase soil salinity. Other plots treated with fungicides that are ineffective in controlling rapid blight as well as a sulfur treatment also were included in the assays. Poa trivialis was sampled in December 2006 and April 200. In laboratory assays using a semi-selective medium, Labyrinthula was detected in all treatments. Incidence was significantly higher in the untreated control and fungicide treated plots than in the salt treated plots. Results show that increasing soil salinity did not induce disease or result in an increase in detection of Labyrinthula at this site. Results of this study on Poa trivialis and previous studies on Tifgreen bermudagrass suggest that Labyrinthula may be widespread in non-symptomatic turfgrasses.

The critical features needed for long-standing structural protection against subterranean termites are chemical efficacy and stability of termiticides. Federal regulations concerning minimum product performance of termiticide treatments stress the importance of field-testing existing and candidate termiticides. Field tests are designed to simulate typical application conditions and provide the regulated community non-penetration data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the termiticide Transport® in terms of providing structural protection and consumer satisfaction against Heterotermes aureus. Five residential structures were selected in Tucson for the study. None of the homes had undergone any treatment for termites within 12 months and all were of one construction type, frame stucco with slab foundations. The effectiveness of the termiticide Transport® in controlling Heterotermes aureus based on the five homes was very good. Termites were cleared in under a month when inspections were performed. Standard difficulties were encounter in gaining access to structures for inspections. Coordination with homeowners varied greatly and required persistence by the inspectors.