Evaluating Drought Resistance and Recovery of Cool-Season Fairway Grasses

Bentgrass species are widely utilized on golf course fairways in cool climatic regions. Among the 200 species of bentgrass that exist, creeping (A. stolonifera), colonial (A. capillaris), and velvet (A. canina) bentgrasses have received the greatest breeding improvements and are the most widely utilized Agrostis species for turf. Each bentgrass species retains particular qualities relating to density, color, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Of the three species, creeping bentgrass is by far the most widely utilized bentgrass, particularly for golf course putting green and fairway turf. Recent research suggests that colonial and velvet bentgrasses may require fewer inputs, including water, fertilizer, and/or pesticides. As a result, efforts have been aimed at developing improved cultivars of colonial and velvet bentgrasses for low-input environments.