Over the years, the number of varieties of turfgrass species that are commercially available has, for the most part, nearly doubled. Below are the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program's (NTEP) numbers of various species from different years, esimated using the number of entries in NTEP tests. This is not the total number of cultivars commercially available because NTEP's tests do not comprise all cultivars that are on the market at any one time. Kevin Morris, NTEP executive director, estimates the actual number to be 25 to 30 percent higher.
PERENNIAL RYEGRASS
| 1980 |
estimate 15 (no NTEP test yet) |
| 1986 |
40 |
| 1990 |
53 |
| 1994 |
97 |
| 2002 |
100 |
FINELEAF FESCUE
| 1980 |
estimate 15 (no NTEP test yet) |
| 1983 |
20 |
| 1987 |
30 |
| 1993 |
74 |
| 1998 |
56 |
KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS
| 1980 |
40 |
| 1985 |
50 |
| 1990 |
55 |
| 1995 |
93 |
| 2002 |
102 |
CREEPING BENTGRASS
| 1985 |
estimate 7-8 (no NTEP test yet) |
| 1989 |
12 |
| 1993 |
17 |
| 1998 |
20 |
| 2002 |
25 |
TALL FESCUE
| 1980 |
estimate 10 (no NTEP test yet) |
| 1983 |
20 |
| 1987 |
25 |
| 1992 |
60 |
| 1996 |
70 |
| 2000 |
86 |
Source: Kevin Morris, executive director, National Turfgrass Evaluation Program
