Appendix 2
Interpreting EC Readings from Turf Grass
When taking direct-insert EC readings in turf grass with the Field Scout meter, it is often helpful to con-vert
the measurement to the equivalent Saturated Media Extract (SME) value. This conversion will vary for
different soils. For sandy soils, the expression:
SME = 2.7FS + 0.8
provides a good approximation. FS
refers to the reading taken by the Field Scout meter. This equation is the basis for table 1. Table 2 lists a
variety of grass species and the range of EC values (converted to SME) they can tolerate.
FS
SME
FS
SME
FS
SME
0.1
1.1
1.1
3.8
2.1
6.5
0.2
1.3
1.2
4.0
2.2
6.7
0.3
1.6
1.3
4.3
2.3
7.0
0.4
1.9
1.4
4.6
2.4
7.3
0.5
2.2
1.5
4.9
2.5
7.6
0.6
2.4
1.6
5.1
2.6
7.8
0.7
2.7
1.7
5.4
2.7
8.1
0.8
3.0
1.8
5.7
2.8
8.4
0.9
3.2
1.9
5.9
2.9
8.6
1.0
3.5
2.0
6.2
3.0
8.9
0.1
1.1
1.1
3.8
2.1
6.5
0.2
1.3
1.2
4.0
2.2
6.7
0.3
1.6
1.3
4.3
2.3
7.0
0.4
1.9
1.4
4.6
2.4
7.3
0.5
2.2
1.5
4.9
2.5
7.6
0.6
2.4
1.6
5.1
2.6
7.8
0.7
2.7
1.7
5.4
2.7
8.1
0.8
3.0
1.8
5.7
2.8
8.4
0.9
3.2
1.9
5.9
2.9
8.6
1.0
3.5
2.0
6.2
3.0
8.9
Table 1: Conversion from Field Scout direct readings (
FS
) to equivalent Saturated Media Extract (
SME
)
values.
(
Reference 9:3
. PACE Turfgrass Research Institute. San Diego, CA)
Appendix 3
Preferred EC Values for Selected Turfgrasses
Sensitive
<3 mS/cm
Moderately
Sensitive
3 -6 mS/cm
Moderately
Tolerant
6 -10 mS/cm
Tolerant
>10 mS/cm
Annual Bluegrass
Annual Ryegrass
Bent cv. Seaside
Alkaligrass
Colonial Bluegrass
Chewings Fescue
Perennial Ryegrass
Bermudagrass
Kentucky Bluegrass
Creeping Bentgrass
Tall Fescue
Seashore Paspalum
Rough Bluegrass
Hard Fescue
Buffalograss
St. Augustine grass
Centipedegrass
Bahiagrass
Zoysiagrass
Relative tolerance of turfgrasses to soil salinity measured by the SME Method (“Salinity in Turfgrass”, Harivandi M.A.
Butler J.D., Lin w. 1992).
Note: The values on this table refer to measurement of a saturated media extract (SME) . Use table 1 to convert from
direct-insert readings to SME.
