Evaluating Turfgrasses for Shade Tolerance1

Abstract Short‐duration growth chamber and field techniques are described for studying shade tolerance of pot‐grown seedling turfgrasses. Performance of eight selections each of bluegrass and red fescue grown at four light intensities from seed to 8 weeks in a growth chamber was evaluated. Varying light intensities were achieved by growing the grasses on shelves in a step‐like design so that the lowest light level was farthest from the illumination source. The four light levels in the growth chamber were measured at 3,000, 1,500, 500, and 230 ft‐c. A field study in natural deciduous shade which permitted entrance of approximately 5% of incident sunlight was used to concurrently evaluate 57 strains of Kentucky bluegrass, 1 lot of Canada bluegrass, 1 lot of roughstalk bluegrass, 18 strains of red fescue, 1 hard fescue, and 8 strains (including 3 species) of bentgrass. Both methods are feasible techniques for evaluating turfgrasses for shade tolerance. The field method has the advantage of concurrent evaluation of large numbers of turfgrasses under natural conditions. Performance of the red fescues in shade as a group was superior to that of the bluegrasses. ‘Golfrood’ red fescue was the outstanding cultivar and demonstrated superior shade tolerance in both the growth chamber and field.