RESEARCH
ANTEP 5 gets green light A
GCSATech, the technical division of the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association, has recently established a number of valuable ryegrass trials on behalf of the Sports Turf Association of Victoria (STA Victoria) and the Australian Seed Federation (ASF). Both trials have been established at Evergreen Turf’s Pakenham farm in southeast Melbourne during autumn and will run concurrently to provide vital information for the wider sports turf industry. The larger of the two trials comprises the latest round of the Australian National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (ANTEP 5) conducted by the ASF. Over a two-year period this trial will assess a number of ryegrass varieties, both in a permanent stand and oversown into an existing couchgrass surface. The STA Victoria trial will focus on the transitioning of ryegrasses out of a couchgrass surface. 36
AGCSATech senior agronomist Bruce Macphee outlines some important new ryegrass trials being undertaken by the Australian Seed Federation and STA Victoria.
Ryegrass is commonly used on first grade council ovals and elite sports surfaces, where it is either established as a permanent surface or oversown into an existing warm-season grass
AUSTRALIAN TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT 22.3
sward to provide an adequate surface with growth and recovery potential during the winter sports season. The transition period at the end of the winter sports season and preparing the various sporting surfaces for summer competition, is often the most difficult period for a turf manager, with a quick turnaround (often a matter of days) between the end of winter sport and start of summer sport. Pressure placed on sports turf surfaces through increased participation and usage often leads to the percentage of warmseason turf coverage being compromised, particularly in high wear areas. Couchgrass does not compete favourably when oversown with other grasses and any areas with thin or reduced couchgrass coverage toward the end of summer can result in an unstable bare area developing in spring when ryegrass is removed or allowed to transition out.
PHOTOS: AGCSATECH
It is the first time in 12 years that the ANTEP will assess new ryegrass varieties on the market