FINE FESCUE GERMPLASM DIVERSITY AND VULNERABILITY

Festuca spp., fine fescue turfgrasses, include several species: Festuc a rubra L. rubra, strong creeping red rescue; F. rubra L. litoralis (G .F.W. Meyer) Auquier, slender creeping red rescue; F. rubra L. commuta ta Gaud., Chewings fescue; F. longifolia Thuill. (F. ovina var. durius cula L. Koch), hard fescue; F. ovina L., sheep rescue; F. ovina L. gla uca Lam. (F. glauca Lam.), blue fescue; and F. tenuifolia Sibth., hair fescue or fine-leaved sheep rescue. Extensive variability exists with in these species. Fine fescues are shade tolerant and drought resistan t. Improvements sought for these species include better wear tolerance , insect and disease resistance, and sod-forming ability. Additional g ermplasm for breeding may be acquired from areas of European origin an d naturalized stands in the USA, such as the eastern seacoast, where i nitial colonization occurred. A major Limitation to germplasm enhancem ent among species results from differences in anthesis date and time o f flowering each day, as well as chromosome number. Taxonomic classifi cation of species is disputed. Certain species, such as Sheep fescue a re indigenous to the USA or may have native components, but further co llection and study is needed for genomic clarification. Chromosome sim ilarities determined by chromosome counts and flow cytometry of nuclea r DNA content mag determine feasible crosses leading to taxonomic clar ification.