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Simplot Turf and Horticulture, West 5300 Riverbend Ave., Post Falls, ID 83854-9499
Corresponding author (dbrede{at}simplot.com)
‘Total Eclipse’ Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (Reg. no. CV-59, PI 603257) is a turf-type cultivar released in August 1996 by Simplot Turf and Horticulture, Post Falls, ID. Total Eclipse was tested under the experimental designations 93-1738 and TCR-1738.
Total Eclipse was developed from a highly apomictic, single-plant selection from hybrid cross number 89-1037 made in the field in July 1989. Pollen from ‘Midnight’ Kentucky bluegrass (Meyer et al., 1984) was used to pollinate plants of ‘Limousine’ (Alderson and Sharp, 1994). Seed harvested from the Limousine mother plants was individually sown into cells of greenhouse flats during the spring of 1992 and were later transplanted to a spaced-plant field nursery of 40 701 plants. Offspring with characteristics dissimilar to Limousine, the female parent, were flagged during maturation in the spring of 1993. Plant number 93-1738 was identified as being different from Limousine by the shape and color of its seedheads. It averaged 18.9 g of seed from a single spaced plant, which is slightly more than the 15 g of seed typical for a Kentucky bluegrass spaced plant in northern Idaho. Seed harvested from this plant was used to establish a turf trial in September 1993, a replicated seed yield trial in August 1994, and a plant variety protection (PVP) trial in June 1994 near Post Falls.
Total Eclipse is most similar in form and appearance to ‘Liberator’ (PI 603099) (Brede, 2001) and Midnight (PI 601107) (Meyer et al., 1984). However, Total Eclipse can be differentiated from Liberator based on six botanical measures (as recorded in the U.S. PVP application for Total Eclipse, certificate no. 9800187), including a shorter culm length, longer panicle internode length, and later reproductive maturity. Total Eclipse demonstrated significantly (P = 0.01) longer panicle length than Liberator and significantly (P = 0.001) longer culm length than Midnight in two years of field evaluations.
Progeny trials were conducted in spaced-plant nurseries established near Post Falls in May 1994 to determine the level of apomixis. Of 439 Total Eclipse plants, 0.4% were variants in the vegetative (preheading) stage, 1% were heading maturity variants, 0.8% seedhead variants, 0% miniature plants, and 0% were headless plants. In spaced-plant nurseries, Total Eclipse averaged 95% apomictic but varied from 90 to 99% depending upon weather and year.
A predominant variant in Total Eclipse is a shorter growing plant with wider/purpler seedheads. This variant has better powdery mildew (caused by Erysiphe graminis DC. ex Merat) resistance than most Total Eclipse plants and a shorter culm length, averaging 45 cm at anthesis. There is no evidence of a "common-type" variant originating from this cultivar, although less than 500 spaced plants were used in the determination. Aberrant progeny are rogued from seedstock fields to ensure continued uniformity and stability, but they will continue to occur in every generation.
Total Eclipse was equal to the top-rated cultivar in overall turf quality in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) trials for Kentucky bluegrass, established in 1995 (Morris, 1999). In the same trials, Total Eclipse demonstrated resistance to leafspot and melting out [caused by Drechslera poae (Baudys) Shoem], necrotic ring spot (caused by Leptosphaeria korrae J. Walker and A.M. Smith), and summer patch (caused by Magnaporthe poae Landschoot and Jackson), leaf rust (caused by Puccinia coronata Corda var. coronata), stem rust (caused by P. graminis Pers.:Pers.), stripe smut [caused by Ustilago striiformis (Westend.) Niessl.], and susceptibility to powdery mildew.
In five years of commercial seed production, Total Eclipse has shown the potential for high yields of quality seed with freedom from ergot [caused by Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul.] honeydew and sclerotia. Total Eclipse has exhibited no adverse reactions to labeled Kentucky bluegrass pesticides.
Total Eclipse is recommended for lawns, golf courses, parks, and sports turf in areas where Kentucky bluegrass is well adapted for turf. It can be grown in full sun or some shade. Total Eclipse is compatible in blends and mixtures with other cool-season turfgrasses.
Breeder seed, first harvested in 1995, is maintained by Simplot Turf and Horticulture. Seed propagation is limited to four cycles of increase, Breeder, Foundation, Registered, and Certified. U.S. Plant Variety Protection status for Total Eclipse has been applied for (PVP certificate no. 9800187).
NOTES
Accepted for publication September 30, 2000.
REFERENCES
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  A. D. Brede Registration of 'Barrister' Kentucky Bluegrass Crop Sci., November 21, 2006; 46(6): 2718 - 2719. [Full Text] [PDF]
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