Choosing%20a%20Bentgrass

1
Choosing a Bentgrass

• Dr. Leah A. Brilman
• Director of Research and Technical Services
• Seed Research of Oregon

2
Choosing a Bentgrass

• Old and New Choices in Cultivars
• and Species

3
Bentgrass decisions

• Greens or fairways
• Wear - Amount, type and season
• Environmental stresses - heat, cold, humidity
• Budget and equipment for maintenance
• Type of course
• Private or public
• Clientele expectations and competition
• Water quality and quantity
• Environmental concerns

4
Bentgrass breeding goals

• Disease resistance
• Dollar spot
• Brown patch
• Anthracnose
• Snow mold
• Take-all resistance
• High density for greens - resist weed invasion
• Winter active growth - winter color retention
• Salt tolerance
• Wear tolerance
• Dense types without excessive thatch

5
Bentgrass breeding goals

• Greens
• Ballmark repair and recovery
• Speed of greens
• Stress tolerance
• Fairways
• Divot repair and recovery
• Stress tolerance
• Both
• Thatch control
• Poa annua control

6
Bentgrass trials

• Combine different species and types one trial
• Differential herbicide/fungicide response
• Different requirements for thatch control
• NTEP Trials at Universities
• Most not managed as on golf course
• Less mowing, mowing height different
• No traffic
• Fungicide/no fungicide split but often
• only fungicide side reported
• New NTEP - no split. More trials with reduced
  fungicides

7
Bentgrass trials

• NTEP/GCSAA On site trials
• Putting Green only
• High end courses - intensive management
• Thatch control often geared to heavy
• thatch producers
• Preventative fungicide
• Only four disease ratings in all trials
• Best trials on golf courses - often no feedback

8
Bentgrass trials

• Management influences - Four sands / One cultivar

9
Creeping bentgrass

• Traditional varieties - Penncross, Seaside
• Lower density, horizontal growth
• Standard improved varieties for greens and
  fairways
• SR 1119, SR 1120 (Brighton), Sandhill,
  Ninety- six two, L-93, Providence, SR 1020,
  Crenshaw, Seaside II, Pennlinks, Penneagle,
  Trueline, Backspin, Putter, Cato, Century,
  Princeville, Cobra, Viper, Grand Prix, Bengal
• Moderate density, more upright, versatile
• Less thatch for fairways, disease and stress
  resistance important characterstics

10
Creeping bentgrass

• High density varieties - greens
• Penn G-2, G-6, A-1, A-4, G-1 - all from
  selections
• at Augusta, GA - very similar genetics
• High thatch producers - must have budget and
  equipment to control
• Slower repair aerification holes, ball marks
• Use smaller diameter holes, topdress frequently
• Upright, dense growth - good at low height
• Good wear tolerance

11
Creeping bentgrass

• New moderate density improved varieties
• SR 1150 (SRX 1PDH), LS-44, Alpha,
  Independence, Penneagle II, Pennlinks II,
  Benchmark DSR, Memorial, Kingpin
• Intermediate versatile varieties - greens, tees
  and fairways
• 007 (DSB), MacKenzie (SRX 1GPD)
• New high density varieties
• Tyee (SRX 1GD), Declaration, T-1, Authority,
  Shark

12
Creeping bentgrass

• Divot repair rate
• Traditional gt Improved gtVersatilegt High Density
• Cover may be greater but not fully repaired
• Higher density varieties sometimes ballmark
  less but recover slower
• All bentgrasses - use sand/seed repair mix
• Add Chewings fescue for faster germination
• Green speed and smoothness
• Some Improved cultivars faster than High
  Density. Dependent on health of plant and
  management practices.
• l

13
Creeping bentgrass

• Ball mark repair study Bakalyar, Honors Course,
  Tennessee. Ball mark created as a hole.
• Sunny and shady plots healed differently
• Repair rate related to growth pattern of cultivar
  - heat tolerant cultivars better in summer,
  Winter-active types better in October
• No consistent pattern in type
• Mean repair after 28 days over 4 dates
• SR 1020 42.3 Penn G-2 38.2
• Pennlinks 41.0 Crenshaw 38.0
• L-93 39.5 Penncross 36.5
• Penn A-1 39.0

