Transcript cool season - Nc State University

CHARACTERISTICS OF
COOL SEASON GRASSES
1.Physiological type of Plant:
C3
2.Photosynthetic Rate:
low
3.Photorespiration Rate:
high
4.Area of adaptation:widely adapted in cool
humid and cool arid
5.Growth habit:
rhizomatous: Kentucky bluegrass
stoloniferous: Rough stalked bluegrass
creeping bentgrass
bunch: perennial rye, annual rye, tall fescue
6.Establishment: mostly seeded (sod is
considered seeded)
Seeding:
1. Blend: combo. of 2 or more cultivars of
the same species
2. Mixture: combo. of 2 or more different
species
Why use blends or mixtures?
Grass Types
BLUEGRASS
1.Kentucky
2.Rough Stalk
3.Annual
4.Canada
RYEGRASS
1. Perennial
2. Annual
3. Intermediate
FESCUE
1.Tall
2.Meadow
Fine fescues
3.Creeping
4.Chewings
5.Hard
6.Sheep
BENTGRASS
1.Creeping
2.Colonial
3.Velvet
BLUEGRASS
Vegetative Characteristics:
a. boat shaped tip
b. light lines
c. folded vernation
d. membranous ligule
2.Kentucky Blue: short ligule, rhizomes
3.Annual Blue: long ligule, weak stolons
4.Rough Stalk: bumpy sheath, stolons
5.Canada: very flat, sheath, rhizome
Origin:
1. Europe, Asia
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS
(Poa pratensis)
Use: lawns, fairways, athletic fields
1.Apomixis: Seeds without sex. No
pollination involved. Seeds develop only
from maternal tissue. Genetic uniformity,
but makes breeding hard
2.widely used
3.blends or in mixtures
characteristics
1. attractive
2. good recovery
3. wide soil range,
adaptable
4. many cultivars
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
wear - good
drought - good*
shade - poor
cold - good - excellent
heat - good*


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Prefer: sunny, moist, fertile
Establishment rate: slow germination (14-21
days)
Over 100 cultivars
1. Common types: Newport, Park,
Kenblue
Characteristics
1. Genetic base: Broad
2. Growth habit: erect
3. Density: low
What is a Cultivar?

It is a contraction of Cultivated Variety, and
means the same thing as variety. It has a
specific trade name, and should have unique
characteristics that distinguish it from other
cultivars. With turfgrasses, it is often hard
to distinguish the cultivars. Many look and
perform the same, at least under most
conditions.
Common types:
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4.
5.
6.
7.
Growth rate: rapid
Disease: leafspot
Mowing height: high
Fertilization requirement:
low 2-3 lb/M*
*2-3 lb N/1000 ft2/yr = 2-3 #N/1000

2.
a.
b.
c.
Turf type (Improved)
Growth habit: more horizontal
Density: high
Disease Resistance:
1. Rust
2. Leafspot
3. Dollarspot
4. Fusarium
d.Examples:
Victa, Rugby, Columbia,
Limousine
e. Shade tolerant (examples)
Glade
A-34
Bristol
Touchdown
Eclipse
Baron
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Management:
1. Seed rate: 1 - 2 lbs/1000 ft2
2. Mowing Height:
a.
Fairways: 1/2-3/4 in.
b. Lawns: 2 - 2 1/2 in.
3. Fertilization: 2 - 6 lbs/1000
In NC: 3 lbs/M
4. Use blends, not single cultivar
How to Pick Cultivars?

National Turfgrass Evaluation Program
– tests all the common turf species on a
continuing basis
– trials are usually run for four years
– independent test sites all across US
– publishes results
– for the seed producers, it’s like winning the
lottery to come out on top
ROUGH STALK BLUEGRASS
Poa trivialis
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Long lived perennial with excellent cold
tolerance, good color retention
Fine textured, high shoot density
Poor heat, drought tolerance
Poor wear tolerance
Does not blend well with other grasses
because of color differences
ROUGH STALK BLUEGRASS
Use:
1.Moist shady areas, winter overseeding


Characteristics
1. rough sheath
2. long ligule
3. soft, shiny leaf
4. grainy
5. apple green
6. thin, leafy stolons, no rhizomes


Cultivars:
a.
Winterplay (Pure Seed)
b.
c.
Colt (Pickseed West)
Laser (Loft's)
Management:
1.
Seed rate:
1 - 2 lbs/M lawns 6 - 8 lbs/M WOS
2. Fertilizer: Nitrogen 0.5-1.0 lbs/M/mo

Mowing Height:
a.
1/2 - 1 in lawns
b.
1/4 in WOS
CANADA BLUEGRASS
Poa compressa


Use:
1. Soil conservation
Characteristics:
1. weak rhizomes
2. open, stemmy, elevated crown
3. bluegreen
4. cold tolerant, low fertility
5. prefers droughty, acid soils
Annual Bluegrass
(Poa annua)


