USING 



NEW LOW 



MAINTENANCE 



TURFGRASSES 



OUTSIDE 



THE 



GREENHOUSE 



John M. Roberts 



UNH, Extension Specialist, Turf 



David C. Seavey 



Memmack Country Extension 

 Educator 



TABLE 2 



ENDOPHYTE LEVELS 



FOR PERENNL\L RYEGRASS 



Variety 



% Endophyte Content 



Yorktown III 

 Palmer II 

 Prelude II 



SR4200 

 Regal 



is common practice in the 

 greenhouse industry to neglect the 

 area surrounding the greenhouse. 

 Backfill, consisting primarily o( 

 sand, will grow beautiful, deep- 

 rooted broadleat weeds that harbor 

 insects and disease organisms! It is 

 ironic that we diligently spray to 

 control insects indoors while ten 

 feet away through open vents 

 hundreds oi insects are breeding. 

 Frequent mowing will further 

 increase insect immigration. 



While that ideal low mainte- 

 nance turfgrass has not been fully 

 discovered, seed producers are 

 getting closer. In the past 3 years 

 UNH Cooperative Extension has 

 initiated various field trials around 

 the State to evaluate new grass 

 varieties that are capable of per- 

 forming well under low mainte- 

 nance conditions. 



Can these grasses reduce insect 

 migration through greenhouse 

 vents? 



We're especially interested in 

 those varieties which have very low 

 (dwarf) growth characteristics and 

 contain high levels of fungi called 

 endophytes. Seed -borne fungi in cer- 

 tain varieties produce substances 

 within the turf to form a natural 

 (biological) resistance to surface- 

 feeding insects. In addition, turf- 

 grasses high in endophytes have 

 also shown improved tolerance to 

 drought and other environmental 

 stress. See tables 1 and 2 for vari- 



eties which contain high levels of 

 endophytes. 



In total, over 40 varieties of 10 

 different grasses have been ob- 

 served. The trials have been con- 

 ducted under real life settings and 

 maintenance levels. Locations have 

 included raspberry patches and 

 apple orchards, sloping banks out- 

 side greenhouses, and landscaped 

 areas. Other than periodic mowing, 

 the sites received little, it any, 

 water, fertilization, or pesticides 

 after establishment. 



The most recent seeding oc- 

 curred at Pleasant View Gardens in 

 Pittsfield. Seedings of low-main- 

 tenance, low-growing grasses were 

 made on sloping banks outside the 

 greenhouses. The major objectives 

 identified in the demonstration 

 included: 



L reduced mowing time 

 (anticipated 50 percent reduction) 



2. reduced pressure from insects 

 migrating through open vents 



3. introduction ot a grass species 

 that will tolerate drought condi- 

 tions with minimal maintenance. 



The grasses selected were low- 

 growing hard fescues (SR 3000 and 

 Reliant) and a perennial ryegrass 

 (SR 4200). The seeding rate was 4 

 lbs. per/1,000 square teet. The mix 

 consisted of 80% hard fescue and 

 20% perennial ryegrass. The area 

 was treated with Roundup prior to 

 seeding in early September. 



A study is currently being con- 



DeCEMBER 1991/jANUARY 1992 15 



