TRINEXAPAC-ETHYL AND OVERSEEDING EFFECTS ON SHEAR STRENGTH AND 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 and shear strength. 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. Shear tests were conducted using the Clegg shear tester once wk-1 for the same period. The main effect of cultivar was significant (p Quickstand=Yukon) and overseeding at the medium and high rates. Significant differences (p Tifway =Yukon (2007) and with Riviera ≥ Quickstand > Tifway = Yukon (2008). Significant differences (p0.05) in either year for traffic tolerance or shear strength.