Kentucky Bluegrasses for High Traffic Turf

Brad Park – Rutgers UniversityNew England Turf Conference & Trade Show

Providence, RI 3 March 2010

Turfgrass selection matters

2005 NTEP Kentucky Bluegrass TestLate Summer 2009

Kentucky bluegrass

• Hardy, well adapted to Northeastern United States• Improved disease and traffic tolerance• Slow to establish from seed• Best established from sod• Slow spring green-up; although variety differences

exist

Netted sod?

Kentucky bluegrass classification system

• Kentucky bluegrass varieties can be classified based on diverse growth and performance characteristicsKentucky Bluegrass Types

Compact Compact-MidnightCompact-America Mid-Atlantic EcotypeJulia CELAHigh Density (Formerly Aggressive) BVMGShamrock CommonTX x KY Blue hybrids BellevueCheri Other

See: http://www.turf.rutgers.edu/research/reports/2008/59.pdf

Compact-Midnight Type

• Similar growth/performance characteristics compared to ‘Midnight’

• Long winter dormancy; late spring green-up• Very dark green• Good heat tolerance

Midnight 17 Apr. 2005

CELA Type17 Apr. 2005

Compact-America Type

• Similar growth/performance characteristics compared to ‘America’

• Finer leaf texture and higher shoot density compared to other Compact Type varieties

• Moderate winter dormancy

Compact Type 17 Apr. 2005

Brilliant 17 Apr. 2005

Compact-Midnight Types

Traffic

• Wear, compaction, soil displacement, and divoting

Wear research

Wear research

Wear research

Wear research

Materials and methods

2005 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP)Kentucky bluegrass test• One hundred twenty-one (121) Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and

experimental selections established in fall 2005 • Plots seeded at ~ 2.0 lbs/1000 ft2

• Cultural practices• Mowing ~ 3x/week at 1.5-inch • 0.5 lbs N/1000 ft2/month; 4.0 lbs N/1000 ft2 annually• Irrigation to prevent drought stress

• Wear treatments initiated in Fall 2006

Materials and methods

2005 NTEP Kentucky Bluegrass Test

Wear Period Passes with wear simulator†

Fall 20063 October – 9 October: 18

Summer 200725 July – 27 July: 18

Spring 200822 April – 24 April 18

† Operating speed=2.5 mph; paddles=250 rpm

Materials and methods

2005 NTEP Kentucky Bluegrass Test

Wear Period Passes with wear simulator†

Fall 2008 3 November – 5 November 36

Summer 200922 July – 24 July 36

Spring 2010 (Scheduled)March/April 36

† Operating speed=2.5 mph; paddles=250 rpm

CW = Fullness of turf canopy after wear (0-100%)Wear Tolerance (1-9 scale; 9=best tolerance)

‘Glenmont’CW = 5%

Wear Tolerance=1.0

‘Gladstone’CW = 80%

Wear Tolerance=8.0

Results – 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2006-08; 18 wear passes)

Fullness of Turf Canopy (C) Season CBW CW CW - CBW C20DAW C20DAW - CW

----------------------------- 0-100% -----------------------------------Summer 07 81.7 57.9 - 23.8 60.5 2.7Fall 06 74.9 55.8 - 19.1 63.8 8.1Spring 08 46.1 32.8 - 13.4 65.1 32.3

LSD0.05 11.0 11.1 2.1 --- 6.4

Season *** ** *** NS ***Entry *** *** *** *** ***Season x Entry *** *** *** *** ***

CBW = Fullness of turf canopy before wear CW = Fullness of turf canopy after wearC20DAW = Fullness of turf canopy 20 days after wear (DAW) NS, not significant** significant at the 0.01 probability level*** significant at the 0.001 probability level

Results – 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2008-09; 36 passes)

