EFFECTS OF OVERSEEDING TIMES ON DIFFERENT WARM SEASON TURFGRASSES: DORMANCY PERIODS, GERMINATION AND SEASONAL TRANSITION CHARACTERISTICS

This study was conducted in the research fields of Field Crops Department of Agriculture Faculty, Ege University, Izmir/Turkey during 2014-2016 years. Some commercial and widely used warm season turfgrasses (Cynodon dactylon cv. SR9554, Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis cv. Tifway-419) in addition to newly introduced turfgrasses (Paspalum vaginatum cv. Sea Spray and Zoysia japonica cv. Zenith) were chosen as plant material. To search the effect of overseeding techniques imposed in four different times (September 15, September 30, October 15 and October 30) on these selected warm season turfgrasses during fall season were aimed. For this purpose, dormancy period (day), germination speed (day), cover speed (day), fall transition (19 score) and spring transition (1-9 score) were tested in quality characteristics. Results of the study displayed that Lolium perenne L. can be practiced successfully in the ecologies like our trial location in Mediterranean ecology, in order to eliminate the problems of warm season turf grasses in the dormancy process observed in winter season. Additionally, it was concluded that optimum overseeding time should be October 15.