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Identification of Morphological Characteristics in St. Augustinegrass and Zoyisagrass Cultivars during Establishment and Growing under Shade and Sun

Shade is one of the most important factors affecting turfgrass growth for home lawns. It affects both shoot and root growth and the overall quality of the turf stand. A study was initiated to investigate the effects of shade on growth and quality of St. Augustinegrass (Bitterblue, Delmar, Floratam, Palmetto, Raleigh, Seville, andTR-610) and two cultivars of zoysiagrass (Empire and Empress) were planted in both the shade and sun to study the effects on growth and quality. Quality measurements were taken for color, texture, density, uniformity, and overall quality on a monthly basis. Growth parameters were taken for internode length , stolon width, leaf width, and leaf length during initial, middle, and final stages of the study period.
TR-610 was the best cultivar under shade for its outstanding quality in color, density, uniformity, and overall quality. Delmar, Palmetto, and Raleigh performed relatively better in shade compared to other cultivars. Empire and Empress zoysiagrasses had good quality until the middle of the study period but quality decreased toward the end of the study. The quality of Empire was relatively better compared to Empress at the end of the study period. Bitterblue and Floratam did not perform well in the shade.
TR-610 showed shade tolerance by performing similarly in both shade and sun for all the growth parameters. Bitterblue had poor shade tolerance compared to the other cultivars. It had longer internodes, thicker stolons, and wider leaf blades in shade during the study period. Floratam was relatively better compared to Bitterblue. Reduced internode length, optimum stolon and leaf width, and increased leaf lengths were identified as the shade tolerant characters.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-1118103-115616
Date19 November 2003
CreatorsKomma, Chandrasekhar R
ContributorsJames Mc Crimmon, Paul Wilson, Jeff S. Kuehny, Edward W. Bush
PublisherLSU
Source SetsLouisiana State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-1118103-115616/
Rightsunrestricted, I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University Libraries in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation.

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