Species Selection, Pre‐Plant Cultivation, and Traffic Affect Overseeding Establishment in Bermudagrass Turf

Abstract

It is common for turf managers to overseed bermudagrass [Cynodon spp. (L.) Rich.] in autumn with cool‐season turfgrasses to enhance playing conditions and to provide a green playing surface with desirable color. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of pre‐plant cultivation technique and post‐establishment traffic on the establishment of five overseeding species into a sward of bermudagrass. Plots were assigned one of three pre‐plant cultivation treatments of aerification, verticutting, or an untreated control. Five cool‐season turfgrasses including annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), intermediate ryegrass (L. perenne × L. multiflorum), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), perennial ryegrass (L. perenne L.), and tetraploid perennial ryegrass (L. perenne L. 2n = 4x = 28) were overseeded 24 Sept. 2007, 17 Oct. 2008, and 28 Sept. 2009. Traffic was applied for three consecutive weeks beginning 1, 2, or 4 wk after planting or left untrafficked. Aerification and verticutting applied before seeding improved establishment compared to the untreated control. Perennial ryegrass was consistently among the species with the highest coverage across cultivation methods and traffic timings, while meadow fescue consistently had the poorest coverage across cultivation methods and traffic timings. Traffic initiated 4 wk after planting was more detrimental than traffic initiated 1 or 2 wk after planting. Based on these results, turfgrass managers would have best overseeding establishment by using aerification or verticutting as a pre‐plant cultivation technique and perennial ryegrass as a species.