14
Creeping bentgrass

• Damage control study Clemson, University
• Repair of damage from 2 inch hole in June and
  August
• Repair rate differed by type - standard and
  improved typically better than dense.
• Percent repair after 6 weeks 1998
• Cultivar June Aug. Cultivar June Aug.
• Penncross 43 a 33 cd Crenshaw 33 b-e 45 ab
• Southshore 41 ab 36 a-d Penn G-2 32 b-e 36 a-d
• Putter 41 ab 39 abc Crens/Cato 31 cde 37 a-d
• Pennlinks 41 ab 33 cd Cato 30 cde 37 a-d
• Mariner 39 abc 28 d Penn A-1 30 cde 35 a-d
• Viper 38 a-d 37 a-d Penn G-1 30 cde 30 cd
• SR 1020 37 a-d 35 a-d Providence 29 de 35 a-d
• SR 1119 37 a-d 34 bcd Penn A-4 29 de 35 a-d
• L-93 36 a-e 45 ab Penn G-6 27 e 33 cd
• Dominant 34 a-e 46 a

15
Creeping bentgrass

• Dollar spot - most fungicides used to control.
  Variability in resistance in trials by location
  and management
• Mean dollar spot on greens 1999-2002 data, 3
  locations
• Cutlivar DS Cultivar DS
• Providence 3.0 Penn A-2 6.7
• Sandhill 3.4 Ninety-six two 6.8
• Penn G-6 3.4 Penncross 7.6
• Penn G-1 3.8 Backspin 7.8
• Bengal 4.3 Penn A-4 10.2
• Pennlinks 4.4 Crenshaw 11.2
• Brighton 4.7 Imperial 11.4
• Penn A-1 4.8 Century 16.8
• L-93 5.6
• SR 1119 6.2 LSD_at_5 8.3

16
Creeping bentgrass

• Dollar spot - most fungicides used to control.
  Variability in resistance in trials by location
  and management
• Dollar spot ratings grown on green 1999-2002,
  Mean of 12 location
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• Penncross 7.9 SR 1119 6.7
• L-93 7.9 Imperial 6.5
• Pennlinks 7.7 Brighton 6.5
• Penn A-1 7.6 Providence 6.2
• Penn A-2 7.6 Backspin 5.9
• Penn G-6 7.2 Ninety-six two 5.6
• Sandhill 7.2 Century 5.4
• Penn G-1 7.1 Crenshaw 5.2
• Bengal 7.1
• Penn A-4 7.1 LSD_at_5 0.8

17
Creeping bentgrass

• Dollar spot - most fungicides used to control.
  Variability in resistance in trials by location
  and management
• Dollar spot ratings grown on green 1993 - 97,
  Mean of 12 location
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• L-93 7.7 Penn A-4 6.5
• Penn A-1 7.4 Mariner 6.1
• Pennlinks 7.4 Imperial 5.7
• Providence 7.2 SR 1020 5.6
• Penncross 7.1 Backspin 5.5
• Seaside 7.0 Century 4.9
• Penn G-2 6.8 18th Green 4.5
• Penn G-6 6.8 Crenshaw 4.5
• Trueline 6.6
• Southshore 6.5 LSD_at_5 0.4

18
Creeping bentgrass

• Dollar spot resistance
• Two to three major genes involved - only one
  strain used to determine. Additional genes may be
  necessary for resistance to other strains.
• Density of grass important, leaf to leaf
  transmission. Penncross sometimes shows less due
  to low density
• Reduce hours of moisture - mowing, irrigation,
  rolling
• Nitrogen management - low levels currently used
  for faster greens increase levels
• Usually good resistance - Providence, SR 1119,
  L-93, Cato, Sandhill, Penn A-1, G-1, G-2, G-6,
  Pennlinks
• New cultivars with promise - Declaration, 007,
  Pennlinks II, Memorial, SR 1150, 13-M, Benchmark
  DSR, Kingpin

