Field Evaluations

Disease Ratings
• Black Spot - Powdery Mildew
• 0=no mildew on plants
• 1=one or two isolated infections
• 2=slight infection throughout plant
• 3 to 7=based on % leaves infected
• 8=most foliage, stems and peduncles with infection
• 9=heavy infection throughout plant
The above scale can also be used for Rust, Cercospora and Downy Mildew.

Flower Evaluation Scales
• Flower Intensity
• 0=no flowers
• 2=20% of plant surface with flowers
• 5=50% of plant surface with flowers
• 7=70% of plant surface with flowers
• 9=>90% of plant surface with flowers
Flower Intensity should be done at least monthly- each evaluation period needs to consider optimum intensity to avoid bias due to time of evaluation.
For best ratings the flowers need to be displayed above the foliage.
• Flower Cleaning
• 0=flower does not lose petals and balls (ie Belinda's Dream), needs dead heading
• 5=good, petals tend to turn brown before falling
• 9=petals fall cleanly before turning brown and ugly

Overall Rating
• Landscape Performance Rating
• 1=large leaf loss and weak plant with excess of deadwood
• 2=same as 1 but does not have as much deadwood and shows signs of vigor
• 3=large leaf loss but has good vigor and little dead wood
• 4=some leaf loss but little disease and good landscape appearance
• 5=little if any disease, good vigor with little or no disease loss, outstanding landscape appearance
1 and 2 is unacceptable.
3 has good regrowth potential and might work with some chemical disease control.
4 would be minimum for Superstar status.
5 reserved for outstanding varieties.