Bluegrass Variety Anheuser Dwarf

KentuCky bluegrass, including its improved varieties, is the premier lawn-type turfgrass in the northern half of the United States. Blue-grass is hardy, attractive and widely adapted. The development of improved, disease-resistant bluegrasses capable of producing a denser, more dependable turf under conditions of close mow-ing would make this species of even greater value to the golf course superintendent. The first requirement of such improved varieties should be a high degree of resistance to leaf spot and crown rot caused by Helminthosporium vagans Dreschs. This disease produces purplish or brown spots with straw-colored centers on leaf blades, sheaths, and crowns. When severe, the disease drastically thins and weakens bluegrass turf, a condition referred to as "melting-out." Most turf experts consider this to be the most destructive disease of closely-mowed bluegrass in the Northeastern region of the United States. Seasonal Development Under New Jersey conditions, He/minthos-porium leaf spot initiates infections with the advent of cool, moist, cloudy weather in Oc-tober and November. Large numbers of spores are produced during the late fall, winter and spring months. Highly susceptible varieties fre-quently become nearly 100 per cent brown from disease by early March. Subsequent spring regrowth is also subject to considerable infec-tion during periods of cool, moist, cloudy weather. The fungus virtually ceases to pro-Kentucky bluegrass showing leaf spots with dark borders and light centers