Pickseed West, a worldwide leader in the development of fine turfgrass varieties, was granted US Patent No. US 6,444,880 for the development of "Stable Intermediate Ryegrass Varieties." These varieties, which the company markets under the Transist , Transeze, and Transist 2200 brand names, are the result of a multi-year series of crosses between annual and perennial ryegrass, and are developed specifically for winter season overseeding on golf courses. This "transitional ryegrass" combines the most desirable characteristics of annual and perennial ryegrasses; it establishes rapidly and beautifully in the Fall, provides durable and attractive turf cover during the cool winter months, and transitions out quickly and completely in the Spring as the dormant Bermuda grasses resume growth.

Jerry Pepin, Pickseed West President states, "We’re very pleased to make this announcement. Our Transitional Ryegrass products offer great performance and aesthetic benefits to turf managers. And since our varieties are stable and true-breeding we’ll be able to ensure highly consistent product quality, which has not traditionally been possible with intermediate ryegrasses."

Stability of the variety is the key unique characteristic of Pickseed’s patented intermediate ryegrass development process. Intermediate ryegrasses are crosses between annual and perennial ryegrass. They have been developed for years, but have never been stable and true-breeding, and revert back to annual or perennial types over time. Pickseed’s development process produces intermediate varieties that are genetically stable from generation to generation, enabling reliable production of the consistently high-performing varieties from year to year.

Pickseed’s intermediate ryegrass varieties possess other unique performance characteristics, as well. Pickseed varieties such as Transist 2200 truly combine the most desirable features of their annual and perennial roots. These grasses establish quickly and have a thick, lush texture and deep green color. They stand up well to mowing, heavy traffic and a range of weather conditions. They also disappear quickly and completely at the end of their limited lifespan.

This is all very important to turf managers for certain applications. Many golf courses in the South are planted with Bermuda grass, which goes dormant during the cool winter months. It’s standard practice to overseed the course in the fall with a variety that will provide good seasonal turf cover. Turf managers in the northern states often need a quick-establishing, short-lived "nurse" grass to provide temporary cover on areas that are newly seeded with slower-growing perennial grasses, such as Kentucky Bluegrass. In both of these situations, Pickseed’s "Transitional Ryegrass" varieties deliver the ideal combination of rapid establishment, superior aesthetics and performance, and low persistence, and have earned their place as the top choice of many turf managers.

Mike Miles, Superintendent at the Venetian Golf and Country Club in Venice FL, is convinced of the benefits of using Pickseed’s transitional ryegrass. "Using these varieties alone or as a blend for overseeding purposes makes for a better transition in the spring," Miles said. "I have used them on both tees and fairways with great success."