Station, TX, in two growing seasons. UGA SR15-15, UGA SR15-14, UGP 73, SeaStar, UGA 1743, and UGP 74 delivered the highest quality ratings under traffic stress. Dollar spot was the disease rated on this trial
in 2017-2019, however, no statistical difference among entries was noted. Fall color retention was rated by several locations but only small differences were noted among entries. And finally, establishment rate was evaluated in the first year of the trial. Salam had the highest percentage of establishment at four of the five reporting locations.
Low Input Warm-Season In 2018, a new warm-season grass trial, including
multiple species managed under low inputs was established at eleven locations. Te fifth and final year trial data (collected in 2022) is now available on the NTEP website. Te trial, partly supported by the U.S. Golf
Association, intends to determine adequate to high performing warm-season grasses under golf course rough or similar-type maintenance. Maintenance parameters include mowing at two inches (5.08 cm) or higher, weekly or less frequent mowing, two lbs. (0.907 kg) of nitrogen or less per 1000 sq. ft. (92,903 sq. m) per year, irrigation only to relieve severe drought stress, and minimal pest control. Te trial consists of ten total entries, of which four are bermudagrass, four are zoysiagrass, one is buffalograss, and one is a mixture of buffalograss, curly mesquite (Hilaria belangeri) and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis). Data collection since establishment in 2018
has concentrated on turfgrass quality along with percent living ground cover, weed invasion, and canopy height measurements between mowings. In 2022, data from several locations’ entry performance reflected the effects of reduced nitrogen and irrigation over the last five years. Turfgrass quality ratings collected in 2020 had
Tifway and Midiron bermuda, both old standards, along with XZ 14069 zoysia as the most consistent performers, finishing in the top statistical group at seven of eight sites. Since then, the zoysia entries have shown their ability to perform well under low maintenance. XZ 14069 zoysia, now named LoboTM
, was a top performer at Citra, FL,
Mississippi State, MS, Raleigh, NC, Las Cruces, NM, Stillwater, OK, and College Station, TX. 16-TZ-14114 zoysia was also good at Citra, Raleigh, Stillwater, and College Station. Standard cultivar Tifway bermudagrass continued
to produce good turfgrass quality at Mississippi State, MS, Las Cruces, NM, Stillwater, OK, and College Station, TX, finishing in the top statistical group at each site. FB 1628 bermuda was also a top performer at Las Cruces, Mississippi, and College Station as higher pH soils in the western locations likely had a negative effect overall on zoysia performance. Te only location with buffalograss as a top performer in 2022 was Mississippi State, a surprising site considering the humidity and rainfall patterns in that region. To assess potential mowing requirements, canopy
64
height measurements were collected at several locations over the last four years. Data from 2022 was consistent with the previous years’ data as FB 1628 bermuda had consistently low canopy heights. Zoysia entries XZ 14069 and FAES 1322 also frequently had the lowest canopy height between mowings over the years.
Warm-Season Water Use As described in the cool-season water use
section, this trial features ten initial sites evaluating water use, five under rain exclusion shelters and five managed using reduced levels of ETo
replacement. Te seventeen
total entries (eleven bermudagrass, four zoysiagrass, and two buffalograss) were planted in 2018, but due to slow establishment of some entries, water use evaluations were first initiated in 2020. As stated above, management procedures were slightly different for the warm-season version of this trial with irrigation restriction in the shelters (Approach 1) conducted for 120-150 days (compared to 100 days for the cool-season trial). Plots were rewatered when the percentage of green cover reached 65 percent. Te reduced irrigation sites (Approach 2) utilized
30, 45, or 60 percent ETo as their replacement levels (as compared to 40, 60, and 80 percent ETo
for the cool-season
trial). Approach 2 sites were also designed to conduct their evaluations for 120-150 days (sixteen to twenty weeks), however, one location (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) ran their trial for thirty-three weeks. Another difference with the warm- season version is that the mowing height is 0.5 – 1 in. (1.27 – 2.54 cm), where the cool-season trial was managed at a more typical lawn mowing height of 2 – 3 in. (5.08 – 7.62 cm). Tis change did affect some species, particularly the buffalograsses, which struggled at some locations due to the low mowing height.
Tis photo shows an NTEP trail of native grasses in Arizona. TPI Turf News July/August 2023
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
