Module 4:

4.2 What are they used for?

4.2.3 Grass seed

1   If you want to introduce the more desirable grasses then you will need to overseed the pitch with the relevant grass seed. There are several species of turfgrass available to the groundskeeper, however, the seed that is used on a football pitch will primarily contain the species Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne): One gram of this species might contain about 500, or more, seeds.

2   Some of the reasons why this grass species is commonly used for football pitch situations include:

•   It is hard wearing and has a relatively quick recovery time.
•   It is quick to germinate and establish.
•   It is less susceptible to many diseases, when compared with many other turfgrass species.
•   It grows well in a wide range of soils.

3   Within any turfgrass species there can be many types of plants with varying characteristics. These are called cultivars. Each year a publication called Turfgrass Seed is published which identifies and rates many of the available cultivars.

Some of the key characteristics for perennial ryegrass cultivars that are used for football pitches include:

•   Live ground cover (after wear).
•   Sward density.
•   Recovery from wear.

4   Mixtures (cultivars of different species) and blends (cultivars of the same species) of these are made by seed suppliers to create their own brand and product.