RESPONSE OF FINE FESCUE TURF SPECIES TO SIMULATED WEAR IN NEW JERSEY

摘要

Fine fescue species are gaining popularity in sustainable urban landscapes due to their ‘low input’ maintenance requirements; however fine fescues are considered to have the poorest wear tolerance of the popular cool-season turfgrasses.The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate the quality of different fine fescue cultivars under wear,and 2) identify superior,wear tolerant genotypes to be used in breeding wear tolerant turfgrasses.Two separate replicated fine fescue trials were established in Freehold,NJ in 2007 and 2008.The 2007 trial was mowed at 3.8 cm,fertilized with a low-moderate fertility rate and irrigated to prevent wilt.The 2007 trial also included many single-plot progeny plots.The 2008 trial was maintained without fertility or irrigation and mowed at 6.35 cm.After two years of wear on the 2007 trial,the hard fescues provided the best wear tolerance followed by experimental Chewings fescues.The strong creeping red fescues performed the poorest under wear.Very similar results were obtained in the plots maintained with no fertilizer and no irrigation in the 2008 trial.The single plot progeny plots of hard fescue performed the best with an average rating of 6.3,based on a 1-9 rating scale with 9 being the most wear tolerant.The Chewings fescues were intermediate in performance with an average rating of 4.9 while the strong creeping red fescue progenies exhibited the poorest wear tolerance with an average rating of 3.4.