Research Updates from Virginia Tech continued
Evaluation of Blue Grama Cultivars as a Warm-season Option for Low Input Turfgrasses in Virginia By Kevin Hensler, David McCall, Ph.D., Wendell Hutchens, and Mike Goatley, Ph.D.
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arge areas of seldom used green space have been regularly maintained across recreational fields and out-of-play golf course roughs. Many have begun managing these spaces as low-input areas that are non-irrigated and rarely mowed to reduce labor costs and minimize resource inputs. Various fine fescues, cool-season cultivated turfgrasses, are the most common species used in these areas because of their growth habit. However, these grasses can struggle during prolonged periods of heat and drought stress that are common in many parts of Virginia and the MidAtlantic region. Blue grama, a warm-season, short-prairie grass native to the western U.S. ranging from Mexico to Canada has become acclimated to the western parts of Virginia. Blue grama seedlings emerge and establish quickly, in as little as four to five days, and mature populations can survive under drought conditions more effectively than several more commonly used grasses. Growth characteristics vary widely by cultivar but some may prove to fill an important niche as a low-input alternative.
However, little is known about the survivability and growth characteristics of blue grama in Virginia, as most available literature focuses on adaptation to its native climate. Research is currently ongoing in our lab and is partially funded by the Virginia Agricultural Council (VAC#789) with support from the Virginia Turfgrass Foundation. Blue grama was chosen for further study because of its strong performance in previous studies at Virginia Tech in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation. To date, our research has included field, laboratory, and controlled environment studies mostly on campus in Blacksburg but also supplemented at the Virginia Tech Research Short Course of Independence Golf Club (IGC) in Midlothian. Objectives have included cultivar evaluation, optimal seeding rate and timing, and minimal moisture needs for seedling germination. We have evaluated five cultivars of blue grama, including ‘Alma’, ‘Bad River’, ‘BirdsEye’, ‘Hachita’, and ‘Lovington’. From what we have seen so far, we lump the varieties tested into two categories: 1) shorter grasses that could be used in seldomly trafficked in-play areas such as golf course secondary or tertiary roughs and 2) outof-play areas that receive essentially no traffic (Fig. 1). The second group of varieties could be used in recreational areas such as park and recreational facility surrounds, out-of-play areas on golf courses, and along roadsides. Each group could serve an important niche in our area with little to no inputs. All five cultivars listed above were seeded in May, 2021 at both the Virginia Tech Turfgrass Research Center (TRC) and at IGC. Irrigation was applied at seeding only with no additional inputs.
FIGURE 1. Above: Growth habit of Lovington (left) and BirdsEye blue grama on 09 July 2021, six weeks after planting date. Below: Aerial view of growth habit of Lovington and BirdsEye blue grama on 20 August 2021, 12 weeks after planting date
26 | VIRGINIA TURFGRASS JOURNAL January/February 2022 www.vaturf.org
