Field Performance of Selected Mowed Distichlis Clones, USGA Research Report #2

Abstract

Twenty-one clonal selections of saltgrass (Distichlis spp.) were evaluated during the first full summer growing season (May - October 1999) for turf characteristics and general adaptation. Initial percent plot cover in May ranged from 8% to 42% among clonal accessions. Accessions which produced the highest unmowed canopy heights had the greatest initial cover in May. This trend reversed itself by August and September whereby entries which exhibited less elevated foliage tended to produce turfs which had higher shoot densities, greater percent plot cover, visual estimates of density and more acceptable overall turfgrass quality under accumulated mowing pressure. The "treatment" (clonal accession) affect was significant on all dates for all field variables demonstrating clearly that differences exist for growth parameters of Distichlis screened under mowing stress.