Thursday, November 8, 2007 - 10:30 AM
337-11

Comparison of Bermudagrass Green Winter Painting and Overseeding.

Haibo Liu, Lambert McCarty, Williams Sarvis, Christian Baldwin, and Steven Long. 253 P&A Building, Clemson University, Department of Horticulture, Clemson, SC 29634-0319

‘TifEagle’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. X C. transvaalensis Burtt-Day) putting green established in summer 2002 by using sprigs was used for the two year study from 2005 to 2007.  Treatments included three main blocks of dormant, overseeded, and painted. Three paints were Green Lawnger, Titan, and ReGreen and within each main block, three mowing heights were applied at: 3.18, 3.97, and 4.76 mm in October till the lat mowing before painting. Fertilization and Primo treatments were in split-split blocks including 100% liquid fertilizer and 100% granular fertilizer with/without Primo at trinexapac-ethyl (TE, Primo), at 0 or 0.025 kg a.i./ha every three weeks from June 1 to August 31. In the two winters, the initial painting was applied in the first week of December and in the first week of February with the second painting using a regular painting roller to plots 1 m x .85 m. After two years thorough evaluation, the results and conclusions are as the followings:

-           Winter painting provides adequate green color and playability with a faster ball speed in comparison with overseeded treatments at the same mowing height. Differences in ball speed were not found between winter dormant treatments and painted treatments.

-           Different paint brands show different color quality and longevity and with different preferences evaluated by senior turf major students four times in the winter seasons in addition to routine evaluations by the investigators. Titan was the most favorable paint among the three paints evaluated.

-           Lower mowing heights of 3.18 and 3.97 mm provided a slightly better painting quality.

-           Neither Primo nor liquid fertilizer had effects on winter painting quality but with significant enhancements for summer month performance.  Liquid fertilizers also enhanced the winter overseeded turf quality.

-           All painted treatments had slightly higher surface (2 to 3 degrees) and soil temperature and with an enhancement of spring green-up in comparison with overseeded and dormant treatments.  Differences were not found among three paints in surface and soil temperatures.

-           Overseeded with granular fertilizer treatments had the poorest spring green up and slowest ball speed.


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