And that ‘interaction pattern’ can, and very often will vary from year to year. Terefore, investigate the LPI Group data containing locations that are closest to you, or your market. Te LPI is used on new trials as they are initiated.

Go to http://www.ntep.org/LPI%20reporting%20Q&A%20 5-9-13.pdf to read more about the LPI and the reasons for utilizing this new procedure.

Focus On Specific Traits NTEP is designing its trial programs so that

more data on specific traits are collected. For instance, standard trial locations, conducted at university sites using prescribed management schemes, collect traditional data, such as turfgrass quality, color, density, any diseases present, etc. NTEP also sponsors ancillary trial locations that collect data on specific traits, such as shade tolerance, traffic tolerance and sod strength. Tese ancillary trials must often be conducted in unique locations (i.e. under shade trees) or using specialized equipment (i.e. a traffic simulator). Because ancillary trials are applying unique stress to the entries, the data from these locations are often summarized and reported in separate tables. NTEP plans on conducting more of these

ancillary trials in the future and is in fact, co-sponsoring with USGA, an entire trial just to evaluate cool-season and warm-season grasses for drought resistance and water use. Te cool-season water use trial was established in fall 2016, with ten locations initiating drought evaluations in summer 2017 or 2018. Te warm-season version of this trial is scheduled for establishment in summer 2018, so look for data from both versions of this trial within the next few years. In addition, NTEP sponsored a low input trial for cool-season grasses and mixtures in fall 2015, and is planning a warm-season low input trial for summer 2018. It is our hope that these types of data will provide much needed information to consumers on these important traits.

Update On Cultivars Te following is an overview of the latest information

on commercially available and experimental cultivars. COOL-SEASON

Kentucky Bluegrass 2016 was the fifth and final year of data collected

from our latest Kentucky bluegrass trial established in fall 2011. Particularly with bluegrasses, due to their slow establishment rate, first year data is often reflective of establishment rate for each entry and may not be indicative of long-term performance. By the third year of a bluegrass trial, some thatch buildup has occurred and therefore, the

TPI Turf News July/August 2017

data should give a better representation of performance. Te summer of 2016 was hot and humid, particularly in the eastern U.S. and this stress revealed some interesting results in this final trial year. Turfgrass quality ratings provide a view of overall

entry performance, showing why they are so important to consider. For this review, we look at locations in the different regions and identify top performers. In the Midwest (Ames, IA, Urbana, IL and West Lafayette, IN), many entries finished in the top statistical group at each test site in 2016, including SRX 466, Pick 033, Bluebank, A05-360, Award, A00-4199 and A06-46. In two Northeast locations (Adelphia, NJ and North Brunswick, NJ), Arrowhead and Sudden Impact were the only entries to finish in the top statistical group at both sites. Transition Zone locations often provide the most

environmental stress on Kentucky bluegrass entries. In 2016, a very small entry separation was noted at the trial in Manhattan, KS. Much greater entry separation was seen at the other sites (College Park, MD, Raleigh, NC, and Blacksburg, VA) with SRX 466, Pick 033 and Barvette HGT as the only entries to finish in the top turf quality statistical grouping at all three locations. Summer stress was so severe at the College Park, MD site that many entries finished the growing season with less than 60 percent ground cover. Entries with ground cover ratings of 60 percent or greater at College Park include A05-999, A98-363, Barvette HGT, Pick 033, BAR VV 112916 and Kenblue. Top performers at the Guelph, Ontario, Canada

site (managed using ‘organic’ methods) in 2015 included an interesting mix of older cultivars, new experimentals and commercial cultivars. 2016 yielded different results at the Guelph trial, with very little separation among the entries. Data from our two western U.S. locations (Puyallup, WA and Logan, UT) showed excellent performance from Keeneland and A00-2882 at both sites, with Rush, Arrowhead, Mazama and SRX 4338 also performing well in 2016. Te 2011 Kentucky bluegrass trial has ancillary

locations testing for tolerance to various stresses. For example, since 2012, shade tolerance has been evaluated at Carbondale, IL. In 2012, roughly two-thirds of the entries were statistically similar, and in 2013, that number had been reduced to about one-half. In 2015, about 40 percent of entries finished in the top statistical performance group for turfgrass quality. In 2016, about 30 percent of entries finished in the top statistical group, showing that the entries are continuing to separate themselves. Only two entries delivered an acceptable average quality score of 5.0 or greater: Barvette HGT and BAR 8PP 504 under the shade at Carbondale. Drought tolerance was also tested in an ancillary

trial at Logan, UT. Past data from this trial has yielded some decent separation among the entries, but 2015 and 2016 turf quality data demonstrated more separation. A00-2882 and Rush ranked highest in turf quality in

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