The impact of turf colorants and overseeding practices on the dormant bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon l.)

Abstract

This research was carried out between May 2016 and February 2018 on the experimental field of Bayindir Vocational Training School at Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. The research study was a pioneer attempt in a Mediterranean area, conducted in two consecutive steps. In the first step, turf color performances of five different turf colorants were tested on a dormant Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon L.) stand. Dormant Bermuda grass was overseeded with eleven different varieties of cool-season turf grasses in the second step of the study and color, texture and turf quality traits together with the rate of weed invasion and cover were determined. As the results of the study, SP Green, Ecolor Koyu and Ecolor Acik were identified as the brands demonstrating the greatest visual impact on the plots where the turf colorants were applied. Additionally, Poa pratensis cultivars were found to be completely inadequate among the tested varieties to compete with Bermuda grass during the summer months, Agrostis stolonifera demonstrated the most successful performance in the second year compared to other cool-season turf cultivars tested in the research.