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Registration of ‘Moonshadow’ Kentucky Bluegrass

^a Dep. of Plant Biology and Pathology, New Jersey Agric. Exp. St., Cook College, Rutgers Univ., 59 Dudley Rd., Foran Hall, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
^b P.O. Box 888, 33149 Hwy 99E Tangent, OR

^* Corresponding author (bonos{at}aesop.rutgers.edu)

Moonshadow Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (Reg. no. CV- 84, PI 632265) is a turf-type cultivar released in July 2000 by Pickseed West, Inc., Tangent, OR. Moonshadow was developed from germplasm obtained from the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. The experimental designations of Moonshadow were A95-439 and Pick 113-3.

Moonshadow Kentucky bluegrass originated as a single, 100% apomictic plant selected from the progeny of a highly sexual maternal plant, identified as an aberrant derivative of H86-974, pollinated by C-74. H86-974 was a moderately apomictic F₁ hybrid selected from the progeny of the cross ‘Warren’s A-25' (Dale et al., 1975) x ‘Blacksburg’ (Alderson and Sharp, 1995) Kentucky bluegrass. C-74 is a vigorous, apomictic plant that originated from a plant collected from an old turf area in Exeter, RI, in 1987. It is similar in appearance and performance to ‘Unique’ (Rose-Fricker et al., 1999) Kentucky bluegrass.

A plant of C-74 pollinated an aberrant plant of H86-974 in the late winter of 1992 to 1993 in a greenhouse located on the Cook College campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Environmental conditions before and during pollination were modified to increase sexual reproduction of facultatively apomictic Kentucky bluegrasses (Bashaw and Funk, 1987; Hintzen and van Wijk, 1985; Pepin and Funk, 1971). Approximately 1500 seedlings from this cross were established in a spaced-plant nursery at the Rutgers University Plant Biology and Pathology Research and Extension Farm at Adelphia, NJ, during the spring of 1994. An attractive F₁ hybrid plant with the designation, 94-113-3, was identified in this nursery in June 1995. Seed harvested from this plant was used to establish turf evaluation plot A95-439 at Adelphia in August 1995. A spaced-plant progeny test was established in 1995 to evaluate the level of apomictic reproduction, produce seed for evaluation in 1996 to 1998 turfgrass trials at North Brunswick and Adelphia, NJ, and additional spaced-plant nurseries. Breeder seed was produced in 1998 at Adelphia, NJ, and sent to Tangent, OR, to establish an experimental Foundation seed increase field in 1998. The first Certified seed was harvested in July 2000.

Moonshadow is a turf-type Kentucky bluegrass with an attractive, medium dark-green color and low growth habit. It has performed well in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program in most areas of Kentucky bluegrass adaptation in the U.S.A. (Morris, 2003). Moonshadow produces a turf with fine leaves and medium-high shoot density. It has shown good resistance to leaf spot and melting out [caused by Drechslera poae (Baudys) Shoem.], stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. subsp. graminicola Urban), stripe smut [caused by Ustilago striiformis (Westend.) Niessl] (Bonos et al., 2001a; Morris, 2003), and powdery mildew (caused by Erysiphe graminis DC.) (Bonos et al., 2001b). Moonshadow exhibits poor color during winter months (Morris, 2003). Moonshadow has also performed well under simulated fairway conditions in New Jersey, which included a cutting height of 1.7 cm, traffic stress, and Poa annua L. competition (Morris, 2003)

Moonshadow is compatible in blends with most other Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and in mixtures with turf-type perennial ryegrasses (Lolium perenne L.), strong creeping red fescues (Festuca rubra L. subsp. rubra), and turf-type tall fescues (F. arundinacea Schreb.). It is recommended for lawns, athletic fields, and recreation areas in regions where Kentucky bluegrass is well adapted.

Breeder seed is maintained by Pickseed West, Inc. with the cooperation of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Seed propagation is restricted to three generations of increase, Breeder, Foundation, and Certified. Application (no. 200200271) has been made for U.S. Plant Variety Protection.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Appreciation is expressed to George Zieminski, Mike Reynolds, Jim Schumacher, Dirk Smith, Melissa Mohr, and all participants involved in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program for their assistance.

NOTES

Publication no. D–12180-15-04. Some of this work was conducted as part of the NJAES Project no. 12180, supported by NJAES funds, other grants, and gifts. Additional support was received from the U.S. Golf Association-Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Research Fund, and the New Jersey Turfgrass Association. Registration by CSSA.

Accepted for publication July 31, 2004.

REFERENCES

• Alderson, J., and W.C. Sharp. 1995. Grass varieties in the United States. CRC Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL.
• Bashaw, E.C., and C.R. Funk. 1987. Apomictic grasses. p. 40–82. In W.E. Fehr (ed.) Principles of cultivar development. Vol. 2. Crop species. Macmillan Publ. Co., New York.
• Bonos, S.A., J.A. Murphy, W.A. Meyer, C.R. Funk, W.K. Dickson, E. Watkins, R.F. Bara, D.A. Smith, and M.M. Mohr. 2001a. Performance of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and selections in New Jersey turf trials. 2000 Rutgers Turfgrass Proc. 32:55–112.
• Bonos, S.A., E. Watkins, R.F. Bara, M.M. Mohr, and W.A. Meyer. 2001b. Evidence of resistance to powdery mildew in Kentucky bluegrass cultivars and selections in the 2000 National Kentucky bluegrass test. 2000 Rutgers Turfgrass Proc. 32:179–190.
• Dale, M.R., M.K. Ahmed, G. Jelenkovic, and C.R. Funk. 1975. Characteristics and performance of interspecific hybrids between Kentucky bluegrass and Canada bluegrass. Crop Sci. 15:797–799.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Hintzen, J.J., and A.J.P. van Wijk. 1985. Ecotype breeding and hybridization in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). p. 213–219. In F. Lemaire (ed.) Proc. Int. Turfgrass Res. Conf., 5th, Avignon, France. 1–5 July 1985. INRA Publ., Versailles, France.
• Morris, K.N. 2003. National Kentucky Bluegrass Test–2000. Progress Report 2003. NTEP No. 03–02. National Turfgrass Evaluation Program. USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD.
• Pepin, G.W., and C.R. Funk. 1971. Intraspecific hybridization as a method of breeding Kentucky bluegrass for turf. Crop Sci. 11:445–448.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Rose-Fricker, C.A., M.L. Fraser, W.A. Meyer, and C.R. Skogley. 1999. Registration of ‘Unique’ Kentucky bluegrass. Crop Sci. 39:290.[Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bonos, S.A. Articles by Funk, C.R. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Bonos, S.A. Articles by Funk, C.R. Agricola Articles by Bonos, S.A. Articles by Funk, C.R.