Lack of Competitive Success of an Intraseeded Creeping Bentgrass Cultivar into an Established Putting Green

Abstract

Intraseeding is a popular approach for converting established golf course putting greens to a more desirable cultivar of the same species without killing the existing turf. This study was conducted to determine the competitive success of an intraseeded creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis palustris Huds.) cultivar in an established putting green using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Two replicate, United States Golf Association (USGA) specification greens, established with ‘Penncross’ creeping bentgrass, were arranged in a randomized complete block design with five conversion treatments as follows: control, scalping, coring, a trinexapac‐ethyl application, and a glyphosate application. Vertical mowing and topdressing were followed by subsequent seeding with ‘Penn G‐2’ creeping bentgrass (G‐2) in two directions at 12.2 kg seed ha −1 Treatments were performed in October 1998, April 1999, and September 1999. Pretreatment samples taken from each plot on 22 Sept. 1998 and posttreatment samples taken on 28 May 1999 and 24 Mar. 2000 were evaluated for changes in population dynamics using RAPD markers. By the end of the study, both glyphosate‐treated plots had completely shifted to G‐2, while plots subjected to other treatments showed no evidence of the cultivar. The detection of G‐2 in samples collected on 28 May 1999 suggested that a transient change occurred in the scalp (Exp. 2) treatment; however, evidence of G‐2 was no longer evident on 24 Mar. 2000. Data indicated that the effectiveness of the intraseeding techniques and timings used in this study to convert putting greens to a new cultivar were quite limited. This may have been due to unsuccessful elimination of root competition from the existing turf. Until more effective intraseeding methods are developed, chemical renovation remains the most effective way to ensure the establishment of new cultivars.