Kentucky Bluegrass Pegasus: a New Variety with Top Marks

Between 1999 and 2001 the cultivation suitability of 12 varieties of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) has been tested at four experimental sites in Switzerland. Of the six new varieties included in the test only Pegasus got on the Swiss list of recommended varieties of forage crops. Pegasus had the highest dry matter yield of all tested varieties. It also showed markedly better values for rust resistance, competitive ability, persistence as well as for juvenile growth than the average of the varieties that are already on the list. Even though the varieties Compact, Monopoly and Leikra had index values below the threshold for recommendation, they will remain on the list in order to guarantee the supply of Kentucky bluegrass seed for the Swiss market.