Tuesday, 8 November 2005
16

Ryegrass Overseeding Rate Affects Bermudagrass Sod Strength and Rooting Strength.

Barry Stewart, H. Wayne Philley, D. Wayne Wells, and Gregg C. Munshaw. Mississippi State University, Dept. of Plant & Soil Sciences, Box 9555, 117 Dorman Hall, Mississippi State, MS 39762

There is a small niche market for bermudagrass sod over-seeded with a cool season grass, such as perennial ryegrass. Uses for this sod could include repairs at sports facilities and projects that need immediate green cover. An experiment was initiated 2004 and continued in 2005 to examine rooting and sod strength in over-seeded bermudagrass sod. In 2005, ‘MS-Pride' berumudagrass (Cynodon dactylon x C. transvaalensis) was over-seeded with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) at four seeding rates (0, 294, 588, 1176 kg ha-1). From March to May of 2005, squares (30 cm x 30 cm) of the overseeded sod were transplanted onto expanded metal frames in a nursery and rooting strength was evaluated by measuring the amount of force needed to break the frames free after transplanting. In 2004 sod rooting was evaluated approximately 30 days after planting and in 2005 sod rooting was evaluated at 21, 42, 63 and 84 days after planting. Sod strength was evaluated at harvest using a sod-pulling table. In 2005 on March 31, 21 days after planting non-overseeded bermudagrass sod had a rooting strength of 136 kg m-2 while the overseeded sod had significantly higher rooting strength values of 477 kg m-2 for the 294 kg ha-1 overseeding rate, 504 kg m-2 for the 588 kg ha-1 overseeding rate, and 472 kg m-2 for the 1176 kg ha-1 overseeding rate. On April 22, 2005, sod strength on the non-overseeded samples was 27.7 kg while the overseeded samples had strength values of 39.7, 78.4 and 89.4 kg respectively. Overall, ryegrass overseeding generally improved the handling characteristics of the sod and provided improved sod and rooting strength.

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