St. Augustinegrass accessions planted in northern, central and southern Italy: Growth and morphological traits during establishment
The use of warm season turfgrasses is a consolidated trend in the climatic transition zone of Mediterranean countries, in particular St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze) begins to be widespread in warm coastal areas. However, little is known about the performance of the different cultivars of this species in southern Europe. In 2016-2017 a trial was carried out in three locations in Italy, Padova, Pisa, and Palermo, located in the north, center and south of the country respectively. Four cultivars (Floratine, Captiva, Sapphire, Palmetto) and five ecotypes (CeRTES 201, CeRTES 202, CeRTES 203, CeRTES 204, CeRTES 205) were compared in terms of their growth characteristic…
Bermudagrass adaptation in the Mediterranean climate: phenotypic traits of 44 accessions
The use of bermudagrass in the Mediterranean area is increasing for its outstanding tolerance to heat and drought, and its aggressive growth and high recuperative potential make it particularly suited to heavily worn areas and appreciated for sports turfs. However, the overall performance of a given genetic type can be affected by the adaptation to a specific environment. The objective of this research was to determine the variability of a number of phenotypic traits that can affect bermudagrass turf performance on a wide range of bermudagrass accessions grown in two locations in Italy. In May 2010, 44 accessions of bermudagrasses, grouped in “wild”, “improved” “hybrid” and “dwarf” types we…
Seashore paspalum in the Mediterranean transition zone: phenotypic traits of twelve accessions during and after establishment
The use of warm-season turfgrasses is consolidated in the transitional areas of Mediterranean countries and some field trials have provided information on the adaptability of seashore paspalum to Mediterranean environment. Nonetheless, little is known on the performance of the different commercial cultivars of <em>Paspalum vaginatum</em> in this climatic zone. Furthermore, considering the high degree of variability of this species, ecotypes have the potential to supply new plant material with desired turf characteristics. The research aimed at comparing growth characteristics and morphological traits of eight commercial cultivars of seashore paspalum (Platinum, Salam, SeaDwarf, …