Forty-five lines of 11 species of Poa were introduced and grown as spaced plants in winter and spring plantings at four locations. Visual assessment was made of growth habit, relative vigour and inciidence of disease. Establishment of P. trivialis, P. palustris and P. nemoralis was good, but subsequently all Pea lines were markedly inferior to the controls, being either small or prostrate or very erect and stemmy. Many lines were very suscept,ible to Puccinia poae-nemoralis Otth., a rust which is frequent among local populations of P. pratensis. It was concluded that introduced Poa species arc unlikely to Ibe of agricultural importance in New Zealand although P. pratensis may be valuable in areas of dry summers and cold winters such as the Mackenzie Country. It is suggested that further trials be carried out in this area including local ecotypes of P. pratensis.
