Public attention is being increasingly focused on the environmental impact and management costs of turfgrass areas such as lawns for schools, parks, and homes. The objectives of this study were to: (i) identify grass species adapted to low‐input environments (limited water, no fertilizer or pesticides after establishment) in the North Central Region (NCR) of the USA; and (ii) evaluate these species for turfgrass quality under mowed and non‐mowed conditions. Low‐input turf trials of 12 grass species were established at eight locations and evaluated for turf quality over two years. Plots were mowed monthly at either 5.1 or 10.2 cm or not mowed. Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey), colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.) performed well at most locations at the 5.1 and 10.2‐cm mowing heights. Several other species were also evaluated: tufted hairgrass [Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P. Beauv.], hybrid bluegrass (Poa arachnifera Torr. × Poa pratensis L.), meadow fescue [Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.], prairie junegrass [Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult], crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.], alkaligrass [Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Parl.], blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. Ex Kunth) Lag. Ex Griffiths], and crested dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus L.).

Low‐input sustainable turf (LIST) management represents a resource‐efficient option in maintaining uniform, persistent turf. What species are best suited to such management needs to be established. To this end, 12 hardy species were evaluated for 3 yr in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin: crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult. ‘Fairway’, ‘Ephraim’, and ‘Ruff’], streambank wheatgrass [Agropyron riparium Scribn. & Smith ‘Sodar’; syn. Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. & J.G. Smith) Gould subsp. lanceolatus], Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa L. ‘Reubens’), hard fescue [Festuca ovina var. duriuscula (L.) Koch ‘Durar’; syn. F. lemanii T. Bastard], sheep fescue (F. ovina L. ‘Covar’ and common), tall fescue (F. arundinacea Schreb. ‘Alta’), bulbous bluegrass (P. bulbosa L.), alpine bluegrass (P. alpina L.), redtop (Agrostis alba L. ‘Reton’; Agrostis gigantea Roth), roughstalk bluegrass (P. trivialis L. ‘Colt’), colonial bentgrass (Agrostis tenuis Sibth. ‘Exeter’; syn. Agrostis capillaris L.), and buffalograss [Buchlöe dactyhides (Nutt.) Engelm. ‘Texoka’ and ‘NE‐315’]. AH were field‐established and compared at three mowing heights: 3.8 cm, 7.6 cm, and no mowing. Quality ratings were based on uniform persistence. Tall fescue and common sheep fescue were the best and most broadly adapted to LIST. In Iowa, hard fescue, Canada bluegrass, and crested wheatgrass also did well. Colonial bentgrass was best adapted in Missouri. Redtop and roughstalk bluegrass grew better in a north‐south area from Wisconsin through central Illinois to Missouri. The buffalograsses excelled in Ohio and southern Illinois. Over all species, the 7.6‐cm mowing height allowed the best turf quality. Specifically, tall fescue, colonial bentgrass, redtop, and common sheep fescue performed best at the 7.6‐cm mowing height. Covar sheep fescue, hard fescue, Canada bluegrass, and Fairway crested wheatgrass could not maintain persistent stands under the 3.8‐cm mowing height. No mowing resulted in intermediate levels of quality with all species. A 7.6‐cm mowing height would be appropriate for testing species in LIST within the seven‐state region used in this study.

Turfgrass managers are in need of low‐input turfgrass species options. We have previously identified a number of species that do well as low‐input, sustainable turf in the north central United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate multiple cultivars of turfgrass species with known adaption to low‐input environments in the North Central Region. Twenty‐five turfgrass cultivars and selections, representing ten grass species, were evaluated at eight locations. Plots were established in late summer 2007, and after establishment were maintained at 7.6 cm without inputs of pesticides, fertilizer, or supplemental irrigation. Tall fescue, Chewings fescue, hard fescue, and colonial bentgrass performed well at most locations. Sheep fescue, tufted hairgrass, and prairie junegrass all performed adequately at some locations, and poorly at others. Texas bluegrass hybrids and the single Idaho bentgrass entry were not well adapted to most of the region.

Inconsistent efficacy has limited the use of turfgrass growth retardants. A 3‐yr field study was conducted to determine if the spring reproductive, summer vegetative, and fall reproduction‐inductive growth phases of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) influence its response to turfgrass growth retardants. Amidochlor { N‐[(acetylamino)‐methyll‐2‐chloro‐N‐(2,6‐diethylphenyl) acetamide} and mefluidide N‐{2,4‐dimethyl‐S‐[[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyllamino] phenyl}acetamide were fast acting and most effective in spring with nearly complete growth restriction during the second and third weeks after application. Paclobutrazol [(2RS, 3RS)‐1‐(4‐ chlorophenyl‐4,4‐dimethyl‐2‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐l‐yl)pentan‐3‐ol] and flurprimidoi {α‐(l‐methylethyl)‐α‐[4‐(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl]‐5‐ pyrimidine methanol} were slow acting, with an average of 16% growth reduction, which peaked 5 and 10 wk after treatment, respectively. Ethephon [(2‐chloroethyl)phosphonic acid] effects were continuous throughout the 10‐wk measurement periods, restricting growth an average of 30%. Flarprimidol was most effective in summer, whereas ethephon and paclobutrazol had similar effectiveness across seasons. Mefluidide prevented spring heading completely while amidochlor reduced heading by 79%. Mefiuidide was the only chemical to reduce turf quality severely. Ethephon was the only chemical to stimulate internode elongation. Measurement of individual phytomers within shoots from two sampling dates provided a continuous record of plant growth response to treatment over a 6‐wk period. Blade growth was affected more strongly than sheath growth by all growth retardants except paclobutrazol. Consistent differences in seasonal plant response to treatments in spite of yearly climate variations support the hypothesis that unique combinations of season with growth phase influence the response of Kentucky bluegrass to turfgrass growth retardants.

Portable, controlled‐environment systems with precise control of airflow rate, gas concentration, humidity, irradiance, and temperature have been constructed with considerable expense and custom design. This roomette exposure system was built from materials common to most laboratories. Desiccators were used for the exposure of hydroponically grown Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) plants to ethylene concentrations of 10 to 3200 µL/L for up to 10 d. Airflow rate and ethylene influx were controlled with separate barostat towers with 1.0‐ and 0.152‐mm inside‐diameter capillary tubes, respectively. An air exchange rate of 7.5 volumes/h and a stirring magnet prevented increased temperatures and moisture condensation while replenishing CO2. Roomette temperature and irradiance were subject to ambient conditions deviating from the mean by 15 and 18%, respectively. Relative humidity was maintained at 85 ± 8% with humidifying stacks. This system can be used for effective, low‐cost, modified‐atmosphere experiments with intact plants as well as plant parts.