New grass to slash cost of irrigation

A new type of multipurpose grass which thrives on saline water is being grown in Jebel Ali. Experiments on it are being conducted to ensure its suitability to local weather.

The paspalum grass was developed by the University of Georgia in the U.S. and introduced to the UAE by the Dubai-based branch of Hydroturf International in Jebel Ali.

Company sources said the new grass, which could be used in golf courses and for landscaping public parks, will reduce the cost of irrigation by half.

Above all, it could be used as animal feed. It fights desert creep at minimum cost, reclaims land, stabilises and bioremediates sand dunes, and purifies contaminated soil and water.

At the same time, it cuts fertiliser requirement by 50 per cent, and in addition saline water acts as a natural pesticide. These savings in chemical usage alone will diminish the adverse impact on the environment.

"The new turf has revolutionised the golf industry as it allows for the construction of golf courses in areas which do not have a ready supply of clean water," said Colin Baxter, Managing Director of Hydroturf International.

Baxter told Gulf News that the grass's water requirement drops from 30mm to as low as 12mm per square metre in the winter and with the passage of time, which is another advantage for reducing irrigation costs.

Ras Al Khaimah was chosen to establish the UAE's first commercial turf farm with approximately one million bushels per year. Producing Dh3 million worth of turf every year, the farm is set to lay the foundations of a commercial turf farm industry in the emirate.

U.S.-based Professor Ronny Duncan, Soil Expert at Georgia University, told Gulf News that paspalum's potential for use in home lawns, business landscapes and city parks will increase as water quality and quantity issues escalate in the 21st century.

Due to the inherent multiple stress tolerance, paspalum will have lower maintenance costs than many other warm season grasses.

He said grass could be used as animal fodder, and has been used extensively in Australia since 1953. Its use as forage has been documented in Africa, Australia, South America, and the United States.

Watering of the grass leads to concentration of salty layers in the soil. This could be avoided by using fresh water to flush the soil from time to time.