---- Fullness of Turf Canopy (C) ---- Wear -- Fullness of Turf Canopy --

Season CBW CW CW - CBW Tolerance C20DAW C20DAW - CW

----------------- 0-100% ------------------- (1-9) ---------- 0-100% ----------

Fall 08 81.1 27.1 -53.9 4.0 23.3 -3.8Summer 09 78.6 40.3 -38.3 4.0 38.9 -1.4

LSD0.05 -- 7.4 3.4 -- 12.0 --

Season NS ** *** NS * NSEntry NS ** *** *** * NSSeason x Entry NS NS NS NS NS ***

CBW = Fullness of turf canopy before wear CW = Fullness of turf canopy after wearWear tolerance; 9=most wear tolerantC20DAW = Fullness of turf canopy 20 days after wear (DAW) NS, not significant* significant at the 0.05 probability level ** significant at the 0.01 probability level*** significant at the 0.001 probability level

Fall 2008 Wear

Results: 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2006-08)

Kentucky bluegrass entries in top statistical ranking for fullness of turfgrass canopy after 18 wear passes (CW ) in two or more season (2006- 08).

Summer Drought

Fullness of Turf Canopy (CW ) Patch Stress

Entry Spring Summer Fall 22-July-08 4-Sept-08

--------------- 0-100% ---------- -----1-9 scale ----

Sombrero 58.3 93.3 73.3 3.0 3.3

Julia 68.3 88.3 73.3 5.7 1.3

CPP 822 66.7 91.7 71.7 2.0 3.7

Harmonie 46.7 95.0 76.7 3.0 2.3

Gladstone 46.7 85.0 71.7 2.7 3.7

Bariris 51.7 85.0 70.0 7.0 3.7

Greenteam 51.7 91.7 68.3 3.0 3.7

Rubicon 61.7 71.7 66.7 7.7 5.7

LSD0.05 16.3 2.0 2.4

Results: 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2006-08)

Kentucky bluegrass entries in top statistical ranking for fullness of turfgrass canopy after 18 wear passes (CW ) in one season (2006-08) AND top category for least summer patch and drought stress avoidance.

Summer Drought

Fullness of Turf Canopy (CW ) Patch Stress

Entry Spring Summer Fall 22-July-08 4-Sept-08

--------------- 0-100% ---------- -----1-9 scale ----

Granite 23.3 68.3 73.3 8.0 6.7

SW AG 514 11.7 78.3 65.0 8.0 6.3

Touche 31.7 60.0 65.0 7.7 6.0

Everglade 26.7 71.7 63.3 7.7 6.0

Skye 30.0 66.7 61.7 8.3 6.0

Blue Note 43.3 53.3 61.7 8.3 7.3

Blueberry 31.7 53.3 61.7 8.3 6.0

A00-99 53.3 40.0 60.0 9.0 7.3

A99-523 61.7 60.0 58.3 8.3 7.3

BAR VV 0709 58.3 78.3 56.7 8.0 8.0

LSD0.05 16.3 2.0 2.4

Results: 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2008-09)

Fullness of turfgrass canopy after 36 wear passes (CW ) and wear tolerance (1- 9) average across seasons (fall 2008 and summer 2009) and dollar spot susceptibility for Kentucky bluegrass.

Fullness of Turf Dollar Spot

Entry Canopy (CW ) Wear Tol. 26-Aug-09

--- 0-100% --- ------------1-9 scale ----------

Sombrero 80.0 8.7 1.3

Harmonie 75.0 7.8 1.0

CPP 822 74.2 8.2 1.0

Greenteam 74.2 7.7 1.0

Emblem 73.3 8.0 3.7

Bariris 65.0 7.0 1.3

Julia 60.0 6.3 2.0

Rubicon 59.2 6.5 3.0

BAR VV 0709 55.8 6.2 7.0

Sudden Impact 55.0 7.0 5.3

Midnight 55.0 6.5 6.7

Prosperity 55.0 6.5 2.3

Excursion 55.0 6.3 6.7

Nu Destiny 53.3 6.7 6.0

LSD0.05 12.2 1.5 2.8

Results: 2005 NTEP KY Bluegrass Trial (2008-09)

Fullness of turfgrass canopy after 36 wear passes (CW ) and wear tolerance (1- 9) average across seasons (fall 2008 and summer 2009) and dollar spot susceptibility for notable Kentucky bluegrass entries.

