Shade and Traffic Tolerance of Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass.

Shade and traffic can reduce turfgrass coverage and playability on both golf courses and sports fields. The objective of this study was to evaluate cultivars and species for differences in response to continuous shade as well as simulated traffic. Five cultivars of bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) and seven cultivars of zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) were planted in the summer of 2007 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and maintained under typical golf course fairway conditions. Plots were shaded continuously beginning spring 2008 with a 50% light reducing fabric. A second study was implemented in the summer of 2008 using the same plot space to determine traffic tolerance using the Cady traffic simulator. Digital image analysis was used to quantify turfgrass coverage for evaluating shade and traffic tolerance of cultivars. ‘Patriot’, ‘Tifsport’, and ‘Zenith’ had poor shade tolerance compared to other cultivars tested. ‘Meyer’, ‘Palisades’, Patriot, and Zenith had poor traffic tolerance regardless of the shading treatment. ‘Cavalier’, ‘Zorro’, ‘El Toro’, ‘Tifway’, ‘Princess-77’, and ‘Riviera’ had good shade and traffic tolerance.