Trinexapac-Ethyl and Overseeding Effects On Tolerance to Simulated Traffic of Four Bermudagrass Cultivars Grown On a Sand-Based System.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) is often used for athletic fields due to its wear tolerance and recuperative ability. Studies were conducted May 2007 through November 2008 in Lexington, Kentucky.  The cultivars ‘Quickstand’, ‘Tifway’, ‘Riviera’, and ‘Yukon’ grown in a sand-based medium were used to investigate differences in wear tolerance.  Trinexapac-ethyl (TE) was applied at label rates and frequencies or untreated. Overseeding treatments were perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) at 0, 612, and 1225 kg PLS ha^-1.  Traffic treatments were applied with a Brinkman traffic simulator 3 d wk^-1 August through October.    The main effect of cultivar was significant (p<0.05) in traffic tolerance (Tifway=Riviera > Quickstand=Yukon) and overseeding at the medium and high rates.  Applications of TE did significantly improve turfgrass quality, but were not significant (p>0.05) in either year for traffic tolerance.