1999 Iowa Turfgrass Research Report

The first shade adaptation study was established in the fall of 1987 to evaluate the performance of 35 species and cultivars of grasses. 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).

A new shade trial was added 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. Both areas are located under a canopy of a mature 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. The grass is irrigated during extended drought periods but is otherwise not irrigated.

Monthly quality data are collected from May through October (Table 1 and 2). Visual quality was based on a scale of 9 to 1: 9 = best quality, 6 = lowest acceptable quality, and 1 = worst quality.

Table 3 contains a cumulative list of yearly averages from the original trial for years 1991 through 1998. Note that the final averages include data from 1988 to 1998, although only data from 1991 on are listed in the table to save space. The species and varieties are ranked from best to worst over the 11-year period.

Table 1. 1998 Visual quality¹ data for turfgrass culitvars in the Shade Trial established in 1987.

	Cultivar	May	June	July	August	September	October	Mean
1	Victor (C.F.)	7.3	7.7	7.0	6.0	7.0	7.0	7.0
2	Waldina (H.F.)	6.7	6.3	6.0	6.3	6.7	6.7	6.4
3	Shadow (C.F.)	7.0	7.0	6.3	5.3	6.0	6.3	6.3
4	Jamestown (C.F.)	6.0	7.0	6.0	5.3	6.0	6.3	6.1
5	Waldorf (C.F.)	7.3	6.7	6.0	5.0	5.7	5.7	6.1
6	Agram (C.F.)	6.7	6.3	5.7	5.0	6.0	6.3	6.0
7	Atlanta (C.F.)	6.0	6.3	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.3	5.9
8	Pennlawn (C.R.F.)	7.0	7.3	5.3	4.3	5.7	5.3	5.8
9	Mary (C.F.)	5.7	6.7	6.0	4.7	6.0	6.0	5.8
10	Bar Fo 81-225 (H.F.)	4.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	6.0	6.3	5.8
11	Banner (C.F.)	5.7	7.0	5.7	4.7	5.7	5.7	5.7
12	Koket (C.F.)	6.0	5.3	5.7	4.7	6.0	5.7	5.6
13	Sabre (Poa trivialis)	5.0	6.3	6.7	4.3	4.0	6.3	5.4
14	Rebel II (T.F.)	5.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.0	5.4
15	Reliant (H.F.)	5.7	5.7	5.0	4.7	5.7	5.7	5.4
16	Wintergreen (C.F.)	5.7	6.3	5.3	5.0	4.7	4.7	5.3
17	Rebel (T.F.)	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.0	5.0	4.7	5.3
18	Highlight (C.F.)	6.7	5.7	5.3	4.0	5.3	4.3	5.2
19	Ensylva (C.R.F.)	6.0	5.0	5.0	4.3	5.3	5.3	5.2
20	Estica (C.R.F.)	5.3	5.0	4.3	4.7	6.0	5.7	5.2
21	St-2 (SR3000) (H.F.)	5.3	4.7	4.7	4.0	6.0	5.7	5.1
22	Midnight (K.B.)	4.3	4.7	5.0	5.3	4.0	4.0	4.6
23	Spartan (H.F.)	3.7	4.3	4.7	4.3	5.0	5.3	4.6
24	Biljart (H.F.)	3.3	5.0	4.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	4.4
25	Apache (T.F.)	5.3	5.0	3.3	4.7	3.3	3.7	4.2
26	Bonanza (T.F.)	5.0	5.3	3.7	4.0	4.0	3.0	4.2
27	Falcon (T.F.)	4.7	4.7	4.3	4.3	4.0	3.0	4.2
28	Arid (T.F.)	4.7	4.0	3.7	4.3	4.3	3.0	4.0
29	Scaldis (H.F.)	3.0	4.7	3.7	3.7	3.7	3.4	3.7
30	Coventry (K.B.)	3.3	4.7	4.0	3.3	3.0	2.3	3.4
31	Ram I (K.B.)	4.3	3.7	3.0	3.0	2.3	2.7	3.2
32	Bristol (K.B.)	5.0	3.3	3.0	2.7	2.3	2.0	3.1
33	Glade (K.B.)	3.3	3.0	3.0	2.3	2.7	1.7	2.7
34	Nassau (K.B.)	4.0	2.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.4
35	Chateau (K.B.)	1.7	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3	1.7	2.1
	LSD0.05	2.6	2.2	1.9	1.9	1.4	2.0	1.5

¹Visual quality was assessed using a scale of 9 to 1 with 9 = best, 6 = lowest acceptable, and 1 = worst turf quality.

