PROSPER Tall Fescue Festuca arundinacea spp.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Prosper’s oustanding features are:
• Exceptional High Winter Growth, similar to Ryegrass
• Summer dormancy resulting in Drought tolerance
• Very fine and soft flexible leaves
• Fast establishment in autumn, but slower if spring sown
high mowing height Prosper had significantly greater recovery than
• Lighter green colour than traditional tall fescue height Prosper had significantly greater recovery
grasses.mowing
high
• Performs well under both high and low mowing heights weed population in most of the plots tha
There was a considerable
grasses.
• Excellent persistence coverage and coupled with the clumpy growth of tall fescue provid
There was a considerable weed population in most of the plots
• uneven surface. The surface ofthe clumpy growth of tall Victorian p
Disease resistance including excellent coverage and coupled with Prosper tall fescue and fescue pro
rust resistance
uneven surface. both mowing Prosper tall fescue and Victoria
ryegrass plots underThe surface ofheights was very good and had
weeds grass suited to both mowing heights was very and soil h
ryegrass plots under a wide range of environments good and
Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a deep-rooted perennial
weeds
types (tolerant of very acidic soils and soils prone to waterlogging). But will reach it’s optimum potential when sown
on more fertile soils. GROWTH CURVE
GROWTH CURVE
ANTEP TRIAL: Autumn Winter Spring
Autumn
Prosper tall Winter Spring
The trial was seeded in mid April 2002 and full cover was
Tall fescue tall
Prosper
achieved by early August. Irrigation was turned off in mid
Tall fescue
October and the plots were straw to white in colour by
January 2003 and the fine fescues had lost all cover and
basically disappeared.
% R e c o v e ry a f t e r 11 m o nt hs no irriga t io n
Following the autumn rains in March 2003, the grasses % R e c o v e ry a f t e r 11 m o nt hs no irriga t io n
began to recover. In May the fine fescues showed the Pr osper
least recovery (< 5% cover) and Prosper Tall Fescue Vi c Per Rye Pr osper
(TF-02) the best recovery with approximately 60% cover. Vi
Demeter c Per Rye
Demeter Tall Fescue and Victorian Perennial Ryegrass Cr ossf i r e 11 Demeter
had around 30% cover and the other tall fescue varieties Cr ossf i r e 11
Bar l exus 11
between 10 and 30% cover. Bar
Statesman l exus 11
Mi l l enni um
Statesman
Mi
Dynasty l l enni um
0
Dynasty 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0 10 20
% re c o v e ry
30 40 50 60 70 80
% re c o v e ry
Recovery had further increased by September 2003 (11 months with no irrigation). The fine fescues still had poor
recovery (< 10%) and Prosper was still the best performer with 60 to 75% cover. Under the low mowing height there
was no significant difference between Prosper tall fescue and Victorian perennial ryegrass and under the high mowing
height Prosper had significantly greater recovery than all other grasses.
There was a considerable weed population in most of the plots that had poor coverage and coupled with the clumpy
growth of tall fescue provided a very uneven surface. The surface of Prosper tall fescue and Victorian perennial
ryegrass plots under both mowing heights was very good and had minimal weeds.
For more information contact your local Territory Mananger on
1800 631 008 or visit www.nuturf.com.au