QUEENSLAND Minister for Primary Industries (QPIF), Tim Mulherin says the State’s turf scientists are working on the problem of trying to grow grass by the sea.
According to the Minister, QPIF scientists are trialling salt-tolerant grasses in the Surfers Paradise Esplanade Park in an effort to reduce brown patches and other problems caused by seaside conditions.
The Minister says coastal parklands face a high level of use but their locations present them with a unique set of challenges. Salt spray or tidal inundation can result in areas of patchy grass or bare ground.
QPIF says the research seeks to recommend the best grass for each situation, as such it is looking for grasses to maintain areas in adverse conditions, including looking at shade and wear tolerance. The project’s desired outcome is to identify best practices for establishing and maintaining turf grass on foreshore parkland and other salt-affected sites.
Mulherin says the project is finding solutions for maintaining healthy grass in saline soil through these field trials and through experiments at the Redlands Research Station.
The Surfers Paradise trials are said to have shown several options for salinity resistance within each grass species being trialled and there are significant advantages of using compost over topsoil for turf grass growth in saline soils.
The Minister says while salt-tolerant grasses are not a silver bullet for salinity problems they do buy time for park managers to provide a healthy grass cover in areas irrigated with water containing significant levels of salt.
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