19
Creeping bentgrass

• Brown patch - Variability in resistance in trials
  by location and management
• Brown patch ratings grown on green 1999-2002,
  Mean of 7 locations
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• Ninety-six two 7.2 Century 6.2
• Penn G-6 6.9 Penn A-2 6.2
• Sandhill 6.7 Bengal 6.1
• SR 1119 6.7 Backspin 5.9
• Brighton 6.5 Imperial 5.7
• L-93 6.4 Penn A-1 5.7
• Pennlinks 6.4 Providence 5.6
• Penn G-1 6.3 Penn A-4 5.6
• Crenshaw 6.3
• Penncross 6.3 LSD_at_5 1.2

20
Creeping bentgrass

• Thatch Development - measured after 1 and 2 years
• Thatch in mm grown on green 1999, 2000, Mean of 2
  locations
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• Penn A-4 13.9 Sandhill 12.1
• Penn A-1 13.6 Crenshaw 12.0
• Penn A-2 13.3 L-93 12.0
• Century 12.8 Pennlinks 12.0
• Penn G-6 12.8 Providence 11.9
• Penn G-1 12.8 Imperial 11.9
• Ninety-six two 12.8 SR 1119 11.8
• Bengal 12.3 Penncross 11.6
• Brighton 12.2
• Backspin 12.2 LSD_at_5 1.9

21
Creeping bentgrass

• Thatch Control
• Critical in newer bentgrasses
• Thatch development dependent on cultivar,
  environment, nitrogen, irrigation, mowing height,
  traffic
• Topdressing weekly or bimonthly most critical.
  Irrigate to integrate during heat stress rather
  than brushing.
• Hollow-tine aeration most critical in maintaining
  reduced organic matter, high saturated hydraulic
  conductivity, high root oxygen content - reduces
  quality short term
• Hydojet, solid tines, spiker should start 5-8
  weeks after hollow-tine to maintain SHC during
  summer
• Vertical mowing, grooming can help reduce OM -
  can influence quality.

22
Creeping bentgrass

• Cultivars that develop more thatch. Recommended
  primarily for greens only. Higher budget for
  maintenance.
• Penn A-2
• Penn A-2
• Penn A-4
• Penn G-1
• Penn G-2
• Penn G-6
• New cultivars that develop more thatch
• Declaration (Bentgrass bloat)
• Tyee (SRX 1GD)
• T-1
• Authority (235050)
• Kingpin
• Shark

23
Why Blends/Mixtures

• Increased genetic diversity
• Strengths and weaknesses matched
• Natural Selection for microenvironments
• Match color, growth form carefully

24
Science and nonscience of blends
Kentucky bluegrass (Vargas and Turgeon, 1980.
Proc. Third ITRC 45-52.) Melting-out resistance
of blend of two cultivars intermediate between
same cultivars in monostands Inoculum from
susceptible cultivar reduced resistance of
resistant cultivar Blends of two cultivars
generally show resistance intermediate between
each alone
25
Science and nonscience of blends
Creeping bentgrass (Abernathy et al. 2001 Crop
Sci 41806-809.) Dollar spot resistance among
blends of creeping bentgrass cultivars Penn A-4,
Crenshaw, L-93, Mariner and Penncross, monostands
and two or three-way blends L-93 suppressed
dollar spot in blends, Crenshaw
increased Blending Crenshaw with any reduced
dollar spot centers 46 to 67 and blighted areas
71 to 98
26
Science and nonscience of blends

27
ExampleDominant X-treme Creeping Bentgrass Blend

• Blend of SR 1119 and Providence
• Excellent for northern areas to transition zone
• Combines heat tolerance and cold tolerance
• Disease resistance
• Similar in color, texture
• Little segregation

28
Stress tolerance in bents
One month with no water 2002 NJ drought

29
Science and nonscience of blends
Color and density should be matched Large
variability in colors - blue-green to true
greens Variability in density makes for uneven
surface
30
Science and nonscience of blends
Color and density should be matched Large
variability in colors - blue-green to true
greens Variability in density makes for uneven
surface
Penncross
Tyee
31
Creeping bentgrass

