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* HOME * Fine leaf Fescues * Coarse leaf Fescues * Weed suppressiveness * Additional Information * Acknowledgements
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Introduction The presence of a high quality turfgrass in a landscape impacts our lives from a visual, functional and recreational point of view. In all turf settings, especially lawn and roadside turf, weeds are a key pest problem. A substantial pesticide market (over two billion U.S. dollars) currently exists for control of weeds, insects and diseases in private and commercial turfgrass settings. The use of herbicides in public and private landscapes is increasingly challenged by environmental and health concerns. Consequently, turfgrass managers, including homeowners, are seeking alternative weed management tools. One preventive strategy to minimize weed infestation is the use of appropriate turf mixtures or cultivars that are well adapted to a given setting for optimal density and growth. Weeds are much less likely to invade a well managed turf in good condition, maintained with appropriate cultural practices. In recent years, our research has focused on the selection and utilization of fescues as low maintenance, stress tolerant and weed suppressive turfgrasses in landscape and roadside settings. The genus Festuca or fescue represents one of the largest groups of grasses in the tribe Poaceae. Approximately 100 different fescue species are currently found in the United States and Europe. Generally, the fescues are divided by appearance and usage patterns into two specific types: fine leaf fescues and coarse leaf fescues.
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