An Evaluation of the Growth and Quality of Monoculture and Seed Mixtuers of Cool- Warm Season Turfgrasses in Temperate Area

Abstract

This study was conducted during 2009 and 2010 to compare different turfgrass species and their seed mixtures. In this reserch the turfgrasses Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L. ‘Merion’), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. ‘Barball’), common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) and Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) in monoculture or in mixtures of 1:1 and a 1:1:1:1 along with a sport turfgrass-DK (Douglass King Co.) based on seed number were used. The experiment was performed as a complete randomized block design with 12 treatments (turfgrass types) and four replications (individual plots). The turfgrasses were compared by measuring visual quality, chlorophyll index and mean rooting depth after winter and summer, verdure and/or root fresh and dry weight, tiller density, and clipping fresh weight. Poa+Lolium seed mixture was the best treatment and had high visual quality, chlorophyll index and mean rooting depth after winter and summer and tiller density. Poa monoculture had high root fresh and dry weight. The highest verdure fresh and dry weight was, obtained in Cynodon+Festuca seed mixture. Although according to measured characteristics, P+L seed mixture was better than other treatments, but in some parameters no significant differences were found between this mixtures with Festuca monoculture and L+F and P+F mixtures. Therefore, additional researches are needed to evaluate these mixtures with different seed ratio in same places

Keywords

• Cynodon, Festuca, Lolium, Poa, seed mixture, turfgrass