• Additional characteristics important in choosing
  cultivars or making blends
• Winter-active growth - critical in Southern areas
  where bent is used for resorts, CA, PNW
• Snow mold resistance
• Heat / drought resistance
• Salinity tolerance - most studies do not properly
  evaluate since not mown or in sand medium
• Primarily monitor top growth
• Recent study in Colorado better - repeat with
  more cultivars

32
Bentgrass Conversion

• From Poa - Trials at Rutgers University
• Poa aerated, topdressed, verticut before
  overseeding, seed broadcast
• No effect from PGRs
• Seeding date influenced establishment with July
  1, Aug. 17 dates best one study, June 19, Aug. 20
  another study.
• SR 7200 velvet best, A-4, L-93, Providence all
  better than Penncross
• Can use water injection for placement
• Velocity can provide better, safer, faster
  conversion

33
Bentgrass Conversion

• From one bent to another
• More difficult if original bent is healthy
• More difficult under fairway conditions
• Prepare as for Poa conversion
• Verticut, aerate, top dress. The aim is to
  weaken existing bent to give seedlings a
  chance.
• Further reduce growth with PGR or Roundup
• Multiple seedings needed
• Dormant seedings useful in some locations
• Seeding in late spring, summer more competitive

34
Roundup Ready Bentgrass
Scotts and Monsanto USDA Application was refiled
, Environmental Impact Assessment currently
underway Currently fairway variety, greens type
later Parents used in backcross have high dollar
spot resistance, excellent agronomic
characterstics Poa annua control - must rotate
with other herbicides Stewardship program to
prevent escape Available USA (?)
35
New Creeping Bentgrasses
007 (DSB) MacKenzie Tyee (SRX
1GD) Benchmark DSR SR 1150 (SRX
1PDH) Alpha T-1 13-M Declaration Kingpi
n Authority(235050) Pennlinks II Memorial
(A03-ED1) CY-2 Independence Cobra II (ISI-AP
9) LS-44
36
Tyee Creeping Bentgrass(SRX 1GD)

• Dr. Leah Brilman Rutgers
• Stress tolerant germplasm
• Very high density for greens
• High summer density, no bloat
• Bright medium green color
• High turf quality
• Dollar Spot resistance level similar to L-93
• High Brown Patch resistance
• High fall color retention

Tyee
Photo Puyallup, WA November, 2004
37
Tyee Creeping Bentgrass

• Rutgers Univ.
• July, 2004
• Greens Trial
• High stress environment
• Tyee rated a 9 by supers
• Germination in 4 days

Tyee
38
007 Creeping Bentgrass

• Developed by Dr. Rich Hurley, in cooperation with
  Rutgers University
• Excellent Dollar Spot resistant
• Related to L-93
• High turf quality
• Excellent for greens, tees and fairways
• Moderately high density
• Bright dark green color

007
Picture Arkansas May 2004
39
007 Creeping Bentgrass

• Rutgers Univ.
• July, 2004
• Greens Trial
• High stress environment

007
40
Rutgers University -2002 Greens
High dollar spot resistance
41
SR 1150 Creeping BentgrassSRX 1PDH

• Rutgers University
• Dr. Stacy Bonos
• Dollar Spot resistant
• Moderately high density for greens and fairways
• Color, texture match with
• SR 1119, Brighton, Sandhill
• High turf quality
• High Brown Patch resistance
• High performance in Reduced Fungicide Trials

SR 1150
Picture Rutgers Univ., Fairway Trial, July 04
42
New Creeping bentgrass

• Percent dollar spot ratings of Creeping Bentgrass
  cultivars on a fairway or tee at Lexington, KY.
  2003 NTEP Fairway or tee 2004 Data
• Cultivar dollar spot
• Declaration 0.6
• Pennlinks II 3.4
• SR 1150 (SRX 1PDH) 5.3
• Kingpin 5.4
• Mackenzie 7.4
• Penncross 8.6
• L-93 8.7
• SR 1119 8.9
• Alpha 9.1
• Shark 9.3
• T-1 12.2
• Independence 17.1
• LSD _at_ 5 4.5

