Seed Research of Oregon Options in Overseeding Seed Research of Oregon A work in progress

SRO Research - Ryegrass Strategies High turf quality Rapid establishment Winter-active growth for overseed & sports fields Gray Leaf Spot resistance Other critical diseases - Brown Patch, Crown Rust, Leaf Spot, Red Thread - resistance Creeping types - better for sports fields & wear Salt tolerance

Why “salt tolerance”? *Increased use of waste or recycled effluent water to irrigate golf courses in arid regions *Increased water conservation - less flushing / leaching *Changing weather patterns – drought *Rapid Blight disease – salt tolerance *More golf courses being built in coastal areas with potential salt water intrusion into aquifers *Increased development of courses on poor quality land with soil & drainage issues

Ryegrass Overseed – salt issues TPC Scottsdale, Arizona Effluent Water, Drainage & Compaction Issues, Drought

Confirmed Rapid Blight

Turfgrass Salt Tolerance Overseed Use Species Good Tolerance Creeping Bentgrass, Chewings Fescue, Zoysiagrass Very Good Tolerance Bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass Creeping Red Fescue, Hard Fescue Exceptional Tolerance Seashore Paspalum, Alkaligrass Poor Tolerance Centipedegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Colonial Bentgrass, Rough Bluegrass, Annual Bluegrass, Annual Ryegrass, Transitional Ryegrass, Carpetgrass Fair Tolerance Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass

Relative Salt Tolerance Range and variation exists within any species Depends on cultivar / variety differences and selection / breeding / development

Preliminary Salt Tolerant PRG’s Brightstar SLT – 18% of parent plants screened for seedling salt germination. Mature plants showed salt tolerance at 17,000ppm for 9 weeks. Marketed for southern overseeding use, and “areas with cool moist maritime winters”. Charger II – some parent plants screened for seedling salt tolerance - final screening on mature plant salt tolerance and marketed for overseeding use. Palmer III – no salt tolerance screening when developed. In tests, Palmer III ranked close to Charger II for mature plant survival in salt solution. Marketed for southern overseed use.

Salt Tolerant Perennial Ryes Las Vegas effluent quality? Sea water – approx. 30,000ppm NaCl Oceans Aquarium Solutions 10,000ppm NaCL - 12,000ppm - 15,000ppm SEEDLING SALT TOLERANCE

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass 10,000ppm

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass 10,000ppm

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass - VIGOR

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass 12,000ppm

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass 12,000ppm

Seedling Salt Tolerance in Perennial Ryegrass 15,000ppm Solution Charger II - 0% germination/establishment Brightstar SLT - 1% germination/establishment SR4220 & SR4420 - 2% germination/establishment Penguin - 8% germination/establishment

Salt Tolerant and Other New Ryes STR 4PSLT - plants from SRO salt screening project planted and rogued for uniformity, color and yield. Includes germplasm from Penguin, plus SR 4420, 4220 and Hawkeye. Production fields planted Fall 2005. STR 4TPC - Progeny of PRG survivors in very heavy salt areas at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona. SRX 45AB - Winter-active material SRX 4QTR - Quick transitioning ryegrass

SRO Salt Screening in Other Turf Species Tall Fescue Bluegrass Bermudagrass Bentgrass

OTHER KEY BREEDING TRAITS Gray Leaf Spot Resistance 2004 Perennial Ryegrass NTEP Gray Leaf Spot Rutgers University Disease now confirmed in CA, OH, IN, IL Overseed & Permanent Turf

Gray Leaf Spot Resistant Ryes PEREGRINE - 1st cycle - certified seed SR 4550 - 2nd cycle - certified seed SR 4600 (SRX 4SP) - Certified this fall - brown patch resistance, lateral spread, highest turf quality HARRIER (SRX 4UP3) - Certified this fall - stress tolerant, high turf quality SRX 4682 (Hawkeye II) - Certified next fall - high gray leaf spot resistance SRX 4692 - Certified next fall – (SR 4220 derived) LCK - Certified next fall - High brown patch and GLS

Special Traits - Perennial Ryegrass CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS & UPGRADES SR 4550 – high seedling salt tolerance, superior gray leaf spot resistance SR 4420 - high gray leaf spot, high seedling salt tolerance, quicker transition SR 4220 - high gray leaf spot, high seedling salt tolerance, wear tolerance SR 4350 - high gray leaf spot resistance, improved wear tolerance SR 4500 - gray leaf spot resistance, superior density Hawkeye – fast establishment, high seedling salt tolerance, winter active growth Peregrine – excellent wear tolerance, very dense, very high gray leaf spot res. Penguin – very high seedling salt tolerance, high seedling vigor, winter active

Getting the Most From Your PRG Blend 3 variety blend POA FREE Certified seed / blue tag Only high performance updated ingredients Blending benefits and traits (Salt, RB, GLS, Transition…) *Shadow Creek *TPC courses nationwide *Augusta National SAMPLES!

