After two monthss of snow cover on unfrozen soil, significant differences in the susceptibility to snow mould (and possibly other winter diseases) are now apparent in the experimental golf green at Landvik. Plots seeded with the imported creeping bentgrass mixture 50% Cato + 50% Providence have numerous dead spots which altogether make up about 25% of the plot area. On the contrary, plots seeded with the Norwegian breeding line Norgreen (Agrostis canina) are without injury.

The experimental and demonstation green at Landvik was established in September 2001 as a joint project between The Norwegian Crop Research Institute  div. Landvik and the commercial company Norsk Jordforbedring AS.

The following seed mixtures are used: Imported mixture consisting of Festuca rubra and Agrostis capillaris: 40% Barcrown, 25% Bargreen, 20% Center, 10% Heriot (A.c) , 5% Bardot (A.c.) Imported mixture consisting of two cultivars of Agrostisk stolonifera: 50% Cato, 50% Providence. Norwegian mixture consisting  of Festuca rubra and Agrostis capillaris: 35% Klett,  35% Frigg,  35%Fryd, 15% Leirin (A.c.) Norwegian mixture mainly composed of Agrostis canina: 60% Norgreen, supplemented with  20% Klett (F.r) and  20% Frigg (F.r.) Perpendicularly to the seed mixtures, there are three soil mixtures containing various proportions of sand from the iron-works at Christiansand Jernstøperi.  All mixtures hold a modified USGA-standard.

Trygve S. Aamlid in the experimental green at Landvik 28 Jan 2003. Left: The Norwegian variety Norgreen (Agrostis canina). Right: Imported mixture of Agrostis stolonifera Cato/Providence.

The demonstration green is maintained in accordance with recommended practice on Norwegian golf greens. This implies cutting to 5 cm three times a week, fertilizer inputs every second weeks, top-dressing once a month, pop-up irrigation etc.  No pesticides are used.

Shortly after etablishment in autumn 2001 we observed a severe attack of Phytium in the Cato/Providence mixture.  On a field day arranged by Norwegian Greenkeepers Association in September 2002,  most participants agreed that the imported red fesuce / browntop mixture had the highest overall score, followed by the Norwegian Norgreen-maxture  (Agrostis canina) .  The Norwegina red fescue / browntop mixture had too low tiller density, while a strating attack of the take-all disease was observed in the Cato/Providence mixture.

Now, in late January 2003, after two months of snow cover on unfrozen soil, there is a severe attack of snow mould in Cato/Providence (25% of the plots covered by dead spots). Even the imported red fescue / browntop mixture has some sports (5%).  Both Norwegian mixtures are without any visible injury.