ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to evaluate the effect of drought stress on growth and turf quality of 24 accessions of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertner.) and ‘Rembrandt’ tall fescue, and to find the most drought-tolerant accession(s) of crested wheatgrass. The grasses were treated in well-watered or exposed to drought stress by withholding water for 20 days. Visual turf quality of drought-stressed plants had no significant differences with wellwatered plants until day 8 of drought and 1727 P10 had the highest turf quality at day 20 of drought. Cluster analysis classified the accessions and Rembrandt into five clusters comprised of drought tolerant (I), intermediate (II, IV and V) and susceptible (III) in response to soil drying. Turf quality, green tissue, relative water content and electrolyte leakage of cluster I (1727 M, 208 M, 4056, 2854 and 1727 P1) were 1.8-, 2.0-, 1.6- and 0.6-fold of cluster III (Rembrandt) under drought stress conditions, respectively. Genetic diversity of cluster I could be used for plant breeding programmes and introduction of the drought-tolerant accessions to turfgrass breeders for drought tolerance varietal development programme.

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