Tolerance of Selected Bluegrass and Fescue Taxa to Simulated Human Foot Traffic

Abstract

Cultivars of Poa pratensis L., Festuca rubra L., subsp rubra, and Festuca arundinaceae Schreb. were subjected to simulated foot traffic and three irrigation regimes. Soil compaction was evaluated by soil bulk density measurements.Clipping yields of 16 bluegrass species and cultivars increased with increasing soil moisture. Highest yielding bluegrass cultivars were those with either upright growth habit or rapid vertical growth. The conclusion is drawn that, unless evaluated upon the percent yield change, clipping weights are not an accurate method of assessing trampling resistance of certain strongly rhizomatous, prostrate growing cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass during moderate, continuous trampling. Under the experimental conditions of this study, Poa pratensis L cultivars ‘Merion’, ‘Newport’, and ‘Windsor’ appeared to have greatest resistance to trampling; Poa ampla and Poa trivialis L. having least trample resistance.Clipping yields of seven cultivars of F. rubra also increased in most cases with increasing irrigation level. Significant yield differences, assumed to represent growth rate differences, occurred among cultivars. Interactions between cultivar and trample level were taken as measures of differential wear tolerance. Festuca rubra L. subsp. rubra ‘Pennlawn’ was significantly higher in trample resistance than all others. F. ovina L. KO-16 had better apparent trample resistance than others which had equal resistance to trampling.Festuca arundinaceae ‘Goars’ was observed to have superior trample resistance to the others studied which were equal. With a single exception, clipping yields of tall fescue decreased with decrease in irrigation levels.