Cultivar, Seeding Rate, or Date Has Little Effect on Establishment of Dormant Seeded Buffalograss.

Little information exists on dormant seeding of buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.]. The objectives of these two studies were to determine how seeding rate affects establishment of 'Sundancer' buffalograss when dormant and spring-seeded, and to evaluate if cultivar or seeding date affects establishment of 'Cody', 'Bowie', or 'Sundancer' buffalograss when seeded at various dates during the winter and spring. In the first study, 'Sundancer' buffalograss was dormant seeded at 146, 244, or 293 kg·ha–1 in late November in 2012 and 2013 or spring-seeded in early May in 2013 and 2014. In the second study, 'Sundancer', 'Bowie', or 'Cody' was seeded at 146 kg·ha–1 in late November in 2013 and 2014, late January, March, and May in 2014 and 2015. Dormant seeding of buffalograss resulted in >80% cover by the following August in all studies. Increasing seeding rate had no effect on establishment of 'Sundancer', regardless of seeding date. Furthermore, there was no difference in turf cover by August following seeding of 'Sundancer', 'Bowie', or 'Cody' at 146 kg·ha–1 in late November, January, March, or May. Our results suggest that 'Sundancer', 'Bowie', or 'Cody' can be successfully dormant seeded at 146 kg·ha–1 from late November through late March, which allows establishment before the following winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]