Evaluation of Native and Traditional Turfgrass Species for Low Maintenance Lawns.

This research was conducted to determine the adaptation of sixteen turfgrass species planted alone or in mixtures to southern Idaho over three years under a low maintenance regime.  The study was conducted at the University of Idaho Aberdeen Research and Extension Center. Grass species included Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), hybrid bluegrass (Poa pratensis, L.x Poa arachnifera Torr.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), chewings fescue (Festuca rubra L. ssp. Commutate (Thuill.) Nyman), creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), hard fescue (Festuca trachyphylla (Hackel) Krajina), sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.), Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L.), Siberian wheatgrass (Agropyron fragile Roth.), streambank wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus Scribn. & J.G. Sm.), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii Rydb.), prairie junegrass (Koleria macrantha (Ledeb.) J.A. Schultes), muttongrass (Poa fendleriana), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis Willd. ex Kunth.) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.).  Mowing treatments were non-mowed and 89 mm in year 1, and 102 mm and 76 mm in years two and three.  Treatments were arranged in a strip-plot design with four replications.  Year 1 irrigation was 70 % ET replacement, and 60% ET replacement in years 2 and 3.  Plots were fertilized at 1 kg N/ha with 22-2-22 fertilizer in the fall of 2008 and no nutrients applied in 2009 and 2010. Tall fescue provided high color ratings over the three years. Kentucky bluegrass and the fine fescues performed well in years 1 and 2, but significant summer dormancy in year three reduced color and quality. The wheatgrasses established rapidly and provided excellent weed competition in year one, but summer dormancy prevented acceptable turf quality during the study.  Mixtures of western/crested wheatgrass, crested/Siberian, western wheatgrass/blue grama, and buffalograss/blue grama also were evaluated.