Rigby Taylor’s Seed & Linemarking Product Manager, Jayne Leyland, gives some advice on the right seed cultivars to consider when planning overseeding.

With so many perennial ryegrass sports blends available, the fundamental expectation for all will be fast establishment and good wear tolerance. However, it really is worth looking a bit deeper than just the headline cultivars and particularly how the blend is put together as this can make a big difference to playing quality.

The percentage of each cultivar within the blend should always be well balanced. For example, including a top-rated cultivar at only 10% provides little benefit in a 100% ryegrass blend. This is particularly important if much of the seed in the bag comprises a high imbalance of any single cultivar and/or poor wear tolerant cultivars.

Sports pitches – 

Recovery capability plays such a vital role as the season progresses in helping to keep a consistent playing surface. For example, R14 is not only a balanced, top performing blend for wear tolerance but also top rated for recovery; strengthened with the inclusion of new cultivar Cameron which has the highest score for recovery in Turfgrass Seed 2020.

Cricket squares and outfields – 

A balanced blend is just as important for cricket squares. Ultra fine dwarf rye blends such as R9 with low crowns and fast recovery from very close mowing (especially when frequent rotation of pitches is needed) provide a combination of desirable characteristics for cricket squares to help promote even coverage.

R9 is also recommended for overseeding cricket outfields used as winter sports pitches. Extremely hard wearing and with two of the best rated cultivars Angelina and Estelle for very fast recovery. This R9 mixture can cope much better than a “traditional” sports rye blend, when mowing height is drastically reduced back down from sports pitch height to outfield height as the season transitions from winter to summer sports. For example, school playing fields that transition during the Easter break from winter games to cricket.

If Red Thread disease is a persistent issue, R91 is an extremely hard-wearing, ultra fine rye blend that features Duparc, the top-rated dwarf rye for Red Thread tolerance and Clementine, the highest rated for both shoot density and cleanness of cut. Just like R9, R91 can be used for both cricket squares and outfields.

Frequently drought-prone outfields may require a different solution altogether and mixes containing tetraploid ryegrass and fescues such as R6 CRT or Super Root are recommended, read on for more information.

Welcome to the extraordinary –

Perennial ryegrass has long been the traditional choice for sports pitch renovation, but let’s explore some progressive ryegrass options which have in recent years proven their worth in stadiums, training grounds, sports clubs and playing fields right around the UK.

Perennial ryegrasses bred for sports pitches are historically diploid, having two paired sets of chromosomes within each cell. Developed in recent years by Rigby Taylor’s grass breeding partner Top Green, Tetraploid amenity perennial ryegrass has four paired sets of chromosomes within each cell, doubling the number of chromosomes per cell compared with diploids. It is this physiological characteristic that delivers such exceptional benefits to the plant. High energy seed and growth in cooler conditions from 40C makes blends containing tetraploids such as R140 and Sports Field Renovation perfect for both renovation and transitional autumn overseeding and repairs.

For cricket outfields and bowler’s run-ups, R25CRT, R6 CRT and Super Root are excellent for repairing pre-season winter damage and for in-season repairs as well as end of season renovation. Superior cold temperature wear and robust re-growth helps keep surfaces in play though the high-pressure period. Not simply cold temperature performers, their high root mass also delivers greater drought tolerance and stability and their fast establishment is a benefit when repair windows are short at any time of year.

Faster and stronger –

All the ‘R’ Range grass seed blends are all treated with Germin-8T liquid seed treatment, adding value in both the short and longer term.

Germin-8T delivers genuine benefits without additional cost, not least in cold, wet conditions when the emerging seedlings are most vulnerable, making higher plant survival rates achievable. Not only beneficial for new sowings, Germin-8T is perfect for renovating pitches with existing grass cover as it supports the new seedlings to compete with the existing grasses. Unlike powder and clay seed coatings, Germin-8T liquid seed treatment is only 2% by weight meaning you can sow at the usual recommended sowing rate, plus there is no risk of broken particles or dust to block the seed drill.

Pre-applied to each individual grass seed, Germin-8T contains a speciality surfactant that activates on contact with soil moisture. Adequate moisture in the soil profile is essential to trigger germination so the speciality penetrating surfactant helps lower surface tension to aid faster water penetration through the seeds natural waxy seed coat (pericarp) into the seeds endosperm, speeding up germination.

During this early emergence phase, each seedling has immediate access to Germin-8T’s highly beneficial package of targeted nutrients, bio-stimulants and micronized mycorrhizal fungi that together aid early establishment, improved root mass development and accelerated leaf extension. Such accelerated establishment allows the young plant root system to benefit from the micronized mycorrhizal fungi, which delivers long-term symbiotic benefits to plant health.

The ‘T’ in the product name identifies that this advanced formulation contains Trichoderma atroviride, a filamentous soil fungus that forms a mutual endophytic, beneficial relationship with grass plants and delivers increased tolerance to Leaf Spot, Pythium and Rhizoctonia turf grass diseases.

Changes in climatic conditions and extreme localised weather events are dramatically challenging and shaping our environment. As if the damage caused by heat, drought and waterlogging were not enough to contend with, the revocation of recognised chemical controls for turf grass diseases only serves to increase the pressures.

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