RESEARCH STUDIES
For More Information NTEP.org National Turfgrass Evaluation Program
We are proud to present these research studies for your review. Each study contains one or more Penn variety in the research sample used. We would like to thank each contributor who has allowed us to place their research study in this section of the web site.



Cultural Practices to Minimize Dollar Spot on Creeping Bentgrass Data from a field study and a controlled environment study look at the influence of daily mowing and leaf wetness duration effects on the occurrence of dollar spot on Penncross creeping bentgrass. View PDF Download PDF
Early Detection of Turf Disease Through Direct Sensing This study, conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, looks at the possibility of using direct sensing equipment to detect disease before visual signs appear. View PDF Download PDF
Spoon-Feeding with Granular Materials? M.J. Howieson and Nick Christians compare differences in turf quality with liquid and granular spoon-feeding fertilization techniques. View PDF Download PDF
North Shore Country Club NTEP trials and Poa study Putting Green Turfgrass Study A summary of the results of the on-site putting green tests conducted at North Shore Country Club with additional data looking at the ability of these trials to resist poa annua invasion. View PDF Download PDF
PennLinks II & Penneagle II for Fairways: Trial Data A PowerPoint presentation from Dr. Melodee Fraser, director of research at Pure-Seed Testing, Inc. in Rolesville, NC, showing bentgrass fairway trial data from NTEP and both Pure-Seed Testing, Inc., locations in Oregon and North Carolina. Download PowerPoint
Bentgrass and Bermudagrass: New cultivars for putting greens A PowerPoint presentation from Kevin Morris, executive director of the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program highlighting the 1999 data resulting from the 1998 National Putting Green tests and USGA, GCSAA, NTEP bentgrass and bermudagrass onsite test data from spring of 1999. Download PowerPoint
AGCSA Variety Trials, 2003 This study, conducted by the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association, compared various bentgrass varieties to wear tolerances, effects of effluent water and moisture stress tests. Penn A-1, Penn A-4 and Penn G-2 where the best performers in the wear tolerances trials, and Penn G-2 was the least susceptible variety to develop localized dry spots. We thank the AGCSA for permission to share this study. View PDF Download PDF
Nitrogen Management of Penn A-4, 2003 This study explored the effects of various forms of nitrogen and rates on the quality of and growth of Penn A-4. The results showed that Penn A-4 responded best to water soluble ammonium sulfate at a rate of less than .2 lbs. N/1000 sq. ft. every two weeks. We would like to thank the Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council and the Foundation for Agronomic Research for allowing us to share this research. View PDF Download PDF
Poa Annua Study This study by Dr. James Beard compared the competitiveness of 13 different varieties of creeping bentgrass against poa annua. Dr. Beard discovered that Penn G-2, Penn G-6, Seaside II and Penn A-1 were the most outstanding entries in the study, with all four showing that they could crowd out poa annua. We thank Dr. Beard for sharing this study. View PDF Download PDF
Unbiased Cultivar Evaluations NTEP Trials 1997-2001 This national study evaluated the performance of bentgrass varieties from 13 different locations across the country. Penn A-4 was judged the best overall entry during the five year study. Interestingly, in the poa annua coverage ratings section of the study, the Penn A’s and G’s were the top four performers in keeping poa annua out. View PDF Download PDF
1998-1999 NTEP National Bentgrass Putting Green Test for New Cultivars of Bentgrass This presentation highlights the testing and results from the NTEP trials that included the new cultivars of bentgrasses. Penn A-4 was the only cultivar listed in the top statistical category for on-site bentgrasses. The complete results rank the Penn A’s and G’s as the best overall cultivars for putting green use. View PDF Download PDF
Overseeding Bentgrass Species Into Existing Stands of Poa Annua Gerald M. Henry, Stephen E. Hart & James A. Murphy • Rutgers University This study from 2000 illustrates the success of overseeding pure stands of poa annua with creeping bentgrass as a means of converting the turf stand. Results show that the newer, more aggressive bentgrasses, such as Penn A-4, can establish quicker and maintain a high vigor in the presence of poa annua when overseeded in early summer. (Download Abstract) View PDF Download PDF
Cultivation and Topdressing Requirements for Thatch Management in A, G Bentgrasses and Creeping Bluegrass John Stier & Andrew Hollman • University of Wisconsin, Madison This study examines the management requirements for maintaining an acceptable thatch level in the soil profile. With the Penn A’s and G’s having a relatively high shoot density as compared to other bentgrasses, A-4 and G-2 were tested for thatch management techniques. Results illustrated that the Penn A’s and G’s cultivation and topdressing practices do not differ substantially from older varieties of creeping bentgrass, such as Penncross. View PDF Download PDF
Ball Mark Study on Bentgrass Greens Andrea C. Bakalyar, The Wee Course at Williams Creek This study performed by golf course superintendent Andrea Bakalyar reviews multiple creeping bentgrass varieties, including Penncross, Pennlinks, A-1 and G-2, to determine the healing rates among the popular varieties. She concluded that no one bentgrass variety dramatically outperforms any other in the area of ball mark recovery. View PDF Download PDF
Heat Stress Separates Old and New Bentgrass Michael Toubakaris & Bert McCarty, Ph.D. This research illustrates that the newer bentgrass, the Penn A’s and G’s, produce higher quality turf under summer heat stress than the older bentgrass varieties. However, the older varieties, particularly Penncross, recovered from summertime damage quicker than the newer varieties. A special thanks to Golf Course Management magazine for allowing us to reproduce this study from their archives. View PDF Download PDF
Evaluation of Turfgrass Species for Use on Putting Greens (2002) M.A. Anderson, G. McCullough, D.L. Moroz, J.B. Ross & C.F. Miluch These studies performed by the Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre focuses on evaluating various bentgrasses for performance under putting green maintenance conditions. Each year during the continual study, one variety is chosen as the best overall cultivar for that year. In the three most recent studies, Penn A-4 has been selected as the best variety.

Evaluation of Turfgrass Species for Use on Putting Greens (2001)
Evaluation of Turfgrass Species for Use on Putting Greens (2000) View PDF Download PDF
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