New technologies could improve irrigation efficiency of turfgrass, promoting water
conservation and reducing environmental impacts. The objectives of this research were to
quantify irrigation water use and to evaluate turf quality differences between (1) time-based
scheduling with and without a rain sensor (RS);(2) a time-based schedule compared to a
soil moisture sensor (SMS)-based irrigation system; and (3) different commercially available
SMS systems. The experimental area consisted of common bermudagrass [Cynodon …

Overirrigation of lawns with limited resources of potable water has increasingly become an
issue for the state of Florida. A previous study showed that soil moisture sensors systems
(SMSs) could lead to irrigation water savings during relatively wet/normal weather
conditions. This research, as a follow-up comparison, was conducted under dry weather
conditions. The first objective was to statistically evaluate the water savings potential of
different commercially available SMSs during the first half of 2006. In the second half, the …