Te story with the 2020 Fort Collins, CO, data


was 1) statistical significance was very small, and 2) no entries delivered acceptable turfgrass quality scores (6.0 or


above), even under the optimum 80 percent ETo replacement level. All entries struggled under 40 percent ETo


PST-5SDS had the highest average turf quality at 4.3. Te 60 percent ETo


replacement as tall fescues DLFPS 321/3677 and level did deliver one tall fescue entry


(Tunderstruck) with a minimally acceptable average score of 5.0. Several tall fescues, but no Kentucky bluegrass finished with a minimally acceptable average quality under 80 percent ETo


replacement. Te best tall fescues under this


level were PST-5SDS (5.5), DLFPS 321/3679 (5.4), Kingdom (5.4), and Tor (5.4). Data collection is complete with this trial and all data is available on our website. A new cool-season trial, focusing on grasses for


fairway turf, mainly bentgrass and fine leaf fescue, is co- funded with USGA and was established in the fall of 2022. Eighteen total entries, encompassing creeping and colonial bentgrass, hard fescue, chewings fescue, strong creeping red fescue, and perennial ryegrass were established at five sites, two under rainout shelters and three in field sites with deficit irrigation (ETo


) levels. A minimum percent green


cover threshold of 75 percent was utilized during the drought ‘season’ to determine re-watering at the rainout shelter locations, thus allowing for a water needs rate for each entry. Tree deficit irrigation levels, representing high (optimum – 80 percent ETo percent ETo


were instituted at the three deficit ETo IN (shelter site). Under the rainout shelter at West Lafayette, IN,


similar to 2023, several of the bentgrass, and the two perennial ryegrass entries required 31-45 percent less water than all the fine fescues to maintain 75 percent green cover throughout the drought ‘season.’ And the top bentgrasses required 21-43 percent less water than the highest water using bentgrasses. Te colonial bentgrass cultivar Musket and perennial ryegrass SR 4650 again delivered the highest quality with less water than other entries: 182.3 mm (7.2 inches) and 186.3 mm (7.3 inches), respectively. Te creeping bentgrass entries with the highest quality and least water used include Penncross (198.7 mm, 7.8 inches) and AU Victory (241.7 mm, 9.5 inches). Te highest water using entries, MacDonald creeping bentgrass and Gladiator hard fescue, required over 300 inches (11.8 inches) of water to maintain 75 percent green cover. Despite the differences in water use in 2024, all entries performed statistically equal, except for the highest water using entries, MacDonald and Gladiator. In year two of reduced irrigation at St. Paul, MN,


the bentgrass entries overwhelmingly provided the highest quality. Several entries delivered a mean turfgrass quality


TPI Turf News July/August 2025 65


) and low (severe restriction – 50 percent ETo sites. Te irrigation


sites) and West Lafayette,


), medium (sub-optimum – 65 )


regimes were utilized for 100 - 120 days in 2024. Data was collected and submitted in 2024 from St. Paul, MN, Ft. Collins, CO, Logan, UT (ETo


rating of 7.0 or higher, which is the NTEP threshold for higher quality turf. Under both the medium (65 percent ETo


) and low (50 percent ETo ) irrigation replacement


levels, Kingdom, 777, and Oakley creeping bentgrasses finished in the top statistical group. Entries with the poorest performance under all three replacement levels include Gladiator hard fescue, Navigator II strong creeping red fescue, Helios and SR 4650 perennial ryegrass, and Penncross creeping bentgrass. In Ft. Collins, CO, 2024 data mirrored 2023 data


with several of the fine fescues outperforming many of the bentgrasses, and in particular, the best performing entries from St. Paul and West Lafayette. PPG FRC 127 chewings fescue, Navigator III strong creeping red fescue, and Penncross creeping bentgrass scored highest under 50 percent ETo


quality statistical group. In turf quality ratings collected under 65 percent ETo


irrigation replacement, finishing in the top turf irrigation replacement, less statistical


significance is noted. However, PPG FRC 127, Compass II, Navigator III, and Penncross again finished with the highest mean turfgrass quality ratings. Te Logan, UT, location collected its first data in


2024 and the two perennial ryegrass entries, Helios and SR 4650 shined under 50 percent ETo


irrigation replacement, finishing as the only two entries in the top


turf quality statistical group. Under 65 percent ETo irrigation replacement, Helios again finished at the top of turf quality, with SR 4650 and Musket colonial bentgrass, a low-ranking entry under 50 percent ETo


irrigation


replacement, near the top. Several fine fescues, such as Compass II, PPG FRC 127, and Gladiator, and DLF- AP-3084 creeping bentgrass also were top performers uder 65 percent ETo


irrigation replacement at Logan.


Other Species Other cool-season species, such as prairie junegrass


(Koeleria spp.), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis), supina bluegrass (Poa supina) and annual bluegrass (Poa annua) are potential sod products, although limited in their utility and geographical 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 Fine Leaf 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.


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