Table 2. 1998 Visual quality¹ data for turfgrass culitvars in the Shade Trial established in 1994.

	Cultivar	May	June	July	August	September	October	Mean
1	Cypress (Poa trivialis)	5.0	5.0	5.3	4.0	4.3	5.0	4.8
2	Sabre (Poa trivialis)	4.3	5.3	5.7	3.7	4.3	5.0	4.7
3	SR5100 (C.F.)	4.7	4.7	4.3	3.7	5.0	5.0	4.6
4	Southport (C.F.)	4.7	4.7	4.0	3.3	4.0	4.7	4.2
5	Shadow (C.F.)	5.0	5.3	4.3	2.3	3.3	4.3	4.1
6	Bonanza II (T.F.)	4.3	4.3	4.7	3.0	3.7	4.0	4.0
7	Midnight (K.B.)	4.3	3.7	4.3	3.7	4.0	3.7	3.9
8	Bridgeport (C.F.)	5.0	5.0	3.0	3.0	4.3	3.3	3.9
9	Molinda (C.F.)	4.7	5.3	4.3	2.3	3.3	3.3	3.9
10	Banner (C.F.)	4.3	4.0	4.3	3.3	3.0	4.0	3.8
11	Bonanza (T.F.)	3.7	4.7	4.0	3.3	4.0	3.3	3.8
12	Polder (Poa trivialis)	4.0	3.0	4.3	3.3	3.3	4.0	3.7
13	Silvana (H.F.)	3.7	4.0	2.7	3.3	4.3	4.0	3.7
14	Waldina (H.F.)	4.0	4.3	3.3	3.0	3.0	3.7	3.6
15	Victory (C.F.)	3.7	4.3	4.0	2.3	3.3	4.0	3.6
16	Shenandoah (T.F.)	3.3	3.7	3.7	4.0	2.7	4.0	3.6
17	Banner II (C.F.)	4.0	5.0	2.7	2.7	3.7	2.7	3.4
18	Arid (T.F.)	3.7	4.0	4.0	2.7	3.0	3.3	3.4
19	Rebel II (T.F.)	3.7	4.0	3.7	3.3	3.0	2.7	3.4
20	Ascot (K.B.)	3.0	3.3	3.3	2.7	3.0	3.3	3.1
21	Flyer (C.R.F.)	3.0	3.0	3.3	2.3	3.0	3.7	3.1
22	Glade (K.B.)	3.0	3.7	3.7	2.7	2.7	2.3	3.0
23	Adobe (T.F.)	2.7	3.0	3.0	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.6
24	Bristol (K.B.)	2.3	2.3	2.7	2.7	3.0	2.0	2.5
25	Coventry (K.B.)	2.3	2.7	2.3	2.7	2.3	2.3	2.4
26	Buckingham (K.B.)	3.0	2.7	2.3	1.7	2.3	2.0	2.3
27	Nordic (H.F.)	2.3	2.0	2.0	2.7	2.3	2.3	2.3
28	Aztec (T.F.)	2.0	2.3	2.0	2.7	2.7	2.0	2.3
29	Mirage (T.F.)	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.0	2.7	2.3
30	Spartan (H.F.)	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3	1.7	2.2
31	Bonsai (T.F.)	3.0	2.3	2.3	2.0	2.0	1.7	2.2
32	Rebel (T.F.)	2.3	2.3	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.1
33	Falcon II (T.F.)	1.3	2.3	1.7	1.7	1.7	2.0	1.8
34	Supranova (Poa supina)	1.7	1.7	2.0	1.7	1.0	1.7	1.6
35	Brigade (H.F.)	1.0	2.0	1.3	1.3	1.0	1.3	1.3
	LSD0.05	2.4	2.2	2.1	NS	NS	2.0	1.8

¹Visual quality was assessed using a scale of 9 to 1 with 9 = best, 6 = lowest acceptable, and 1 = worst turf quality.

Table 3. The average quality ratings for grasses in the Shade Trial: 1991 - 1998.

