SEED AND VEGETATIVE STOCK FROM THE PAST— CELEBRATING 50 & FABULOUS!

has been edited for space considerations, all varieties submitted are included, listed by supplier. Compiled by Suz Trusty

Barenbrug USA

Baron Kentucky bluegrass, introduced in the U.S.A. in the late 1970s, was one of the first improved ‘lower growing turf-type’ Kentucky bluegrasses. Baron was entered in the original NTEP Trial, seeded in 1985, holding its own against competitors for almost 40 years. With millions of pounds produced and sold, Baron is still a viable part of Barenbrug’s turf program world-wide, a stable, work horse that never stops performing.

RTF, Rhizomatous Tall Fescue, was introduced in 2003, with Labarinth the first variety. RTF’s rhizome production transformed the industry’s view of turf-type tall fescue and led to the organization of the RTF Sod Growers Association. Previously, the tall fescue market had keyed heavily on disease resistance and uniformity. RTF’s unique ability to repair and sustain uniformity, prompted industry-wide evaluation of tall fescue plant material for evidence of rhizome growth or spreading behavior.

RPR, Regenerating Perennial Ryegrass, was introduced in 2008, with patented Baralpha RPR the first variety, sparking a flurry of interest within the seed industry similar to the introduction of RTF. A true sub-species of the traditional perennial rye, Lolium perenne ssp. stolonifera, RPR’s production of determinate stolons transformed the view of perennial rye. Combined with extreme traffic tolerance and recovery, Baralpha and subsequent new RPR generations, laid the foundation for a new approach to perennial ryegrass and its capabilities.

Barvette HGT Kentucky bluegrass, introduced in 2011, sparked change in the turfgrass seed industry. Performing in tough climates where most bluegrasses have failed, Barvette HGT has re-opened the transition zone and southeast to top quality, high performance Kentucky bluegrasses, impacting the sports turf and golf markets.

Parkside perennial ryegrass was tested as PST-NJK in NTEP trials. With medium dark green color and improved gray leaf spot resistance, Parkside finished in the top statistical group in both the Transition and North Central zone trials. Strong wear tolerance during establishment phase makes Parkside an excellent addition to mixes featuring RPR.

Columbia River Seed

Dauntless Kentucky bluegrass exhibits early spring green-up and impressive wear tolerance during the growing season, with good spring and summer density rates. It exhibits excellent disease resistance; rating high in 2012 NTEP data for resistance to stem rust, crown rust, rust disease, and summer patch. Dauntless is ideal for home lawns, commercial properties, sports fields, parks, golf course fairways, tees and roughs.

Rubix Kentucky bluegrass was ranked #1 overall in the 2014 NTEP Turfgrass Quality Ratings, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fine leafed and medium green, with superb season-long turf density, it provides superior wear tolerance and excellent performance in high traffic areas, excelling in sports fields, golf course tees, fairways and roughs. Rubix mixes well with perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue. It’s ideal for residential lawns, parks, commercial properties and sod production.

Blue Coat Kentucky bluegrass incorporates advanced breeding technology to offer darker green color and better disease resistance, exhibiting high resistance to rust and summer patch. Fine-to-medium leaf texture, excellent season-long density and the ability to handle heavy traffic makes Blue Coat ideal for home lawns, sports fields, parks and golf course fairways, tees and roughs.

To tie in to TPI’s 50 & Fabulous Anniversary Celebration, member turfgrass seed and vegetative stock suppliers were invited to submit their top variety introductions from previous years. Suppliers were limited to a maximum of seven submissions. Tough copy

TPI Turf News July/August 2016

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