This is the fifth and final year of data from the green height bentgrass trial established in the fall of 1998. The study was terminated following the July data and a new green height trial was established in the fall of 2003. The area is maintained at a 3/16-inch mowing height. This is a National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) trial and is being conducted at several research stations in the U.S. It contains 29 seeded cultivars, including a number of experimentals. Most of the plots are creeping bentgrass, but two, Pick MVB and Bavaria, are velvet bentgrasses.
The cultivars are maintained with a fertilizer program of 1/4 lb N applied at 14-day intervals with a total of 4 lbs of N/1000 ft2/growing season. Fungicides are used as needed in a preventative program. Herbicides and insecticides are applied as needed.
The visual quality was evaluated monthly in 2003 from May through July (Table 1). The values listed under each month in Table 1 are the averages of visual quality ratings made on three replicated plots. Visual quality was based on a scale of 9 to 1: 9 = best quality, 6 = lowest acceptable quality, and 1 = worst quality. The yearly average of the monthly data for each cultivar was calculated and is listed in the last column (Mean). The first cultivar listed in Table 1 had the highest average visual quality rating for the entire 2003 season. The cultivars are listed in descending order by average quality. The last row states the LSD (least significant difference), which is a statistical measurement of how widely the datum in each column must vary before they are considered to be different from one another.
Data for spring greenup (Greenup) was collected in April 2003, and data for leaf texture (Leaf Tex) and genetic color (Gen Color) were collected in June 2003. Spring greenup data were estimated using a 9 to 1 scale with 9 = green and 1 = dormant turf. Leaf texture was assessed with a 9 to 1 scale with 9 = fine and 1 = coarse texture. Genetic color was rated using a 9 to 1 scale with 9 = dark and 1 = light green.
There was considerable winter damage on some cultivars in the spring of 2003. This damage is reflected best in the greenup data and in the May rating. Most varieties had recovered by June and July.
Table 1. The 2003 visual quality and other ratings for cultivars in the 1998 Green Height Bentgrass Trial.
| -----------------Visual Quality----------------- | |||||||
| Bentgrass Cultivar | Gen Color | Greenup | Texture | May | June | July | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penncross | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| L-93 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Pick CB 13-94 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Pennlinks | 7 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Bavaria | 7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Crenshaw | 7 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
| ISI Ap-5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| BAR CB 8US3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| BAR AS 8FUS2 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Pick MVB | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Syn 96-2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| SR 1119 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| SRX 1NJH | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| PST-A2E | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Penn G-6 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Penn G-1 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Penn A-4 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Penn A-1 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Penn A-2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Backspin | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Century | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Imperial | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Syn 96-1 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Syn 96-3 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| SRX 1BPAA | 7 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| SRX 1120 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Providence | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| SR 7200 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| ABT-CRB-1 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| LSD | NS | 1.3 | NS | 1.5 | NS | 1.7 | 3.1 |
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ISU Turfgrass:2004 Turfgrass Report | College of Agriculture |
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