Oregon Blue Tag Certified seed can contain Poa annua.

Champion GQ - Easier to Maintain……..

Species for Overseeding Ryegrasses Perennial, intermediate, annual Fine fescues Chewings, slender creeping red, strong creeping red, hard Bentgrasses Velvet, colonial, creeping, dryland, Idaho Bluegrasses Rough bluegrass, Kentucky, others Other species

Additional Overseed Solutions

Transitional ryegrass PR TR AR PR/TR

Transitional Ryegrass Strengths Rapid germination & establishment Less expensive seed Better Spring transition in south Germination and growth at cooler temperatures Moderate green color Less mowing requirement than annual Moderate seedling salt tolerance

Transitional Ryegrass Weaknesses Potentially poor mowing quality in Spring if mowing schedule delayed Lighter green color than current turf-type perennial ryegrass varieties Low salt tolerance as mature plants (Germination excellent with salts) - Larger seed size

Winter Overseeding Solutions Formulated Mixtures for golf course use in southern regions 3-way Perennial Ryegrass Blend + 30% Fine Fescue Tees, Fairways & Roughs Improved salt and Rapid Blight tolerance, darker color, improved shade tolerance, more active winter growth, improved spring transition SAMPLES!

SRO Ryegrass + Chewings Fescue 2003 - 2004 Fairway Overseed Univ. of AZ , Seeded Oct. 28 Entry Mean color Mean Texture Mean Quality SRO Fine 7.4 6.9 7.1 Racer II PR 6.2 7.2 6.9 Protocal 3 PR 7.2 7.0 6.8 Salinas Rye/Tiffany Ch 6.3 6.8 6.5 Allsport PR 6.1 6.8 6.3 Valley Select PR Bl 6.2 6.8 6.3 Overseeding Eagle 6.1 6.9 6.2 Gulf Annual 3.8 3.5 4.0 LSD@5% 0.5 0.7 0.5

Chewings Fescue - Overseeding Very fine with stiff texture – holds balls well Shade & low light tolerance Good wear tolerance Winter-active growth Improved transition with high quality Rapid germination Germinates only 1 to 2 days slower than perennial rye Smaller seedling Resistance to Labyrinthula / Rapid Blight Medium seed size

Chewings Fescue - Overseeding Good salt tolerance Dark green color Increase genetic diversity of mixtures Mixtures with perennial ryegrass, bentgrasses, Poa trivialis Seeding rates (alone) - Do not mow too soon Greens 25 - 30 lbs./1000 sq. ft. Tees 20-25 lbs./1000 sq. ft. Fairways 10-15 lbs./1000 sq.ft.

Champion Fine Chewings fescue Perennial ryegrass Seeds / lb. = 400,000 Perennial ryegrass Seeds / lb. = 200,000 15 lbs./1000 sq.ft. = 21 seeds/ sq. inch 70 % Perennial ryegrass / 30% Chewings fescue Seeds / lb. = 260,000 15 lbs./1000 sq. ft. = 27 seeds/sq. inch 12 lbs/1000 sq. ft. = 22 seeds/sq. inch

GREENS & TEES Overseed Solutions Slender Creeping Red Fescue Strengths High salt tolerance Resistance to Rapid Blight Short rhizomes for repair Tolerant of short cutting heights for greens, tees and fairways Excellent fall, winter and spring color Mixes well with other overseed species Perennial Ryegrass, Poa trivialis

Slender Creeping Red Fescue Where to use Fairways - areas with higher salt problems Greens and tees for overseeding in salt areas – (used for permanent greens in UK) Fairways & Mowed Roughs Blends with other fine fescues, colonial bentgrass, bluegrass and perennial ryegrass Dr. Gwen Stahnke - Washington State University Puyallup, WA Dr. Leah A. Brilman - Seed Research of Oregon

Dawson slender creeping red fescue Perennial ryegrass

Trials and Samples - Helena