contained over 140 poa annua plants per plot. Evaluations of specific performance traits (called Trait

Specific Testing) are now emphasized by NTEP, starting with this trial. An example of this is traffic tolerance testing at four locations, drought tolerance testing at two locations and a salt tolerance greenhouse trial. Traffic tolerance evaluations ended with about 60-70% of entries finishing in the top statistical group. And drought testing yielded even smaller entry separation. On the other hand, salt tolerance screening showed

large differences among entries. At 12,500 PPM salt levels, many entries performed well and ended in the top statistical grouping. However, with salt levels increased to 15,000 PPM (sea water is 35,000 PPM), only three entries, Manhattan 6 GLR, Rinovo and Green Supreme maintained 50% or greater ground cover. Several diseases were rated over the four years of the

perennial ryegrass trial and this four-year report allowed us to summarize all the disease data. Grey leaf spot (Magnaporthe oryzae) is one of the most destructive pathogens to attack perennial ryegrass. At two locations, grey leaf spot was noted and some of the best entries included SR 4650, Karma, Vision, Apple 5GL and Expedite. Stem rust (Puccinia graminis) was rated at three locations

with Evolution, Stellar 3GL, Octane, Pangea GLR, Banfield and Bonneville among the highest scoring entries. Brown patch ratings at two locations showed

Bandalore, Stamina and Karma at the top and Pythium blight (Pythium sp.). ratings at Blacksburg, VA had GO- DHS as the best and only entry in the top statistical group.

Fineleaf Fescues Te term “fineleaf fescue” actually includes several

species. Strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra spp. rubra) and slender creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra var. littoralis) possess rhizomes and therefore add knitting ability to a sod mixture. Chewings fescue (Festuca rubra ssp. fallax) has a bunch-type growth habit and traditionally better disease resistance than the creeping red-types. Hard fescues (Festuca brevipila) are also bunch-type grasses but have generally better drought tolerance than Chewings or creeping types. Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L. ssp. hirtula) is best suited for low maintenance sites because of its unique, swirly, growth habit from within the crown of the plant. Last year we reported on data from the five-year

summary from our trial planted in 2008. A new fineleaf fescue trial was established in 2014, with first year data from that trial now available. Tis new trial consists of 42 total entries, broken down into hard fescue (10), strong creeping red fescue (16), slender creeping red fescue (3), chewings fescue (12) and sheep fescue (1). Te trial is planted at ten standard trial locations and eleven ancillary trial locations. A good separation among entries was noted at most

locations. As expected, trial location seemed to have a significant influence on entry performance. Tis is potentially due to differences in establishment during this first year of evaluation. It could also be due to disease that was active at several locations. For instance, Beudin and Minimus are hard fescues

that performed very well at some locations in 2015. Beudin was the top entry at East Lansing, MI, as well as finishing very close to the top of the quality rating heap at St. Paul, MN, (lawn mowing height), Corvallis, OR, and Pullman, WA. However, Beudin was an average to below average performer at Urbana, IL, and College Park, MD. Minimus finished at the top for turf quality at College Park, MD, and Adelphia, NJ, two fairly similar sites in the Mid-Atlantic. But Minimus also was the top rated entry at Quebec City, Canada. Minimus showed good resistance to leaf spot disease in 2015, which probably contributed to its higher ratings. Minimus also performed at average or below at several sites. Traffic tolerance will be evaluated on this trial under

fairway mowing height and also lawn mowing height. In 2015, traffic was evaluated at three sites, East Lansing, MI, (fairway), Storrs, CT, (fairway) and Amherst, MA, (lawn). Te fairway sites utilize an apparatus that simulates golf cart traffic and damage. Te locations used a similar protocol: two passes per day with the traffic simulator, three times per week from May through September. Te fairway sites had a surprising level of agreement among the top entries, with ten entries finishing in the top turf

36 TPI Turf News July/August 2016