43
Mackenzie Creeping Bentgrass

• Rutgers Univ.
• July, 2004
• Fairway Trial
• High stress environment
• Dr. Jim Murphy likes this one for fairways
• High performer greens and fairways

SR 1119 Mackenzie
44
MacKenzie Creeping Bentgrass

• Utah State University
• July, 2005
• Comparison with Kingpin
• Brighter color, density

SR 1119 MacKenzie
Kingpin Mackenzie
45
New Creeping Bentgrass

• 2003 NTEP grown on sand, Mean of 12 locations
• 2004 data, 1-9, 9 Ideal Turf
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• Tyee (SRX 1GD) 6.3 LS-44 5.9
• Authority (235050) 6.2 MacKenzie 5.9
• CY-2 6.1 Bengal 5.9
• Penn A-1 6.1 Alpha 5.7
• T-1 6.1 Benchmark DSR 5.7
• Shark (23R) 6.1 13-M 5.7
• Declaration 6.1 Kingpin (9200) 5.7
• 007 (DSB) 6.0 Pennlinks II 5.6
• Memorial (A03-ED1) 6.0 Penncross 5.1
• Independence 5.9 LSD_at_5 0.3

46
New Creeping Bentgrass

• Quality ratings of Creeping Bentgrass cultivars
  grown on a green at 10 locations using an 1/8
  inch (3.2 mm) or lower cutting height
• 2003 NTEP Putting Green 2005 Data
• Turfgrass Quality
  ratings 1-9, 9 Ideal Turf
• Cultivar Quality Cultivar Quality
• Declaration 6.8 Kingpin 6.4
• MacKenzie 6.7 Memorial 6.4
• Authority 6.7 T-1 6.3
• Tyee (SRX 1GD) 6.6 Benchmark DSR 6.2
• CY-2 6.6 Alpha 6.0
• Penn A-1 6.5 Pennlinks II 5.5
• 007 (DSB) 6.5 Penncross 5.0
• LSD _at_ 5 0.2

47
New Creeping Bentgrass

• 2003 NTEP grown on sand, Logan, UT
• 2004 data, 1-9, 9 Ideal Turf
• Cutlivar Mean Cultivar Mean
• 007 (DSB) 7.7 13-M 6.3
• Shark 7.1 Alpha 6.3
• Authority (235050) 6.8 Benchmark DSR 6.3
• T-1 6.8 Bengal 6.1
• Independence 6.6 CY-2 6.1
• Penn A-1 6.6 LS-44 6.1
• Tyee (SRX 1GD) 6.6 Kingpin (9200) 6.0
• MacKenzie 6.6 Pennlinks II 5.5
• Memorial (A03-ED1) 6.4 Penncross 4.5
• Declaration 6.4 LSD_at_5 0.8

48
New Creeping Bentgrass

• Cultivar Mean Quality Rutgers Cultivar Mean
  Quality Rutgers
• Tyee (SRX 1GD) 7.5 Century 5.0
• Shark (23R) Mt. View 6.6 SR 1119 5.0
• CY-2 Snow Brand 6.6 Pennington 13-M 4.8
• Lesco Authority (ended year down) 6.6 L-93 4.7
  
• Penn G-2 6.6 Simplot Alpha 4.6
• MacKenzie 6.4 Imperial 4.5
• Penn G-6 6.1 Kingpin ( 9200) 4.4
• 007 (DSB) 6.0 Pennlinks II 4.4
• Penn A-2 6.0 Penneagle 4.4
• Simplot T-1 5.8 (BP, CS) Crenshaw 4.4
• DLF IS AP 9 5.7 Pennlinks 4.2
• Links Seed LS-44 5.6 TMI Benchmark DSR 3.9
• Penn A-4 5.4
• Scotts Memorial 5.3 LSD_at_5 0.7
• Barenbrug Bengal 5.2

