area of adaptation. Native species, such as junegrass and tufted
hairgrass, under low maintenance can form a dense sward with an appearance somewhat like perennial ryegrass or Kentucky bluegrass. One tufted hairgrass cultivar has been tested by NTEP (1998 NTEP Fineleaf Fescue trial). Te other bluegrass species, rough, annual, and supina are still very much under development without a lot known about their performance characteristics and production needs. Other native species, such as inland saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) and poverty grass (Danthonia spicata), have special traits such as salt tolerance (inland saltgrass) or tolerance to infertile soils (poverty grass), but are probably several years away from commercialization.
Marked differences are shown in fall growth and color retention in the bermudagrass cultivars in these trial plots at College Park, Maryland.
WARM-SEASON Last year’s article reported on five-year summary
results from three warm-season trials: bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and warm-season putting green, established in 2013. New versions of each of these three trials were established in summer 2019. Terefore, the first data from these new trials (2020) is published and now available.
Bermudagrass Te 2019 bermuda NTEP trial contains thirteen
(13) seeded entries and twenty-two (22) vegetative entries, established at twenty-one (21) locations across the southeast, Transition Zone, and southwest U.S. Many of these entries are experimental cultivars or new commercial cultivars. NTEP evaluates warm-season grasses by comparing seeded and vegetative entries, also by separately comparing seeded vs. seeded and vegetative vs. vegetative.
Te first year of any new trial is highly influenced
by establishment rate. Tis is especially true for the warm- season grasses as many entries are vegetatively propagated types. Typically, seeded entries establish quicker than vegetative types, and this is what we have seen thus far with this trial. Establishment rates are analyzed and reported by individual location, and not summarized across locations. However, some trends in the data are apparent. Te seeded entries as a group overall established faster than the vegetative entries. Entries such as Mississippi State University entries MSB-1017, MSB-1042, and MSB-1050 were often the fastest establishing vegetative entries, rivaling the establishment rate of some of seeded entries. Overall, large statistical differences were noted in establishment rate, which is a boon for producers and end- users.
Turfgrass quality data from thirteen standard trial
sites was divided into four LPI groups when statistically analyzed. As with past analyses, seeded and vegetative
TPI Turf News July/August 2021
groups were compared separately, as well as against each other. Also, as in the past, the best vegetative entries often outperformed the best seeded entries in 2020 turfgrass quality data. Only small statistical differences were noted among seeded entries, but greater overall statistical differences were seen among vegetative entries. Te vegetative entries Tahoma 31, MSB-1017, Latitude 36, TifTuf TM
, OKC1876, and Astro were the only entries to
finish in the top of each LPI group. Ancillary trial testing is underway at several
locations for this trial. Te first data on traffic tolerance was collected at Raleigh, NC. A mix of seeded and vegetative entries filled the top statistical group at Raleigh. Te highest overall turfgrass quality ratings under year one traffic were delivered by vegetative entries TifTuf and Latitude 36, and seeded entries OKS2015-3, JSC 2013- 10S, and Riviera. Other ancillary trials include drought tolerance,
salinity tolerance, shade tolerance, spring dead spot (Ophiosphaerella spp.) tolerance, and divot recovery. No statistical differences emerged in year one data from the Las Cruces, NM, salinity tolerance evaluations. Spring dead spot ratings collected at West Lafayette, IN, showed statistical differences. And initial shade evaluations showed several entries including MSB-1020, MSB-1017, and MSB-1042 with better tolerance of shade than twenty- four (24) other entries. Additional years of testing and data are needed for each of these characteristics. Drought tolerance is being evaluated at both
College Station, TX, and Riverside, CA. Tese two sites utilize different methods to impose drought, with College Station eliminating irrigation for a block of time (‘acute’
tolerance) and Riverside managing using a reduced ETo replacement (‘chronic’ tolerance). Greater statistical differences were noted at Riverside in 2020, with only MSB-1017, TifTuf, OKC1873, OKC1876, and MSB- 1042 vegetative entries in the top turf quality statistical group. Fewer statistical differences were noted in 2020 data from College Station but several of those same entries finished with the highest quality ratings. In addition,
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