The experiment was carried out at the Variety Testing Station in Chrząstowo (53°09’ N; 17°35’ E). The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of a cover crop (spring barley) and sowing times (spring and summer) on the growth and development, chlorophyll content and photosynthesis rate of three subspecies of red fescue (ssp. rubra, trichophylla and commutata) in the first and second year of growth. Spring barley had a negative effect on leaf greenness index and development of the red fescue undersown crop in the year of establishment. Red fescue sown at the end of July developed as that sown at the beginning of the month. Delay of sowing until the middle of August resulted in reduction in plant tillering and height and in the photosynthesis rate of the youngest leaves in the year of establishment and of the flag leaf in the first production year. Fast growth rate of the creeping cultivar Nista may indicate a higher usefulness of this cultivar for sowing with a cover crop as compared with chewing cultivar Mirena and short creeping Womira.

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