Use: fairway, greens
Characteristics:
1.
weak stolons
2.
3.
4.
light green
shallow roots
heavy seed producer
Spring> Fall> Summer
Heat, drought tolerance: poor
5.
6.Prefer:
a. cool, moist, shade
b. close mow
c. overwater
d. does well on compacted soils
 Cultivars: none, yet
 Types:
1. annual-seed Poa annua var. annua
2. perennial Poa annua var. reptans

Management:
1. Seed rate: none
2. Mowing height: 3/32 - 1 in.
3. Irrigation: frequent, syringe
4. Pesticide: fungicides needed
5. Control methods: vertical mow reduce seed, fertility, PGR,
preemergent herbicides, core aerate,
irrigation, stress
RYEGRASS
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Vegetative Characteristics:
1. Annual
a.
rolled
b.
c.
bunch
coarse
2. Perennial
a.
folded
b.
c.
bunch type
fine - medium texture
PERENNIAL RYEGRASS
Lolium perenne
Use: lawns, fairways, athletic fields
 1. Origin: Europe
 2. Growth habit: bunch type
 3. Establishment rate: rapid ger/estb.
 4. Wear: good
 5. Recovery Rate: poor
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6. Thatch level: low
7. Winter kill: fair
Cultivars:
1. Common types - examples:
a.
Norlea
b. Linn

2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Improved:
Texture: finer
Color: darker
Density: higher
Cut: 1/4 - 2 1/2 in.
Growth habit: low
Pest resistance: good
Examples: Manhattan 4, Palmer 3,
Pizzazz, Applaud
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Management:
1. Seed rate: 5(lawns) - 35 lbs (WOS)
2. Mowing Height: Lawns - 1.5 - 2.5 in.
Greens - 1/4 in.
3. Fertilization: 3-6 lbs/1000
ANNUAL RYEGRASS
Lolium multiflorum
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Use:
1. soil stabilization
2. temporary cover
3. "cheap" seed
4. quick cover
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Characteristics:
1. Germination and establishment: very
fast
2. Growth: rapid
3. Growth habit: bunch type
4. Color: light green
5. Texture: coarse blade
6. Tolerance: poor cold, heat tolerance
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Cultivars: none
Seed Rate: 4 - 6 lb/1000 ft2
Management:
1. Seeding Rate: 5 lbs/M
2. Fertilizer Schedule: 3 lbs N/M/yr
3. Mowing Regime: 2 1/2 in
TALL FESCUE
Festuca arundinacea
Characteristics:
1.rolled vernation
2.rough leaf blade, hairs on auricle
3.coarse textured
4.bunch type
Varieties: Rembrandt, Jaguar, Olympic,
Tarheel, Wolfpack, Bonsai, Rebel,
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Use: lawns, athletic, soil stabilization,
roadsides
Adaptability:
1. Heat/drought: excellent
2. Wear: good
3. Soils: good in wide pH (4-8)
4. Diseases: low but brown patch
5. Shade tolerance: good -best in NC
6. Establishment: good, faster than
bluegrass but slower than rye
Tall fescue
Tall fescue
FINE LEAF FESCUES
(Festuca spp.)
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Characteristics:
1. folded
Species:
1. Creeping Red Fescue (F. rubra ssp.
rubra)
rhizomes
examples: Pennlawn, Ruby
Dawson
Fine fescue


2. Chewings fescue (F. rubra ssp.
commutata)
a.
bunch type
b.
c.
d.
examples: Jamestown, Highlight
Denser
Heat/cold tolerance: less than CRF
3. Hard fescue (F. longifolia)
a.
bunch type
b.
examples: Biljart, Scaldis,
c.
Heat/drought tolerance: excellent
Reliant
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4. Sheep Fescue (F. ovina)
a.
bunch type
b. Use: soil stabilization,
ornamental (blue fescue)
Use:
1. Mixed with Ky bluegrass
shade, drought, infertile soils
2. low maintenance

Adaptability:
1. Drought/shade/infertile soil tolerance:
Excellent
2. Heat tolerance: very poor
3. Wet soil tolerance: very poor
4. Recovery rate: poor to fair
5. Disease tolerance: poor
Managment:
1.
2.
3.
Seed rate: 3 - 5 lb/1000 ft2
Fertilization: 1 - 3 lb/1000/yr
Mowing height: 1-1/2 - 2 1/2 in.
BENTGRASS
(Agrostis)


1.
a.
b.
2.
a.
b.
c.
Creeping (A. palustris)
Stolons: strong
Ligule: prominant, membranous
Colonial (A. tenuis)
Stolons: weak
Rhizomes: weak
Ligule: blunt, short

