Difference Between C3 & C4 Turfgrass

Temperature

• Scientists classify C3 turfgrass as cool-season plants and C4 turfgrass as warm-season plants. C4 turfgrass grows best at temperatures of 85 to 105 degrees, while C3 turfgrass grows best in temperatures of 50 to 77 degrees. C4 grows best in summer and is not hardy in the cold, but rather goes dormant at temperatures below 60 degrees. C3 grows best in spring and fall, with problematic photorespiration in hotter, drier climates leading to possible root death.

Light

• C3 turfgrasses can tolerate shade while C4 turfgrasses cannot. In C3 grasses photosynthesis is slight to high and can occur in a quarter to half direct sunlight. In C4 grasses photosynthesis is high to very high but requires 100 percent direct sunlight to occur.

Water

• C3 turfgrasses lose water easily while C4 grasses retain water well. Therefore C3 grasses require more frequent and abundant watering than C4 turfgrasses and can become more easily stressed by drought in warmer weather.