STUDIES ON THE DURATION OF Poa pratensis CULTIVAR TESTING
Color (C), density (D), and weediness (W) score data of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars were evaluated individually, as well as indices (C + D)/2, (C + D)/2-W, (C + D–W)/2, for Kentucky bluegrass cultivars in their second to seventh growing seasons. Considerable change in ranking occurred in the early years and relative stability was not achieved until the fifth year. Thus, the averaging of changing trends in the early years could be misleading. The use of indices added a degree of uniformity which identified poor and good cultivars, but the statistical separation was not enhanced among the cultivars. The (C + D)/2 index is recommended since weediness seemed to be a function of density and weediness can be controlled. The study identified the need for at least 5 years of testing, particularly on the Canadian prairies.Key words: Kentucky bluegrass, color, density, weediness, indices