The inter-relationships of colour parameters in turfgrass - The basis of a model for turgrass colour description

It is desirable to describe objectively turfgrass colour as if relates to aspects of turf quality and user preference. Colour can be described in terms of several numerical parameters. In the present study, a Minolta CR310 Chroma meter was used to measure colour parameters of grass clippings samples taken from plots of 27 newly sown turf-type Lolium perenne L. (Perennial ryegrass) varieties at daily intervals as leaves senesced. Correlation coefficients between five colour parameters were calculated for each day. Similarly, correlations between the parameters were calculated using direct turf surface measurements for six varieties grown in turf plots over a fourteen monthly period at two contrasting fertilizer regimes. The colour parameter b* was highly correlated with L* (Value) and C* (Chroma) but lack of correlation at all times with H-o (Hue angle) demonstrated that b* scores cannot be used to describe turf greenness. H-o would be required as a second component in any turfgrass colour description. Reduction of colour description to two numerical parameters, b* and H-o is possible in turfgrass and these parameters could be used Mot only for describing turfgrass colour per se but also colour change due to varietal differences, changing environmental conditions and the interaction of these variables.