scholarly journals Establishment and Performance of Bluegrass Species and Tall Fescue under Reduced-input Maintenance in a Temperate Mediterranean Environment

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 810-816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Fiorio ◽  
Stefano Macolino ◽  
Bernd Leinauer
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
And Performance

Turfgrass water conservation has become important in many parts of the world, including the transition zones of Mediterranean Europe. Species selection is considered one of the most important factors influencing turfgrass water use, and drought-tolerant cool-season species are encouraged to be used in areas where long dormancy periods of warm-season grasses is unacceptable. A field study was conducted from Mar. 2007 to Sept. 2009 at Padova University, Italy, to evaluate establishment and performance of nine turfgrass cultivars under reduced-input maintenance. The study included hybrid bluegrass (Poa pratensis × P. arachnifera) cultivars Solar Green, Thermal Blue, and Thermal Blue Blaze; kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) cultivars Cocktail, Cynthia, and Geronimo; and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) cultivars Apache, Murray, and Regiment. Establishment rate was assessed after two seeding dates (20 Mar. and 20 Sept.), and grasses were subsequently fertilized with 15 g·m−2 nitrogen per year and irrigated once every 2 weeks at 40% of reference evapotranspiration from June to August. Turfgrass and weed cover were estimated 60 days after seeding (DAS), and turf quality was evaluated weekly on a scale of 1 (worst) to 9 (best). Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was measured weekly during 2009. Tall fescue cultivars exhibited greater quality than hybrid bluegrass or kentucky bluegrass, under both spring and autumn seeding. Hybrid bluegrass had similar quality to kentucky bluegrass cultivars, although they performed well only when sown in autumn. Our results suggest that among the tested grasses, tall fescue performed better under the reduced irrigation in a Mediterranean transition zone climate than kentucky bluegrass or hybrid bluegrass.

scholarly journals Month of Seeding Effect on Low-Input Establishment of Cool- and Warm-Season Turfgrasses in Continental Transition Zone

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-170
Author(s):  
Kenneth Lynn Diesburg ◽  
Ronald F. Krausz
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Cool Season ◽  
Low Input

This research was conducted to determine the degree of success, by month, in seeding establishment of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. var. dactylon), and zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) at two locations in the moist, Midwest, continental transition zone on a prepared seed bed without irrigation or cover. The four species were planted every month of the year starting in September 2005. Starter fertilizer and siduron were applied the same day as seeding with no subsequent management except mowing. Percent cover of living turfgrass was recorded in each of 24 months after seeding. Tall fescue (80%) and Bermudagrass (73%) provided the best percent cover over all planting dates. Kentucky bluegrass provided 65% and zoysiagrass 24% cover. The cool-season grasses performed best in the July-to-March plantings; tall fescue 88% and Kentucky bluegrass 72%. Bermudagrass (94%) established best in the January-to-April plantings, while Zoysiagrass (32%) established best in the November-to-March plantings. Germination and seedling survival after germination of all species were inhibited by limited moisture during summer. The warm-season grasses were further limited by winter kill in the August, September, and October seedings. These results emphasize the risk in spring-seeding as well as the value in dormant-seeding of both warm- and cool-season turfgrasses for low-input, nonirrigated establishment.

Shade performance of a range of turfgrass species improved by trinexapac-ethyl

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 939 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Tegg ◽  
P. A. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Warm Season ◽  
Creeping Bentgrass ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
The Impact

The increased use of enclosed sports stadiums produces shade conditions that seriously affect the quality of turfgrass surfaces, by encouraging undesirable excess vertical succulent growth. Plant growth regulators offer an opportunity to modify a plant’s growth habit, to enable it to be better adapted to a shady environment. To examine growth response to the plant growth regulator, trinexapac-ethyl, cool-season temperate turfgrasses (Kentucky bluegrass–perennial ryegrass, Poa pratensis L./Lolium perenne L.; creeping bentgrass, Agrostis palustris Huds.; supina bluegrass, Poa supina Schrad.; and tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and a warm-season species (Bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon L.) were established in a field experiment. Main treatments were 4 levels of shade (0, 26, 56 or 65% shade), with or without trinexapac-ethyl at a rate of 0.5 kg/ha. A pot experiment measured the vertical shoot growth rates of Kentucky bluegrass–perennial ryegrass and tall fescue under 0, 56 or 65% shade, with and without trinexapac-ethyl. Both experiments were conducted under ambient conditions. Light readings taken in full sunlight, at midday through summer and autumn (major period of assessment), ranged from 1350 to 1950 μmol/m2.s. Trinexapac-ethyl reduced vertical growth of all turfgrass species. This resulted in decreased clipping weights and in clipping material having an increased dry matter percentage (i.e. reduced succulence). The impact of trinexapac-ethyl on sward quality and colour was dependent on shade level, for all species. At 56 and 65% shade, quality and colour improvement was maximised with trinexapac-ethyl application; the magnitude of improvement was dependent on species, with Kentucky bluegrass–perennial ryegrass and bentgrass showing the most benefit. It was concluded that trinexapac-ethyl improved the shade performance of a number of turfgrass species commonly used in high quality turf surfaces. It may offer the potential to reduce costs of managing turf in such an environment.

