Variation in Germination Characteristics Among Cultivars of Creeping Bentgrass.

Since its introduction, ‘Penncross’ has set the standard for creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) cultivars.  Recently released cultivars of creeping bentgrass possess improved vegetative characteristics compared to ‘Penncross’ such as vertical shoot growth and increased shoot density but the germination characteristics have not been sufficiently studied.  The objective of this research was to study the germination characteristics of fifteen cultivars of creeping bentgrass.  The cultivars ‘L-93’, ‘T1’, ‘Apha’, ‘Penn A-1’, ‘Penn A-4’, ‘Crystal Bluelinks’, ‘Pennlinks II’, ‘Penncross’, ‘Tyee’, ‘007’, ‘Mackenzie’, ‘SR1150’, ‘Memorial’, ‘Independence’, and ‘Declaration’ were evaluated in a germination chamber.  Each cultivar was represented by two to four seeds lots from production year 2007.  Standard germination tests were conducted according to the rules established by the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA).  Germination was deemed complete when the radical protruded approximately 2 mm and germination was recorded once or twice daily for 14 days.  A logistic function was used to obtain parameters for mean germination time (MGT) as a measure of speed of germination, T_25-75 as a measure of germination synchrony, and final germination percentage (FGP) as a measure of germination capability.  Significant differences in MGT and T­_25-75 were observed between cultivars but not for FGP.  The cultivars ‘T1’, ‘Penn A-1’, ‘Penn A-4’, ‘Crystal Bluelinks’, ‘Pennlinks II’, ‘Independence’ and ‘Declaration’ had significantly different MGT compared to ‘Penncross’.  Similarly, the cultivars ‘T1’, ‘Alpha’, ‘Independence’, and ‘Declaration’, had significantly different T_25-75 compared to ‘Penncross’.  These results show that differences existed between cultivars of creeping bentgrass with respect to speed and synchrony of germination.  The cultivars ‘T1’, ‘Independence’, and ‘Declaration’ germinated faster and with greater synchrony compared to ‘Penncross’.  Measures of FGP alone may not accurately portray differences in germination characteristics between cultivars.