Establishment of Bermudagrass Seeded with Annual Ryegrass

摘要

Seedling of perennial grasses often are subjected to intense competition and fail to establish a stand. This competition may come from weeds present in the seeded area or from other components of the seed mixture. Competition between plants on the same site may arise from demands for moisture or from normal plant metabolic materials present in the soil (inhibitors). In this study involving annual ryegrass and common bermudagrass, the problem of establishing bermudagrass in a ryegrass sod seems to be one of available moisture and excessive shading. Bioassay with various fractions of ryegrass failed to show any active inhibitors. The results of this study suggest application to problems in establishing turfs on roadsides as well as manipulating pasture forages. The highway engineer can successfully plant a mixture of annual ryegrass and unhulled bermudagrass in the eastern portion of Texas. Planting this seed mixture in late summer and fall will give him the benefit of soil protection from the annual ryegrass until the bermudagrass germinates the following spring. A single application of 1 pound per acre of paraquat prior to March 1 or 15 pounds per acre of dalapon prior to February 15 should suppress the ryegrass sufficiently for the bermudagrass to germinate and become established. Mowing was equally effective, but systematic mowing of the ryegrass stand is required. (Author)