scholarly journals Additional Host Plants of Four Species of Billbug Found on New Jersey Turfgrasses

1990 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 608-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Johnson-Cicalese ◽  
C.R. Funk
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Cynodon Dactylon ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Red Fescue

Studies were conducted on the host plants of four billbug species (Coleoptera:Curculionidae: Sphenophorus parvulus Gyllenhal, S. venatus Chitt., S. inaequalis Say, and S. minimus Hart) found on New Jersey turfgrasses. A collection of 4803 adults from pure stands of various turfgrasses revealed all four billbugs on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and S. parvulus, S. venatus, and S. minimus on Chewings fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaud.). Since the presence of larvae, pupae, or teneral adults more accurately indicates the host status of a grass species, immature billbugs were collected from plugs of the various grass species and reared to adults for identification. All four species were reared from immature billbugs found in Kentucky bluegrass turf; immatures of S. venatus, S. inaequalis, and S. minimus were found in tall fescue; S. venatus and S. minimus in perennial ryegrass; and S. inaequalis in strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. rubra). A laboratory experiment was also conducted in which billbug adults were confined in petri dishes with either Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon Pers.). Only minor differences were found between the four grasses in billbug survival, number of eggs laid, and amount of feeding. In general, bermudagrass was the least favored host and the other grasses were equally adequate hosts. The results of this study indicate a need for updating host-plant lists of these four billbug species.

scholarly journals Southern Blight of Tall Fescue and Bluegrass Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Italy

Plant Disease ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 246-246
Author(s):  
G. Polizzi ◽  
A. Vitale ◽  
I. Castello
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Sclerotium Rolfsii ◽  
Aerial Mycelium ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Plant Diseases ◽  
Fluorescent Light ◽  
Southern Blight

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) are the main turfgrass species cultivated in Sicily (southern Italy) for ready lawn (sod) to ornamental purposes. In July 2004 and May 2005, a widespread disease was noticed in two turf nurseries on the eastern side of Sicily on a ready lawn mixture of F. arundinacea cv. Safari (94%) + P. pratensis cv. Cabaret (6%). Numerous yellow, circular- and crescent-shaped patches as much as 30 to 40 cm in diameter were observed. The turf usually died around the perimeter of the patch, but the grass remained green in the center of the ring with a tuft of green grass in the center (frog eye). Affected turf was initially reddish brown and turned brown as it died. Small, round and off-white or tan seed-like structures were dispersed on mycelial strands at the outer edge of the ring in the mat at the base of grasses. The pathogen was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. The fungus was isolated directly as aerial mycelium or sclerotia or following surface disinfection (2 min in 0.5% NaOCl) and plating diseased tissues on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Sclerotia were observed in vitro in 7-day-old cultures. Pathogenicity was tested by inoculating two com-mercial ready lawn strips (80 × 100 cm) of two healthy turfgrass species each with three isolates of the fungus. Thirty sclerotia were placed at the base of stems. Noninoculated ready lawn strips served as control. All plants were covered with plastic bags, exposed to diffused daylight for 5 days, and then maintained in a growth chamber at 25 to 28°C under fluorescent light. Disease symptoms and southern blight signs like the ones observed in the field occurred 2 weeks after inoculation. S. rolfsii was reisolated from affected tissues. Symptoms were not detected on any of the non-inoculated ready lawn strips. The disease was serious enough that chemical treatments were required for its control. Southern blight was previously detected on bermudagrass and other cool-season turfgrass genera (1).To our knowledge, this is the first report of southern blight on tall fescue and bluegrass in Italy. Reference: (1) R. W. Smiley. Common Names of Plant Diseases. Diseases of Turfgrasses. Online publication. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN.

scholarly journals Date of Seeding Affects Establishment of Cool-season Turfgrasses

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 152a
Author(s):  
Zachary J. Reicher ◽  
Clark S. Throssell ◽  
Daniel V. Weisenberger
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Cool Season ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Starter Fertilizer ◽  
Seeding Date ◽  
P Fertilizer

Little documentation exists on the success of seeding cool-season turf-grasses in the late fall, winter and spring. The objectives of these two studies were to document the success of seeding Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) at less-than-optimum times of the year, and to determine if N and P fertilizer requirements vary with seeding date of Kentucky bluegrass. `Ram I' Kentucky bluegrass, `Fiesta' perennial ryegrass, and `Mustang' tall fescue were seeded on 1 Sept., 1 Oct., 1 Nov., 1 Dec., 1 Mar., 1 Apr., and 1 May ± 2 days beginning in 1989 and 1990. As expected, the September seeding date produced the best establishment, regardless of species. Dormant-seeding Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue in November, December, or March reduced the establishment time compared with seeding in April or May. Seeding perennial ryegrass in November, December, or March may not be justified because of winterkill potential. To determine the effect of starter fertilizer on seedings made at different times of the year, `Ram 1' Kentucky bluegrass was seeded 1 Sept., 1 Nov., 1 Mar., and 1 May ± 2 days in 1989 and 1990, and the seedbed was fertilized with all combinations of rates of N (0, 24, and 48 kg·ha-1) and P (0, 21, and 42 kg·ha-1). Fertilizer rate had no effect on establishment regardless of seeding date, possibly because of the fertile soil on the experimental site.

