Length of Herbage

A structural quality performance standard which states the desired height, in millimetres, at which the grass for the specific surface is to be maintained. There are typically different parameters for playing season and non-playing season periods, or for the main growing season and the non-growing season. The main growing season will typically be from April to September, although there will be months either side in certain areas of the UK where growth is transitioning from the non-growing season.

  Live Ground Cover

A characteristic which is used to evaluate how well a turfgrass cultivar, especially on winter games pitches such as football and rugby, tolerates wear. A cultivar and sward which is more resilient will be able to maintain better live ground cover for longer periods throughout a playing season.

  Moss [2]

A structural quality performance standard which states the maximum amount of moss, as a percentage, in the surface being maintained.

  Nets - Holes or Gaps

A presentational quality performance standard which states the maximum number of holes or gaps in which a tennis ball can pass through in a tennis net. Typically, this will be zero.

  Organic Matter [2]

A structural quality performance standard which states either the maximum amount, as a percentage, of organic matter content within a soil. A range may also be given, for example, between 2% and 6%.

  Other Undesirable Grass Species

A structural quality performance standard which states the maximum amount of undesirable grass species, as a percentage, in the surface being maintained. The standard can be qualified to also state the specific species, which might be more than one, which are considered undesirable by the manager of a site. Annual meadow grass will usually be identified as a separate performance standard, so this will typically leave Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus) or may be Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) in longer grassed areas, and whatever else is considered undesirable that the particular situation. For exa

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  Performance Criteria

Two or more characteristics of a product or service that are measured. For example, this might be root depth and total ground cover.

  Performance Criterion

A single characteristic of a product or service that is measured. An example might be the height of vegetation, or grass length on a turf surface.

  Performance Index

Often a single figure or value that is calculated from the sum of a range of indicators and parameters. The index usually provides an aggregated measure of the impact the relevant subject matter is having when compared with a target measure. The index might be represented by a value related to a maximum achievable value (e.g. 7 against a maximum of 12), or as a percentage (e.g. 83%).

  Performance Indicator

A measure of performance, such as performance criteria used to evaluate a service or product. There are many performance criteria used in helping to describe a particular product, such as a football pitch. Fewer, but core performance criteria are used in evaluating the success of such a product. A performance indicator for a sports surface could also include cost-effectiveness; actual usage related to carrying capacity; income generated from usage; accidents or injuries from maintenance activities; and pitch usage. A range of performance indicators would be utilised with an evaluation exercise.