Acta Hortic. 1232. ISHS 2019. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1232.29 Proc. VII International Symposium on Rose Research and Cultivation Ed.: F. Foucher 193 American Rose Trials for Sustainability ® (ARTS ® ): a new United States rose trialing program for identifying and promoting regionally-adapted roses G. Hammond 1 , D.C. Zlesak 2 , M. Schwartz 3 , P. Kukielski 4 , S. George 5 , M. Chamblee 6 , R. Nelson 7 , K. Zuzek 8 , K. McLean 9 , D. Freedman 3 and R. Fink 3 1 Houston Rose Society, 5020 Montrose Blvd., 9 th Floor, Houston, TX 77006, USA; 2 University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 410 S. 3 rd Street, River Falls, WI 54022, USA; 3 Naugatuck Valley Community College, 750 Chase Pkwy, Waterbury, CT 06708, USA; 4 20 Highland Street, Portland, Maine 04103, USA; 5 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252, USA; 6 Chamblee’s Rose Nursery, 10926 US Highway 69 North, Tyler, TX 75706, USA; 7 University of Minnesota Extension - Clay County, 715 11 th St. N., Suite 107B, Moorhead, MN 56560, USA; 8 39920 Trulson Road, North Branch, MN 55056, USA; 9 Terrain, 914 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA 19342, USA. Abstract There are numerous rose trialing programs worldwide that evaluate new roses in the marketplace and they differ in number of sites and climatic conditions represented, level of scientific rigor employed, the evaluation criteria used, maintenance of roses, determination of awards, and the transparency with which the programs are organized and supported. Here we present an overview of the American Rose Trials for Sustainability ® (ARTS ® ). ARTS ® is a new rose trialing program initiated in 2012 in the United States by experts representing universities, rose nurseries, public gardens, and rose societies with the shared goal of identifying and promoting strong performing roses evaluated under low-input conditions. The ARTS ® trials are managed by university scientists with years of experience in field research. The ARTS ® leadership team consulted a wide range of stakeholders to ascertain which rose characteristics were most important and developed a new evaluation protocol in response. As with other ornamental plant evaluation programs, attractive floral attributes and flowering throughout the season are highly valued (42.5% of score). Also of great importance are foliar health and quality (45%) and growth habit (12.5%). The scientific credibility and transparency of ARTS ® are strengthened in multiple ways including using the Köppen climate classification system for region delineation, a randomized complete block experimental design, and a generated code for each genotype to shield identities of the cultivars and breeders from evaluators. Awards are determined on a regional basis with those cultivars earning awards in four or more regions designated as Master Roses. There are seven roses earning awards for 2018, the debut of the program to the public, with three roses [‘True Passion TM ’ (‘LIM10’), ‘Icecap TM ’ (‘MEIradena’), and ‘The Peachy Knock Out ® Rose’ (‘RADgor’)] earning Master Rose designations. Keywords: plant evaluation, Rosa spp. INTRODUCTION The principal goal of award-designating cultivar trials is to identify the cultivars that meet the criteria of the award. There are dozens of rose trials throughout the world, and the criteria and how the trials are managed differ (i.e., use of pesticides, nutrition management, spacing of plants, duration of trials, etc.; WFRS, 2018). Those trials that prioritize criteria important to consumers, and not easily detected while looking at roses in the retail setting, especially benefit consumers. For instance, criteria recognizing regional adaptability under low-input conditions (e.g., regional disease, insect, and climatic tolerances) can help point consumers to those roses that given reasonable care, will have a high likelihood to succeed in their gardens and landscapes. In the US the disease black spot, for instance, is the most problematic and widespread fungal disease and there are different races of the pathogen