Saline irrigation water effects on the abundance of turfgrass arthropods

The turfgrass industry faces increasing challenges from the availability of freshwater. Alternative water sources, such as reclaimed wastewater and tidally influenced water, contain higher salt concentrations than freshwater, and may create significant management problems. The responses of turfgrass arthropods to irrigating with saline water and the impacts of such cultural practices on the management are unknown. This two-year study compared the abundance of mites and insects in turfgrass irrigated with fresh or saline water (~3.2 dS m-1) through sub-surface drip irrigation. ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass plots (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) were maintained under fairway conditions at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Florence, SC. Arthropod abundance was assessed with weekly collections from pitfall traps. In 2007, springtails accounted for 46-51% of the total arthropods collected, followed by mites (23-26%), ants (8-10%), and spiders (3%). Composition of the arthropod community and abundance of individual taxa were similar between plots irrigated with fresh or saline water. Springtails were the only arthropods more abundant in plots irrigated with saline water. Community composition and abundance of arthropods in bermudagrass appeared to be minimally influenced by irrigation with saline water.