scholarly journals Control of Tall Fescue in Kentucky Bluegrass Turf with Selective Herbicides

HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 449-451
Author(s):  
J.M. Goatley ◽  
A.J. Powell ◽  
W.W. Witt ◽  
M. Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Trend Analyses ◽  
Polynomial Trend ◽  
Selective Control ◽  
Quadratic Response ◽  
Potential Use

Chlorsulfuron, diclofop, and sulfometuron were evaluated for potential use in selective control of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). Polynomial trend analyses indicated highly significant linear and quadratic response curves for percentage of tall fescue reduction for each herbicide. Fall and spring treatments with chlorsulfuron and diclofop provided significant tall fescue control, with slight to moderate initial Kentucky bluegrass phytotoxicity. Fall and spring applications of sulfometuron resulted in excellent tall fescue control, but initial Kentucky bluegrass damage was severe and would be unacceptable for high maintenance turf. Chemical names used: 2-chloro- N -[[(4-methoxy-6-methyl-l,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]-benzenesulfonamide (chlorsulfuron); 2-[4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenoxy]proponoate (diclofop); N -[[(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)amino]carbonyl]-2-methoxycarbonyl-benzenesulfonamide (sulfometuron).

scholarly journals Change over Time in Quality and Cover of Various Turfgrass Species and Cultivars Maintained in Shade

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.S. Gardner ◽  
J.A. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Percentage Cover ◽  
Supplemental Irrigation ◽  
Red Fescue

In 1992, a cultivar trial was initiated in Columbus, Ohio to evaluate differences in establishment and long-term performance of cultivars of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), creeping red fescue (F. rubra), chewings fescue (F. rubra ssp. fallax), hard fescue (F. brevipila), kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), rough bluegrass (P. trivialis), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) under low maintenance conditions in a shaded environment. Fertilizer and supplemental irrigation were applied until 1994 to establish the grasses, after which no supplemental irrigation, or pesticides were applied and fertilizer rates were reduced to 48.8 kg·ha-1 (1 lb/1000 ft2) of N per year. Percentage cover and overall quality data were collected in 2000 and compared with data collected in 1994. Initial establishment success does not appear to be a good predictor of long-term success of a cultivar in a shaded environment. There was some variability in cultivar performance under shade within a given turfgrass species. The tall fescue cultivars, as a group, had the highest overall quality and percentage cover under shade, followed by the fine fescues, kentucky bluegrass, rough bluegrass, and perennial ryegrass cultivars.

scholarly journals Date of Seeding Affects Establishment of Cool-season Turfgrasses

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1166-1169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary J. Reicher ◽  
Clark S. Throssell ◽  
Daniel V. Weisenberger
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Cool Season ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Starter Fertilizer ◽  
Seeding Date ◽  
P Fertilizer

Little documentation exists on the success of seeding cool-season turfgrasses in the late fall, winter and spring. The objectives of these two studies were to document the success of seeding Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) at less-than-optimum times of the year, and to determine if N and P fertilizer requirements vary with seeding date of Kentucky bluegrass. `Ram I' Kentucky bluegrass, `Fiesta' perennial ryegrass, and `Mustang' tall fescue were seeded on 1 Sept., 1 Oct., 1 Nov., 1 Dec., 1 Mar., 1 Apr., and 1 May ± 2 days beginning in 1989 and 1990. As expected, the September seeding date produced the best establishment, regardless of species. Dormant-seeding Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue in November, December, or March reduced the establishment time compared with seeding in April or May. Seeding perennial ryegrass in November, December, or March may not be justified because of winterkill potential. To determine the effect of starter fertilizer on seedings made at different times of the year, `Ram 1' Kentucky bluegrass was seeded 1 Sept., 1 Nov., 1 Mar., and 1 May ± 2 days in 1989 and 1990, and the seedbed was fertilized with all combinations of rates of N (0, 24, and 48 kg·ha-1) and P (0, 21, and 42 kg·ha-1). Fertilizer rate had no effect on establishment regardless of seeding date, possibly because of the fertile soil on the experimental site.

Fertility and Management Treatments to Control Broomsedge in Pastures

Weed Science ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Peters ◽  
S. A. Lowance
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Poa Pratensis ◽  
Kentucky Bluegrass ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Andropogon Virginicus

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. ‘Kentucky 31′) drilled into a pasture infested with broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus L.) and fertilized with N, P, and K, eliminated broomsedge after 4 years. In a second experiment, fertilization with N, P, and K increased the density of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), and broomsedge was gradually reduced over a 5-year period. Fertilization with P and K caused the density of legumes and grass to increase and broomsedge was nearly eliminated after 5 years. In both experiments the old growth of broomsedge was mowed each winter and cattle were then able to graze the new growth of broomsedge. Grazing may have aided in the elimination of broomsedge.

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