Which statement describes submersion tolerance?

Which statement describes submersion tolerance?

• A. Creeping bentgrass has better submersion tolerance than Kentucky bluegrass.
• B. Kentucky bluegrass has better submersion tolerance than Creeping bentgrass.
• C. Tall fescue has the best submersion tolerance of all.
• D. Perennial ryegrass has the best submersion tolerance.

Answer: (A)

Submersion tolerance is about how long a turfgrass can survive when its roots are flooded or soil is continuously saturated. Creeping bentgrass handles low-oxygen conditions better, thanks to its physiology—like internal air spaces that help oxygen move to the roots—and a root system that stays more functional under water. Kentucky bluegrass, by contrast, is more vulnerable to hypoxic stress and root decline when kept under water for extended periods, leading to poorer survival and recovery. While tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are also used in damp soils, they don’t surpass creeping bentgrass in submersion tolerance. So the statement comparing bentgrass favorably to Kentucky bluegrass best captures their relative performance under submerged conditions.

Submersion tolerance is about how long a turfgrass can survive when its roots are flooded or soil is continuously saturated. Creeping bentgrass handles low-oxygen conditions better, thanks to its physiology—like internal air spaces that help oxygen move to the roots—and a root system that stays more functional under water. Kentucky bluegrass, by contrast, is more vulnerable to hypoxic stress and root decline when kept under water for extended periods, leading to poorer survival and recovery. While tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are also used in damp soils, they don’t surpass creeping bentgrass in submersion tolerance. So the statement comparing bentgrass favorably to Kentucky bluegrass best captures their relative performance under submerged conditions.