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Jacklin Seed by Simplot, West 5300 Riverbend Ave., Post Falls, ID 83854-9399
* Corresponding author (doug.brede{at}simplot.com)
‘Barrister’ Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (Reg. no. CV-88, PI 632269) is a turf-type cultivar released in July 2002 by Jacklin Seed by Simplot, Post Falls, ID. Experimental designations for Barrister were 93-1665 and J-1665.
Barrister was developed from an apomictic, single-plant selection from field hybrid 89-1037, created in Post Falls in July 1989 using ‘Midnight’ (Meyer et al., 1984) to pollinate plants of ‘Limousine’ (Alderson and Sharp, 1994). Isolation distance and not pollen bags were used to control pollination. Progeny from the Limousine plants were grown in greenhouse flats during 1992 and later transferred to a spaced-plant nursery of 40 701 plants. Plant number 93-1665 was identified as being unique from Limousine by the color and appearance of its foliage before seedhead expression. A single spaced plant of 93-1665 produced 28 g of clean seed, which is nearly twice the amount typical for a Kentucky bluegrass spaced plant in northern Idaho.
Seed harvested from plant 93-1665 was tested in turf trials in Idaho beginning in 1993, in Maryland in 1994, in New Jersey in 1999, and in Ohio in 1996. Seed yielding ability was evaluated in trials in Idaho and Washington in 1998. First Breeder seed was produced in 1998 and Certified seed in 2001.
Progeny apomixis trials were conducted in a spaced-plant nursery established near Post Falls in 1997. Among 600 Barrister plants, 2.4% were variants in the vegetative stage, 1.6% were heading maturity variants, 0.2% were seedhead variants, 2% were miniature plants, and 1% were headless plants. In spaced-plant nurseries, Barrister averaged 93% apomixis, though the level varies from 90 to 99% in commercial seed production depending on weather, location, and year. Culms of the taller variants can reach 90 cm at maturity and show increased susceptibility to Puccinia rust. Approximately 2% of plants have a shorter culm than the majority, but a similar panicle. Less than 1% of plants show a Limousine-type panicle with light green color and tight branches. Aberrant plants are removed from seedstock fields but will continue to be expressed in each generation because of the facultative apomictic nature of Kentucky bluegrass.
Barrister most closely resembles the cultivar ‘Arcadia’ (Brede, 2003a), differing by lighter seed weight, lower spring ground coverage, and lower sod strength. Barrister is a half-sib of the cultivars ‘Award’ (Brede, 2001a), ‘Absolute’ (Brede, 2002a), ‘BlueMoon’ (Brede, 2003b), ‘Impact’ (Brede, 2003c), ‘NuGlade’ (Brede, 2001b), ‘Odyssey’ (Brede, 2002b), ‘Excursion’ (Brede, 2004a), ‘Freedom II’ (Brede, 2004b), ‘Quantum Leap’ (Brede, 2003d), and ‘Total Eclipse’ (Brede, 2001c).
Barrister was tested in the 2000 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) trials for Kentucky bluegrass (Morris, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005). In the trial, Barrister had a dark green genetic color and good turf quality at close (25 mm or lower), intermediate (25–50 mm), and higher (greater than 50 mm) mowing heights, at which height it was the top-ranking entry. In overall turf quality, it performed well in the northeastern, Midwest, Great Plains, Mountain West, and Transition Zone regions of the USA. Barrister has good shoot density during spring, summer, and autumn; a medium-fine leaf texture; relative freedom from seedhead expression in mowed turf; relatively fast establishment; and good tolerance of traffic stress. It is resistant to leaf spot [caused by Drechslera poae (Baudys) Shoem.], red thread [caused by Laetisaria fuciformis (McAlpine)], and is tolerant of annual bluegrass (P. annua L.) encroachment. In 5 yr of commercial seed production, Barrister has demonstrated the potential for high yields of quality seed, relative freedom from ergot [caused by Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul.] and no adverse reactions to labeled pesticides.
Barrister is recommended for golf course tees, fairways, and roughs and for lawns, parks, and sports turf, in full sun or partial shade, in areas where Kentucky bluegrass is well adapted for turf. It is compatible in blends and mixtures with other cool-season turfgrasses at mowing heights as low as 13 mm.
Breeder seed is maintained by Jacklin Seed, with seed increase limited to one generation each of Foundation, Registered, and Certified. United States Plant Variety Protection application no. 200300001 has been filed for Barrister. Limited quantities of seed are available for experimentation on request from the author. Recipients are asked to recognize the source if Barrister contributes to the development of a cultivar or germplasm or is used for other research purposes. Seed has been deposited in the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS), but no seed will be distributed by the NPGS without written permission for 20 yr from the date of publication in Crop Science, at which time seed will also be available from NPGS.
NOTES
Received for publication April 10, 2006.
REFERENCES
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