The map at the right was
not a part of the original article (Busey,
P. 1996. Wilt avoidance in St. Augustinegrass germplasm.
HortScience 31:1135-1138.) but it is pertinent to the
use of water in the landscape.
The contour map was derived from monitoring wells throughout
urbanized Dade and Broward Counties where "the mean depth
of the Biscayne aquifer is 1.1 m and the average standard
deviation across months is 0.2 m (values derived from Lietz
et al., 1995). The water level is maintained throughout the
region by lateral movement across permeable materials, supplied
by rain and by canals connected to water conservation areas.
The use of wilt-avoidant genotypes is a turf management tool
to reduce the frequency of overhead irrigation while sustaining
canopy survival during seasonal drought."
