2006 2007 Fairway Overseeding Trials University of Arizona

Abstract

Forty nine seeded entries were overseeded into Tifway bermudagrass maintained at 5/8" inch. Improved annuals showed better turf performance in most categories than GULF annual, while hybrid(intermediate ryegrasses) showed great improvement over original release material. Annuals and hybrids were more vigorous in plot establishment after emergence until late November/early December, when perennial types increased plot cover. Poa trivilais was slower to emerge than other grasses, but had excellent performance in the coldest parts of the winter season, only to decline early in the spring for overall turfgrass quality. Turfgrass color scores were greatest on 17 February and 27 March. On 17 February, the mean color scores ranged from a low value for Gulf annual (4.0), to the Jacklin blend which averaged 8.5 (Table 3). Other darker entries included the PHD blend (8.0), B-5.1095 ryegrass (8.0), B-6.1523 ryegrass (8.0) Pick EJ ryegrass (8.0), B-6.1523 (8.0), Brea ryegrass (7.8), Pavilion ryegrass (7.8), RX ryegrass blend (7.8), Acapella ryegrass (7.8) Ringer II (7.8) and PM 102 ryegrass (7.8). Physical mowing stress was evident on 2 May, in which grasses exhibited leaf tip shredding and elongated flowering culms. Gulf and Panterra annual aul ryegrass showed the least favorable mowing response. STR 4NV (intermediate ryegrass ) had mow stress-type symptoms similar to perennial ryegrass, which was much less than that of the annual types. On 19 June, bermudagrass plot cover ranged from 17.5% (Laser PT) to 100% cover on several other entries. The Rx ryegrass blend, Bar LM TL annual ryegrass, Leaguemaster blend, and Heat PR all had 100% bermudagrass cover. The non-overseeded checks had 95% bermudagrass on 19 June. There were nine entries with 90% or more bermudagrass, ten entries that had 80-85% bermuda, four entries that had between 85-90% Bermuda, and sixteen entries with 75% or less bermudagrass on 19 June. The Champion Fine mixture had 55% bermudagrass. PHD had 63%. Pavilion had 63% bermuda as well. The Poa trivialis entries had the least amount of bermudagrass present. Entries which had high quality scores on average throughout the entire test period (early November to July 12 included the entries, Champion RB (mixture of creeping red fescue and perennial ryegrass) (6.8) ; Champion GC (mixture of fine fescue and perennial rygrass) (6.8) ; the experimental ryegrass B-6.1523 (6.7) ; Jackilin Blend A (6.7) ; the experimental ryegrass B-6.1091 (6.9) ; and B-6.0756 (6.8) ; Entries which had generally throughout the entire season had good quality and high amounts of bermudagrass on 19 June included Heat (100%), STR 4TPC (93%), STR 4QT (90%), RX (100%), Jacklin Blend A (88%), B-6.1095 (95%), and Champion STF (98%). Other entries had a quicker transition, but had lower mean quality scores otherwise, while others had high quality scores, but a slower transition.