Fullness of Turf Dollar Spot

Notable entries Canopy (CW ) Wear Tol. 26-Aug-09

--- 0-100% --- ------------1-9 scale -------------

Award 48.3 6.0 6.0

Midnight II 45.0 6.2 6.3

Beyond 43.3 5.8 3.7

Blue Note 42.5 5.0 6.3

Washington 41.7 4.8 2.0

Baron 35.0 4.5 2.7

Shamrock 33.3 3.7 5.3

Princeton 105 20.0 3.0 2.0

America 14.2 1.3 3.0

Kenblue 13.3 1.3 6.0

LSD0.05 12.2 1.5 2.8

Tall fescue

6 August 2009 – 13 days after wear (DAW)

‘Excursion’ Kentucky bluegrass

Compact-Midnight Type

Tall fescue

6 August 2009 – 13 days after wear (DAW)

‘Blue Note’ Kentucky bluegrass

Compact-America Type

Tall fescue

6 August 2009 – 13 days after wear (DAW)

‘Julia’ Kentucky bluegrass

Julia Type

Tall fescue

6 August 2009 – 13 days after wear (DAW)

‘Bariris’ Kentucky bluegrass

High Density Type

Tall fescue

‘Princeton 105’: Compact Type

‘Midnight II’: Compact-Midnight Type

Tall fescue

Drought stress sensitivity

Tall fescue

Drought stress sensitivity

Tall fescue

Julia – Prior to Fall 2008 Wear

Fall 2008 Wear - Julia

Seasonal field use and annual bluegrass encroachment

April 2006 FallSummer

Spring

Spring Green-up

40% Princeton 10530% Midnight Star30% Brilliant

20% Serene; 20% Midnight20% Goldrush; 20% Limousine; 20% Jefferson

BLENDS & SPRING GREEN-UP: APRIL 19, 2006

Spring Green-up

Entry/Type (1-9; 9=best green-up)

Cabernet (Mid-Atlantic) 6.5

Jefferson (CELA) 5.9

Touchdown (High Density) 5.8

Princeton 105 & Touchdown 5.3

Princeton 105 & Cabernet 5.3

Langara (America) 5.2

Bedazzled (America) 5.0

Princeton 105 & Jefferson 5.0

Princeton 105 & Langara 4.3

Princeton 105 & Bedazzled 4.2

Princeton 105 (Compact) 4.0

Princeton 105 & Midnight 3.3

Midnight (Midnight) 3.1

LSD0.05 0.5

2002 Kentucky Bluegrass Trial: Established September 2002

Kentucky bluegrass wear research

CONCLUSIONS• Variety selection should be based on:

• Wear tolerance• Turf quality• Summer patch and dollar spot susceptibility• Spring green-up?

• Cultivars with high CW and wear tolerance (‘Sombrero’, ‘Harmonie’, ‘Greenteam’, ‘Emblem’, ‘Bariris’, and ‘Julia’) showed susceptibility to summer patch, dollar spot, and/or drought stress.

• Variety selection should begin with Compact-Midnight Types and blend other Types to improve spring green-up:• CELA Type (i.e. Jefferson); Mid-Atlantic Type (i.e. Cabernet);

Compact-America (i.e. Brilliant and Blue Note) and Avalanche.

Rutgers Turfgrass Proceedings & Brad Park’s New England Reg. Turf Conf. & Show presentationwww.turf.rutgers.edu

National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP):www.ntep.org

Sources for information

Questions?

Brad ParkRutgers Universitypark@aesop.rutgers.edu732.932.9711 x127