Performance of warm-season turfgrasses in an area of Central Italy

Traditionally, in Italy, the C3 cool-season grasses have been the dominant species used for turfs, even though they do not appear to be the most suitable for the Mediterranean climate. However, recent limited water availability and the need to reduce energy inputs have placed drought tolerant warm-season turfgrasses under the spotlight. These species combine aesthetics with performance advantages in terms of water consumption, and with regard to the reduction of fertilizer and pesticides use. The present research was aimed to test the performance of warm-season turfgrass species (three cultivars of Cynodon dactylon, two cultivars of Paspalum vaginatum and two of Zoysia japonica) in a climatic transition zone in Tuscany, to evaluate their potential for use in this environment. The assessment of several parameters, which were estimated periodically, permitted performance evaluation of each species/cultivar, thereby enhancing the existing knowledge of these species and their potentiality in this environment. Results showed that the species with the best adaptation to the environment was Cynodon dactylon, which had higher performances compared to the other species. Paspalum vaginatum reported good quality in terms of color and density, but was damaged by low temperatures during winter. Zoysia japonica displayed a poor performance during the first year, but quality increased during the second year, yielding satisfactory results.