1998 Iowa Turfgrass Research Report
Shade Adaptation Study - 1997
Nick E. Christians, Barbara R. Bingaman, and Gary M. Peterson
The first shade adaptation study was established in the fall of 1987 to evaluate the performance of 35 species and cultivars of grasses. The data included below is from the 10th complete season. The species include chewings fescue (C.F.), creeping red fescue (C.R.F.), hard fescue (H.F.), tall fescue (T.F.), Kentucky bluegrass (K.B., and rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis).
The area was located under the canopy of a mature stand of Siberian elm trees (Ulmus pumila) at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station north of Ames, Iowa. Grasses are mowed at a 2-inch height and receive 2 lb N/1000 ft2/year. No weed control has been required on the area, but the grass was irrigated during extended droughts.
Monthly quality data are collected from May through October (Table 1). Visual quality was based on a 9 to 1 scale: 9 = best quality, 6 = lowest acceptable quality, and 1 = worst quality. This trial has been observed through the extremes of the drought year 1988 and the very wet conditions of 1993. Turf quality among species varied greatly with moisture conditions. In dry weather, the fine fescues, especially the hard fescues, do well, whereas rough bluegrass quickly deteriorates. In extended wet periods, rough bluegrass does very well. Some of the tall fescues and chewings fescues also tend to perform better in wet conditions. The 1997 season began with high rainfall and cool temperatures and ended cool and dry.
A second shade trial was added adjacent to the original trial in the fall of 1994 to evaluate the performance of cultivars of chewings fescue (C.F.), creeping red fescue (C.R.F.), hard fescue (H.F.), tall fescue (T.F.), Kentucky bluegrass (K.B., and rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis), and Poa supina. Data are collected in the same way (Table 2). The lower ratings in this trial are due to a greater shade in the second trial. Overhanging branches were trimmed late in the 1997 season to improve turf quality.
Table 1. 1997 Visual quality1 data for turfgrass culitvars in the Shade Trial established in 1987.
|
|
Cultivar |
May |
|
July |
Aug |
Sept |
Oct |
Mean |
|
1. |
Victor (C.F.) |
6.3 |
7.0 |
6.0 |
7.7 |
7.7 |
7.7 |
7.1 |
|
2. |
Shadow (C.F.) |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
7.7 |
7.3 |
6.6 |
|
3. |
Atlanta (C.F.) |
5.7 |
7.3 |
6.3 |
6.3 |
7.0 |
6.7 |
6.6 |
|
4. |
Waldorf (C.F.) |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.3 |
6.7 |
7.3 |
7.0 |
6.6 |
|
5. |
Banner (C.F.) |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.0 |
5.7 |
7.0 |
6.7 |
6.3 |
|
6. |
Pennlawn (C.R.F.) |
5.7 |
6.3 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
6.2 |
|
7. |
Mary (C.F.) |
6.3 |
6.0 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
6.2 |
|
8. |
Jamestown (C.F.) |
6.0 |
6.7 |
5.0 |
5.3 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
6.1 |
|
9. |
Wintergreen (C.F.) |
5.3 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.0 |
5.9 |
|
10. |
Waldina (H.F.) |
4.7 |
5.0 |
5.7 |
6.3 |
7.0 |
6.7 |
5.9 |
|
11. |
Bar Fo 81-225 (H.F.) |
5.0 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.7 |
5.9 |
|
12. |
St-2 (SR3000) (H.F.) |
4.7 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
6.0 |
6.3 |
5.8 |
|
13. |
Agram (C.F.) |
5.3 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
5.7 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
5.6 |
|
14. |
Koket (C.F.) |
4.7 |
5.7 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
6.3 |
5.7 |
5.4 |
|
15. |
Biljart (H.F.) |
4.0 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
5.7 |
5.1 |
|
16. |
Highlight (C.F.) |
4.7 |
4.7 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.7 |
5.7 |
5.1 |
|
17. |
Sabre (Poa trivialis) |
4.0 |
5.7 |
6.3 |
5.0 |
5.3 |
3.7 |
5.0 |
|
18. |
Reliant (H.F.) |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
5.3 |
5.3 |
5.0 |
|
19. |
Ensylva (C.R.F.) |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.7 |
4.3 |
6.0 |
5.7 |
4.9 |
|
20. |
Spartan (H.F.) |
3.7 |
4.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.7 |
5.7 |
4.8 |
|
21. |
Scaldis (H.F.) |
4.3 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
3.7 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
4.6 |
|
22. |
Rebel (T.F.) |
3.7 |
4.7 |
4.7 |
4.0 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
4.5 |
|
23. |
Estica (C.R.F.) |
3.0 |
4.0 |
3.7 |
4.7 |
5.0 |
5.3 |
4.3 |
|
24. |
Falcon (T.F.) |
3.7 |
5.7 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
|
25. |
Rebel II (T.F.) |
3.3 |
4.3 |
4.3 |
3.7 |
5.0 |
4.0 |
4.1 |
|
26. |
Bonanza (T.F.) |
2.7 |
4.7 |
4.0 |
3.7 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
4.1 |
|
27. |
Midnight (K.B.) |
2.3 |
4.3 |
3.7 |
4.0 |
4.7 |
4.3 |
3.9 |
|
28. |
Coventry (K.B.) |
2.7 |
4.0 |
3.7 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
|
29. |
Apache (T.F.) |
2.3 |
3.3 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
3.7 |
3.2 |
|
30. |
Ram I (K.B.) |
2.0 |
2.7 |
3.0 |
2.3 |
2.7 |
3.7 |
2.7 |
|
31. |
Arid (T.F.) |
3.0 |
3.0 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
2.7 |
|
32. |
Bristol (K.B.) |
2.3 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
2.0 |
2.7 |
2.0 |
2.4 |
|
33. |
Glade (K.B.) |
2.0 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
2.3 |
|
34. |
Nassau (K.B.) |
2.0 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
1.7 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
|
35. |
Chateau (K.B.) |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.7 |
1.7 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
|
|
LSD0.05 |
1.5 |
2.1 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
2.2 |
1.8 |
1.7 |
1Visual quality was assessed using a 9 to 1 scale: 9 = best, 6 = lowest acceptable, and 1 = worst turf quality.
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