Turfgrass biomass production and nutrient balance of an urban park irrigated with reclaimed water

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2019-12, Vol.237, p.124481, Article 124481
• Main Authors: Zalacáin, David, Martínez-Pérez, Silvia, Bienes, Ramón, García-Díaz, Andrés, Sastre-Merlín, Antonio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aesthetic value; Agricultural Irrigation; Biomass; biomass production; chlorine; Irrigation; irrigation water; Nutrient balance; nutrient requirements; Nutrients; Parks, Recreational; Poaceae - growth & development; potassium; Reclaimed water; sodium; sulfur; turf grasses; Turfgrass; Urban park; urban parks; Waste Water - analysis; wastewater irrigation; wastewater treatment; Water - analysis; Water - chemistry; water resources
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124481

The increasing demand for water resources in arid and semiarid countries has stimulated the use of non-conventional water resources such as reclaimed water. Consequently, turfgrass irrigation with reclaimed water has become a regular practice in these regions. The main goal of this research was to assess the effects of reclaimed water (RW) irrigation in Madrid urban parks by studying changes in grass nutrient balance and its biomass production. Irrigation with reclaimed water led to a grass biomass increase, mainly due to the high proportion of nutrients received through the irrigation water. The main nutrient input in RW irrigation were of Cl, S, K and Na. RW also contributed to a significant increase in nutrient removal by grass. Thus, all this information generated should be taken into account by park managers in order to fulfill the grass aesthetic value and its nutritional requirements in those urban parks irrigated with RW. •Reclaimed water irrigation led to a grass biomass increase.•The main nutrient input in reclaimed water irrigation were of Cl, S, K and Na.•Reclaimed water led to an increase in nutrient removal by grass.•Positive nutrient balance was obtained for almost all elements.