Performance of Annual and Perennial Ryegrass Mixtures for Winter Overseeding into Three Warm‐Season Turfgrass Species

Abstract

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is commonly overseeded into warm‐season turfgrasses during the fall to create a temporary, actively growing green cover. Excessive persistence of perennial ryegrass cultivars can increase management inputs and prolong the spring transitional period. A 2‐yr field study was conducted to investigate the effects of three ryegrass overseeding treatments on winter turf performance and spring transition rate for three warm‐season turfgrasses maintained at a golf fairway height. Treatments included improved turf‐type annual (Lolium multiflorum Lam. ‘Panterra’) and perennial ryegrasses (‘Premier II’ and ‘Peak’) sown into ‘Tifway’ hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt Davy], ‘Cavalier’ zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp. Willd.), or ‘Sea Isle 1’ seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Sw.). Visual assessments of turf quality were performed throughout the spring and early summer. Warm‐season and cool‐season plant density was assessed by measuring shoot counts, aboveground dry weight, and light entering the canopy each May and July. Annual ryegrass alone or within a perennial ryegrass mixture provided acceptable winter turf quality and hastened spring transition but did not consistently improve warm‐season turf recovery over perennial ryegrass alone in bermudagrass or seashore paspalum. Overseeding zoysiagrass resulted in unacceptable turf quality during the summer, regardless of overseeding treatment. In general, warm‐season turfgrass overseeding potential, as defined by spring transition and summer recovery, was ranked as follows: seashore paspalum > bermudagrass > zoysiagrass.