THE EFFECT OF ETHEPHON ON ANNUAL BLUEGRASS AND CREEPING BENTGRASS GROWTH

Under pot culture and field conditions, ethephon at rates up to 8 kg ha−1 was more injurious to annual bluegrass than to Penncross creeping bentgrass. Ethephon significantly decreased the quality, spreading ability and shoot weight of annual bluegrass, whereas sward quality of the creeping bentgrass grown in pot culture was increased, spreading ability was unaffected and shoot dry weight decreased. Increasing the number of applications at all concentrations increased injury to annual bluegrass and a single application at 1 kg ha−1 reduced annual bluegrass seedhead production.Key words: Poa annua, Agrostis palustris, ethephon, sward quality