The revised ‘A5 Cricket, Tennis and Tees’ mixture has moved from a blend of three perennial ryegrass cultivars (45% Escapade, 35% Cabrio, 20% EuroCordus) to just two varieties (50% Escapade and 50% Cabrio) for 2017, with the increased Cabrio content delivering a significant improvement in terms of fineness of leaf. “As the highest rated variety for summer sports in the 2017 BSPB L1 List, Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass offers exceptional levels of performance,” explains Richard Brown, Amenity Sales Manager for Germinal. “Thanks to a fineness of leaf score of 8.8 (half a point ahead of its nearest rival) Cabrio easily outperforms all other perennial ryegrass cultivars and partners perfectly with Escapade to provide a seed mixture which is ideal for repairing worn or damaged wicket ends and baselines where rapid root penetration and high root density are essential.”
Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass is also the finest leaved variety on the BSPB’s G4 List for close mown conditions: when cut to 4–7mm Cabrio has a fineness of leaf score of 8.3 compared to its nearest rival at 8.0. “With two of the best perennial ryegrass cultivars, A5 provides a dependable, consistent and quick to establish sward,” Mr Brown adds. “The revised seed mixture enables greenkeepers, groundsmen and turf growers to produce a harder wearing surface that can not only tolerate a close mowing regime, but which will also give good ball roll or bounce and will be aesthetically attractive all year round.” A5 Cricket, Tennis and Tees: 2017 cultivar characteristics*
Table L1 (mown at 10–15mm) | Table G4 (mown at 4–7mm) | |||
Cabrio | Escapade | Cabrio | Escapade | |
Shoot density | 7.9 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 6.6 |
Fineness of leaf | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 6.7 |
Slow regrowth | 7.2 | 6.5 | – | – |
Visual merit | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 6.2 |
Mean | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 6.4 |
Resistance to Red Thread | 3.8 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 6.7 |
Cleanness of cut | 7.1 | 6.3 | – | – |
Winter greenness | 5.2 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 6.3 |
Summer greenness | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 6.4 |
*Source: BSPB Turfgrass Seed booklet 2017