influence of temperature on germination of various agrostis cultivars

INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON

GERMINATION OF VARIOUS AGROSTIS CULTIVARS

D.E. CARROLL AND J.E. KAMINSKI

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

CREEPING BENTGRASS (AGROSTIS STOLONIFERA)

• Important Species to Golf Courses

• Many Maintain Bentgrass Putting Greens

• Widespread Use

ABG In CBG

ANNUAL BLUEGRASS (POA ANNUA L.)

• Winter Annual

• Common Weed on Golf Courses

• Susceptible to Extreme Temperatures

WINTER DAMAGE

• Caused by Desiccation, Direct Low Temperature Kill, Anoxia, or Crown Hydration (Aamlid et al., 2009)

• Occurs Sporadically Throughout Northeast U.S.

• In 2015 80% of Those Surveyed Reported Winter Kill (USGA, 2015)

• Superintendents Have a Small Window to Establish New Turf

EARLY SPRING ESTABLISHMENT

• Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) Often Seeded into Bare Areas

• Little Information is Known About the Influence of Temperature on Germination

• Bentgrass Germination at Low Temperatures May Result in Quicker Establishment

OBJECTIVE

• Elucidate the Influence of Temperature on Bentgrass Germination

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• Bentgrass Cultivars (n = 18)

• Water Agar– Average of 60 Seeds Per Plate

• Temperatures (n = 4)– 10˚C, 15˚C, 20˚C, 25˚C

– 24 Hour Darkness

BENTGRASS CULTIVARSCultivar Company Species

Alpha Simplot Creeping

Cobra2 Pickseed Creeping

Crystal Bluelinks Tee 2 Green Creeping

Focus Pickseed Creeping

Mackenzie Seed Res of Oregon Creeping

Penn A1 Tee 2 Green Creeping

Penn A4 Tee 2 Green Creeping

Penncross Tee 2 Green Creeping

Pureformance Tee 2 Green Creeping

*Agrostis canina – Velvet Bentgrass

Cultivar Company Species

Pure Distinction Tee 2 Green Creeping

Pure Select Tee 2 Green Creeping

SR 1150 Seed Res of Oregon Creeping

T-1 Simplot Creeping

Tyee Seed Res of Oregon Creeping

V8 Simplot Creeping

Vesper Pickseed Velvet*

Villa DLF Int Seeds Velvet*

007 Seed Res of Oregon Creeping

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• CRD with 4 Reps

• Germinated Seeds Counted and Removed Daily

• Incubators Re-Randomized and Study Repeated

• Data Analyzed With SAS, MIXED Procedure

TOTAL PERCENT GERMINATION 25˚C

0102030405060708090

100

Cultivar

A

CDEBCD

AB

ABC

C-FBCDCDE

G

DEF

BCDC-F

EF

BCDA-DC-F

F

BCD

Perc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n


0102030405060708090

100

Cultivar

A

ABCABA

AB

B-EB-ECDE

F

DE

A-DB-EA-ECDE

A-DB-E

E

ABC

Perc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n


0102030405060708090

100

Cultivar

A

A-DA-D

ABABC

CDECDECDE

G

DEF

ABCCDEBCD

EF

CDEC-F

F

A-D

Perc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n


0102030405060708090

100

Cultivar

A

D-GC-F

A

BCD

B

BCCDE

H

E-H

BC

C-FC-F

FGHE-HD-G

GH

D-G

Perc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n


0102030405060708090

100

Cultivar

A

D-GC-F

A

BCD

B

BCCDE

E-H

BC

C-FC-F

FGHE-HD-G

GH

D-G

HPerc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n

GERMINATION OF SELECT CULTIVARS 10˚C

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Pure Select

Penn A4

Crystal Bluelinks

007

Pureformance

Pure Distinction

Focus

Tyee

MacKenzie

T-1

Villa

E-HPerc

ent

Ger

min

atio

n

Day

A

A

B

BCBCD

E-HFGHGHH

BC

RESULTS

• Pure Select = Penn A4 > Crystal Bluelinks =Pure Distinction = 007 = Pureformance Among Highest Total Germination

• T-1 = Mackenzie = Focus = Tyee Among Lowest Total Germination

• Villa had Poor Germination (<16%) – Fungal Contamination

RESULTS

• At 10C, All Cultivars Began to Germinate ~11-12 Days After Incubation

• Except for Penn A4, Germination Leveled Off Around 13-14 Days After Incubation

• Penn A4 Leveled Off Around Day 15-16

CONCLUSION

• Fungus Inhibited Villa

• Germination Differences Among Cultivars Existed

• Turfgrass Managers Can Use This Information to Select Cultivars for Seeding in Early Spring

– Pure Select or Penn A4

• Consider Other Factors in Selection

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Students & Staff

– Tim Lulis

– Patrizia Rollo

– Cameron Stephens

influence of temperature on germination of various agrostis cultivars

Science