	Cultivar	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	Ave.*
	Victor (C.F.)	4.3	5.9	7.2	7.1	6.6	6.6	7.1	7.0	6.50
	Waldorf (C.F.)	5.5	7.3	5.9	6.2	5.8	6.1	6.6	6.1	6.18
	ST-2 (SR 3000) (H.F.)	5.1	6.3	5.7	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.8	5.1	6.15
	Mary (C.F.)	3.9	6.4	6.7	6.6	6.7	6.3	6.2	5.8	6.13
	BAR FO 81-225 (H.F.)	4.9	6.5	5.5	6.1	6.5	5.7	5.9	5.8	6.05
	Jamestown (C.F.)	4.2	6.0	6.5	6.6	6.2	5.9	6.1	6.1	6.03
	Shadow (C.F.)	4.7	6.0	6.6	6.6	5.9	5.9	6.6	6.3	6.02
	Atlanta (C.F.)	4.9	6.1	5.8	5.7	5.5	6.7	6.6	5.9	5.93
	Waldina (H.F.)	4.1	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.8	5.1	5.9	6.4	5.89
	Pennlawn (C.R.F.)	4.7	6.2	6.3	5.5	5.5	5.9	6.2	5.8	5.84
	Rebel (T.F.)	5.3	6.0	6.9	5.9	5.7	4.6	4.5	5.3	5.83
	Sabre (Poa trivialis)	6.9	6.4	7.4	6.2	4.8	4.9	5.0	5.4	5.80
	Estica (C.R.F.)	4.1	5.6	6.6	6.1	5.6	4.3	4.3	5.2	5.77
	Banner (C.F.)	4.5	5.0	6.0	5.6	5.3	6.2	6.3	5.7	5.74
	Bonanza (T.F.)	6.5	6.9	6.3	6.2	5.2	4.2	4.1	4.2	5.65
	Biljart (H.F.)	5.1	6.1	5.0	5.1	5.1	4.8	5.1	4.4	5.63
	Rebel II (T.F.)	5.3	5.6	6.1	6.2	5.1	4.3	4.1	5.4	5.59
	Falcon (T.F.)	5.3	6.0	6.5	6.3	5.2	4.2	4.2	4.2	5.56
	Agram (C.F.)	3.9	5.9	5.4	5.3	5.1	5.5	5.6	6.0	5.48
	Apache (T.F.)	6.0	6.0	6.3	5.4	5.3	3.7	3.2	4.2	5.47
	Wintergreen (C.F.)	4.6	5.9	5.0	5.0	5.0	6.0	5.9	5.3	5.45
	Spartan (H.F.)	3.5	4.2	4.7	5.1	4.9	5.0	4.8	4.6	5.32
	Arid (T.F.)	6.0	7.1	6.7	5.6	4.7	2.9	2.7	4.0	5.28
	Ensylva (C.R.F.)	4.0	5.1	5.9	5.4	4.4	5.3	4.9	5.2	5.26
	Koket (C.F.)	4.2	5.2	5.2	5.7	4.6	4.6	5.4	5.6	5.19
	Scaldis (H.F.)	3.7	5.2	4.6	4.4	4.8	4.1	4.6	3.7	4.90
	Highlight (C.F.)	3.5	4.6	5.0	4.8	4.7	4.9	5.1	5.2	4.78
	Coventry (K.B.)	5.7	5.4	6.0	4.7	3.8	3.9	3.5	3.4	4.72
	Midnight (K.B.)	5.9	5.5	6.4	4.6	4.4	4.0	3.9	4.6	4.56
	RAM I (K.B.)	5.0	5.0	5.9	4.3	3.3	2.8	2.7	3.2	4.52
	Reliant (H.F.)	3.1	3.5	4.2	4.9	4.8	4.9	5.0	5.4	4.43
	Chateau (K.B.)	6.2	5.5	5.2	4.1	3.0	2.2	1.9	2.1	4.26
	Glade (K.B.)	5.5	4.8	5.3	3.3	2.8	2.8	2.3	2.7	4.12
	Bristol (K.B.)	3.9	3.9	5.0	4.1	3.6	2.8	2.4	3.1	3.87
	Nassau (K.B.)	3.4	3.8	4.3	3.3	2.4	2.1	2.0	2.4	3.25

Quality Based on a 9 to 1 scale: 9 = best quality, 6 = lowest acceptable quality, and 1 = poorest quality.

*Average includes 1988, 1989, and 1990 data (not listed).

Compiled by Gary Peterson, ISU Extension Commercial Horticulture Field Specialist

ISU Horticulture:Publications:1999 Turfgrass Report

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