49
New Creeping Bentgrasses
Alpha and T-1 T-1 dark blue-green color T-1 high
density
50
New Creeping Bentgrasses
Kingpin and MacKenzie MacKenzie brighter green,
Kingpin blue-green.
51
New Creeping Bentgrasses
Kingpin and MacKenzie LS-44 - developed from L-93
germplasm Density not as great as 007 Benchmark
DSR - moderate density, good dollar spot
resistance
52
New Creeping Bentgrasses

• Declaration - Developed for improved dollar spot
  resistance. Fertility may need to be watched.
  Develops Bentgrass Bloat - summer scalping
• Memorial - Improved dollar spot resistance.
• Authority and Shark (23R) - Developed from same
  material. High dollar spot resistance, quality
• CY-2 - developed in Japan for dollar spot
  resistance

53
SRO Creeping Bentgrasses

• All developed for high performance with lower
  nitrogen use. Levels similar to what is being
  used by superintendents
• Less summer bentgrass bloat so reduced summer
  scalping potential
• High summer density for wear tolerance
• Little or no winter purpling
• High density can dominate Poa

54
Velvet Bentgrass Agrostis canina

• Best putting surface
• Wear tolerant - better than any creeping
• Excellent drought and heat resistance
• Best shade tolerance
• Low fertility (after established)
• Best in acid sands or soils - needs acid
• fertilizer and iron in alkaline conditions
• Reduced water requirements - 40 to 60 ET

55
Velvet Bentgrass
Puyallup, Washington Greens Trials Color
difference between velvets and creepers
56
Velvet Bentgrass

• Thatch control important
• Ball marks
• Less than creeping bents, repair similar to high
  density creeping bents
• Fairway usage
• Thatch control, holds ball upright, wear
  tolerant, dollar spot resistant

57
Velvet Bentgrass
Eagles Nest Golf Course Ontario, Canada Greens,
tees, and fairways velvet bentgrass
58
Colonial bentgrass Agrostis capillaris

• Fairway usage
• Dollar spot resistant against most strains
• More brown patch susceptible than creepers
• Less thatch than creepers
• Best at low fertility
• Better wear resistance than creepers
• Hold ball upright
• Low water use - in Utah maintain density 50 ET

59
Colonial bentgrass

• In fairway or tee usage best combined with
• Chewings and/or creeping red fescue
• Use fine fescues in divot repair mixes
• More sensitive to ethofumesate
• Varieties - SR 7150, SR 7100, Bardot, Egmont,
  Tiger, Tiger II, Alistair, Glory, Heriot, Revere,
  Viter
• Use low fertility

60
SR 7150 Colonial bentgrass

• Darkest green colonial bentgrass
• Color similar to other turf species
• High dollar spot resistance
• Improved brown patch resistance
• Best at low fertility
• Blend with Chewings or other fine fescues
• Fairways or home lawns
• Overseeding on greens

61
Colonial bentgrass

• Low Input Trial
• Oregon State Univ.
• 1lb. N Preplant
• Irrigated for Establishment
• No fertilizers/pesticides
• Mown at 1/2, Clippings removed
• Irrigation only if severely stressed

62
Colonial bentgrass
Best Performers after 7 years Mix 9 Mix
7 Mix 4 90 SR 5100 95 SR 5100 50 SR
3100 10 SR 7100 5 SR 7100 45 SR 5100
5 SR 7100 Upright, dense, high quality turf
with few weeds, not segregated. Colonial/Chewings
Fescue also tested at URI for 5 years. SR 5100 is
Chewings fescue SR 3100 is hard fescue
63
Dryland ColonialHighland
A. castellana A. capillaris blue-green true
green stolons stolons long rhizomes usually
no rhizomes scalp/false crown more upright
64
Choosing your bentgrass

• Decide which species will meet your needs best
• Define your budget
• Which management options, diseases, other
  characteristics are your primary concerns
• Do you want a cultivar with a track record or
  willing to look at newest options
• Resources and people available to help in your
  decision
• New construction, renovation or conversion
• 2003 Fairway Trial many top ranked heavy thatch