Winter overseeding zoysiagrass sports turf with cool-season turfgrasses in southern China

The effects of four cool-season turfgrasses and four seeding rates of each species on winter-spring quality and subsequent transition of 'Lanyin III' zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) sports turf were conducted in Guangzhou, China. The results demonstrated that higher overseeding rates can provide greater winter-spring quality but do not enhance the transition to zoysiagrass over lower overseeding rates. Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) transited to zoysiagrass better than perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), but the overseeded winter-spring quality of annual ryegrass was unacceptable. Perennial ryegrass was too persistent to fully transit to zoysiagrass even under high summer temperatures. Rough blurgrass (Poa trivialis) appeared not suitable for overseeding due to its weakness in competition and the difference in appearance compared with zoysiagrass. Tall fescue (Fescue arundinacea) was found to be the best species for winter overseeding on the zoysiagrass turf among the four cool-season turfgrasses studied because of its moderate competition in spring and the similarity in appearance with zoysiagrass. After evaluation of 'Lanyin III' zoysiagrass sports turf overseeded with tall fescue from winter to spring, it is suggested that winter overseeding rates of tall fescue should be between 20-30 g m(-2).