3. Velvet (A. canina)
a.
Stolons: weak
b. Ligule: pointed

Vegetative Characteristics:
1. rolled vernation
2. membranous ligule
3. fine texture
4. leaves - flat, sabre-tipped, fine
textured
CREEPING BENTGRASS


Use: greens, tees, fairways, tennis, bowling
Characteristics:
1. highest quality
2. high maintenance - 4 - 8 lb N/yr
a.
thatchy, grainy
b. disease susceptible
c.
shallow root, water often
d. mow close, frequent, 1/8 - 1/2”
3. Wear: poor
4. Recovery: good
5. Compaction: poor
6. prefer cool, moist regions
7. tolerate close mow - 1/4 in.
8. high density
9. Heat tolerance: fair
10. Soil pH: 5.5 - 6.0
11. Spring greenup: slow
12. Winter color retention: poor
Creeping bentgrass
stolons

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Cultivars:
1. Vegetative: stolonize
a.
Toronto (C-15)
b. Cohansey (C-7)
c.
Washington (C-50)
2. Seeded
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Penncross*
Seaside
Providence
Pennlinks
Cato, Crenshaw, L93, A4, G2....

Management:
1. Seed: 1 - 2 lb/1000 ft2
2. Mowing height: 1/8- 3/16 in. for
greens - 1/2 - 3/4 in. for fairways
3. Grain control: comb/brush, mow 2X
4. Fertilizer: 1/2 - 1 lb/1000ft2/month
5. Thatch: topdress
6. Syringe to cool surface
BENTGRASS VS BERMUDAGRASS
Creeping bentgrass and bermudagrass are cool
season (C3) and warm season (C4) grasses
respectively. This is due to anatomical and
physiological differences between the species. In
general, C4 plants are more photosynthetically
efficient than C3 plants. This is due to their ability to
fix CO2 at lower atmospheric CO2 concentrations,
maintain higher fixation rates at higher light
intensities, and the absence of photorespiration.
Photorespiration, associated with C3 plants,
increases with temperature and it is for this reason
that bentgrass should not be heavily fertilized in
the summer. Promotion of growth in high
temperatures results in weak plants as a result of a
depletion of food reserves. Root loss (50 %) can
be expected to occur as soil temperatures approach
the mid-seventies. Optimum root growth of C3
grasses occurs at lower temperatures compared to
shoot growth.
Potential for greater root growth in the fall and
especially the following spring along with reduced
rates of photorespiration is the rationale behind late
fall fertilization
C4 grasses perform best in the summer (8095oF) and are more subject to winter injury from
cold temperatures. Discoloration and the initiation
of dormancy occurs when temperatures approach
50oF. Good root growth is experienced in the late
spring, summer and early fall.
Bermudagrass

Rapid increases in temperature in the spring
can result in rapid spring green up and a loss of
the root system simultaneously. This is due to the
inability of the plant to meet the needs of both the
shoot and root system. The shoot system takes
priority over the root system. Cultural practices
that promote the shoot system should be avoided,
e.g., the application of heavy rates of nitrogen or
the use of root inhibiting herbicides that may delay
the recovery process.
Bentgrass
C3
Grass type
Optimum shoot
growth
60-75oF
Optimum root
growth
50-65oF
50% root loss
75-77oF
Bermudagrass
C4
80-95oF
75-95oF
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COLONIAL BENTGRASS
(A. tenuis)


Use: tees, fairways, lawns. Replaced by
Kentucky bluegrass and P. rye.
Characteristics:
1. Northeast, Northwest: cool/moist
2. Maintenance: moderate
3. Rhizomes, stolons: present, weak
4. Thatch: medium
5. tolerate close mowing - 1/2 - 3/4"
6. high density

Adaptability:
1. Heat, drought: poor
2. Disease: medium, high
3. Sandy soils
4. Wear: poor
5. Recovery: fair to good
6. Compaction: poor
7. Soil pH: 5.5 - 6.5
8. Shade: fair

Cultivars:
1. Exeter - good cold
2. Astoria
3. Highland - good drought
TURF COMMUNITIES


Definitions:
Mixture: Two or more species
Blend: Two or more cultivars or a single
species
Advantages:
1. Improve performance over a wide
range of conditions
-This is especially important for
apomictic grasses
What should be considered when blending
or mixing turfgrasses?
1.Compatibility in: Leaf texture, growth
habit, color, shoot density
2.Resistance to different pests
3.Differ in environmental tolerance

Major Blends and Mixtures:

Cool Season Grasses:
1. Kentucky bluegrass/fine fescue
2. Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass
3. Kentucky bluegrass/tall fescue
4. Bentgrass/red fescue
Major blends and mixtures:

For Warm Season Grasses:
1. Perennial ryegrass (winter
overseeding)
2. Perennial ryegrass/rough bluegrass
(WOS)
3. Tall fescue/bermudagrass