What is the A-LIST®?

by Nikolas Wall

For decades seed breeders and researchers have worked to continue to improve the quality and performance of turfgrass varieties for the benefit of the turfgrass industry.

The A-LIST ® or Alliance For Low Input Sustainable Turf ® is a non-profit university and industry cooperative that serves to test, identify, and promote turfgrass varieties to consumers that maintain satisfactory turf quality while requiring reduced water, chemical, and fertility inputs.

Specifically, all the varieties are tested under the following conditions:

1.  Herbicides: No herbicide use
2.  Fertility: 1.5 lbs. of Nitrogen/1000 sq. ft./yr. to start, 1 lb /1000 sq. ft following spring unless Best Management Practices for low input turf in the state differ (as determined by the university cooperator).
3.  Mowing Height: appropriate for species and region.
4.  Irrigation: evaluation of summer stress tolerance was initiated approximately July 1 (cooperator’s discretion regarding local climatic conditions). Timing allowed for evaluating the combined effects of both heat and drought. Withheld irrigation until the last plot(s) have reached 25% green cover, then the trials were re-watered. In the Western US plots were maintained at 60% ET during the summer months.

Evaluation and Analysis:

Turf Quality: Monthly visual rating throughout the year on a scale of 1 to 9, where 9 represented the most desirable turf quality. 

Density: Recorded digitally every month after turf is established. 

Percent Green Cover: Recorded digitally every month after turf is established during dry-down period % green cover will be recorded a minimum of once per week. Withhold irrigation until the last plot(s) have reached 25% green cover then re-water with an initial 2 inches of water followed by one inch per week watering.

Recovery time: Time to 100% green-up recorded digitally a minimum of once per week. Additional Data was collected at the discretion of the cooperator. 

Analysis: All data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were separated using Fisher’s protected least significant difference (LSD) test at p < 0.05

 “A-LIST" ® Approved Varieties: 

1. Have demonstrated superior performance in A-LIST® trials as defined by:  The top LSD group for drought tolerance as measured by percent green cover for each of two years in at least two locations 

2. Acceptable or better turf quality for each of two years in at least two locations

3. Have been entered into an NTEP trial for the species. For new cultivars that have met the approval standards for performance in A-LIST trials, final approval will be withheld until the cultivar(s) have been entered into an NTEP trial.

When selecting a turfgrass mixture, look for the A-LIST® approved varieties which will help to reduce fertilizer, herbicide, and irrigation while still maintaining high quality turf. 

More information about A-LIST® can be found here:
A-List.org | Environmentally Friendly Turf-grass (a-listturf.org)