Low Maintenance Overseed Trials 2007– 2008

Abstract

Five hybrid ryegrasses were evaluated as low maintenance turfs against Gulf annual ryegrass an one turf-type perennial ryegrass, when mowed once a week at 2.75 inches. Among four improved hybrid ryegrass entries, several hybrid ryegrass entries did not statistically differ from the dark perennial ryegrass color as hybrid 05 ABL maintained dark color throughout the test from November 2007, to late April 2008. The entries 05 ABD, 04-1 LH and 04-2 LH all provided nominally dark color turfs, which held good color even up to the end of April. At a seed rate of 625 lbs PLS/acre, all entries produced acceptable "dense" turfs, with the exception of Gulf annual. The hybrids 05 ABL and 04-2 LH produced very dense turfs, with high apparent shoot densities very similar to that of perennial ryegrass. Both 04-1 LH and 0 5 ABD hybrids also produced satisfactory turf densities as well. While the perennial ryegrass "American Star" had very narrow leaves, the hybrid 04 2 LH also had fine leaves throughout the season. Hybrid 05 ABL was also fine textured. After emergence, 04-1 LH hybrid had somewhat wider leaves than some of the other hybrids, but it produced finer leaves shortly afterwards until the close of the test. Measured leaf widths ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 mm in February under peak performance conditions of growth and weather. American Star perennial ryegrass ranked highest for quality on most occasions, but was often included in the same statistical mean performance grouping (within the same LSD value range) with the hybrid entries of 04-2 LH, 04-1LH, 05 ABD, and 05 ABL. Froghair was generally better than Gulf annual in quality, while the check plots (nonoverseeded) showed green up by late April. At mid June, both Gulf annual and Froghair hybrid ryegrass had the least amount of overseed present, but the bermudagrass was not filling in quickly as other hybrids which had more bermudagrass cover present and less straw (from dead overseed) present. This was true for hybrids 05 ABL (41% bermuda: 13% straw), and 04-1 LH (25% bermuda: 11% straw). Therefore, there are hybrid entries which show better transition than Gulf annual, and at the same time produce lesser amounts of lingering necrotic tissue at transition.