Wednesday, November 15, 2006
263-5
The effects of seeding rate on turfgrass cover when Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue are established in the presence of simulated traffic.
David Minner, Federico Valverde, and Ryan Pirtle. iowa state university, horticulture hall, ames, IA 50011
The purpose of this study was to determine optimum seeding rates for low, medium and high traffic athletic field systems. This research was conducted at Iowa State University’s athletic practice fields in Ames, Iowa during fall 2005. The first year of this study occurred in fall 2004. Three turfgrass species, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis ‘Unique’) (KB), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea ‘Millennium II’) (TF) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne ‘Catalina’) (PR), were evaluated, each at eight seeding rates. Seeding occurred via broadcast method on 2 September, 2005 . Seeding rates for KB were: 4.9, 14.7, 29.3, 43.9, 58.6, 73.2, 146.5, 219.7g∙m-2, TF: 24.4, 48.8, 73.2, 146.5, 219.7, 293, 439.4, 585.9 g∙m-2, PR: 24.4, 48.8, 73.2, 146.5, 219.7, 293, 585.9, 976.5 g∙m-2. Concentrated traffic was applied each week for ten weeks with a GA-SWC cleated traffic simulator. Six levels of traffic, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 passes wk-1, were applied to each seeding rate. Perennial ryegrass provided more turfgrass cover under all traffic regimes with KB providing the least amount of turf cover. Under most traffic regimes, significant differences were observed in the amount of percent turfgrass cover of all three species as the seeding rates increased. Under the highest traffic level however, Kentucky bluegrass failed to produce any turfgrass cover even when applying seed at 219.72g∙m-2. Under low traffic levels, 2-4 passes wk-1, turf cover was maximized at 95% with seeding rates of 439 and 586 g∙m-2 for TF and PR, respectively.