Turf Quality Characteristics of Native and Foreign Genotypes of Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) Response to Different Levels of Mowing Height

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) is a more desirable turfgrass in the transition zone due to its drought avoidance as well as tolerance to shade, salinity, and warm temperatures stresses. The present research was conducted to evaluate the different aspects of turfgrass quality in tall fescue in response to different levels of mowing height. A factorial experiment (12 genotypes × 3 mowing heights) was schemed based on a completely randomized design with three replications. After establishment, tall fescues genotypes were subjected to different heights of mowing as follows: 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 cm. The results showed that there was a significant variation in terms of the turf characteristics between the genotypes of tall fescue. Among that, 75B resulted in the best quality and performance against mowing shock. Increasing mowing height increased turf quality, turf color, and turf cover, as well as turf softness, in all the tall fescue genotypes. Regardless of the genotype, the data support the general mowing height recommendation for tall fescue of 4.0 to 6.0 cm. Overall, based on the results of this study, 75B (a native genotype) was selected as a superior genotype for its turf quality and tolerance to low moving heights, and can be used as turfgrass in landscapes.