Bermudagrass_Kyllinga_Dallisgrass_Golf

Shawn D. Askew - Virginia Tech

• Spot treatment techniques
• Dewberry (Rubus spp.)
• Dallisgrass and other Paspalum spp.
• Bermudagrass
• Nimblewill
• Kyllinga and yellow nutsedge
• Orchardgrass
• Deer-Tongue grass
• Sweet Vernalgrass

• Selective herbicides (few options)
• Tenacity, Pylex, Acclaim, Turflon, Ornamec
• Nonselective herbicides
• Spot spray
• “Glove in glove” method
• “Mop and bucket” method

+ + =

Photo by Steve McDonald, Turfgrass Disease Solutions, LLC

Roundup Pro applied
with Foam dabber and
viewed from 15 feet
away 14 DAT.
Roundup Pro applied
with pump sprayer and
viewed from 15 feet
away 14 DAT.

• Perennial broadleaf
• Extensive rhizomes
• Some species like
blackberry and raspberry
grow more upright and
dewberry grows along
ground

• Mowing helps make plant size more manageable for
herbicides
• Application timing is critical
• Not early spring soon after greening
• During bloom and just prior to frost are best
• Don’t spray soon after mow or mow soon after spray

• Metsulfuron (Manor, Blade, MSM Turf) at 0.5 oz/A
broadcast or 1.0 oz per 100 gallons as a spot treatment
• Roundup spot treatment (takes repeated treatments)
• Triclopyr (Turflon) – 16 oz/A rate, avoid hot periods of
year (fall treatment is best)

Thin paspalum (left) rachis curves along the back of the seedhead as it follows the contour of the
seed that are stacked in tightly. Dallisgrass (right) rachis is flat and straight and the seed are
aligned more stright. Dallisgrass is also broader or wider in the back.

Notice the curvy rachis
of thin paspalum.
Seeds are
stacked into
a thin
paspalum
seedhead.

Thin paspalum (top) has evenly-spaced hairs on the leaf margin, especially near the collar.
Dallisgrass (bottom) usually does not have hairs but a few may be found sticking out of the collar
like cat whiskers but they aren’t evenly spaced sticking out along the margin. Either plant can be
densely hairy so the above is talking about what is most common. It’s the margin hairs you key on.

Some examples of the hair characteristics of thin
paspalum.

Thin paspalum can
look like crabgrass or
dallisgrass. The
growth habits are
similar. The even
spaced margin hairs
and seedhead
separate the species.

Thin paspalum on fairway.
Thin paspalum in rough.

At fairway height, thin paspalum looks
most like smooth crabgrass. The only
hairs are the even spaced ones on the
margin and only near the collar.

Products that
controlled
Dallisgrass over
60%
Products that didn’t work
Herbicide
g ai/ha
Plateau (imazapic)
Thiencarbazone
Pylex (topramezone)
Roundup (glyphosate)
Amicarbazone 174 and 347
Flazasulfuron 27 and 53
Flucarbazone 30 and 59
Imazaquin 35
Mesotrione 280
Metribuzin 556
Metsulfuron 53
Quinclorac 843
Sulfentrazone 210 to 420

• Still no “good” control option
• Best selective sprays
• Pylex (1 to 1.5 oz/A every 3 weeks)
• MSMA (golf/sod only, 2.6 pt/A every 10 days, 3 times)
• Best nonselective approach
• Roundup (glyphosate) 10% “glove in glove”
• Roundup (glyphosate) 10% “mop and bucket”

• Compare stems
• Nimblewill stems are slim
• Bermudagrass stems are thick
• Nimblewill lacks creeping
stolons
Nimblewill
Bermudagrass

• Leaves are similar in size & shape
• Nimblewill = membrane ligule
• Nimblewill = slender spike seedhead
• Bermudagrass = fingered panicle
Nimblewill
Bermudagrass

•Acclaim Extra
•Ornamec
•Prograss
•Tenacity*
•Tupersan
•Turflon Ester
•39 oz/A
•24 oz/A
•174 oz/A
•8 oz/A
•24 lb/A
•32 oz/A
in
Tall Fescue

•Acclaim Extra
•Ornamec
•Prograss
•Tenacity*
•Tupersan
•Turflon Ester
•39 28 oz/A
•24 oz/A
•174 64 oz/A
•8 oz/A
•24 lb/A
•32 oz/A
in
KY Bluegrass

•Acclaim Extra
•Ornamec
•Prograss
•Tenacity*
•Tupersan
•Turflon Ester
•39 3.5 oz/A
•24 oz/A
•174 64 oz/A
•8 oz/A
•24 lb/A
•32 oz/A
in
Creeping Bentgrass

•Acclaim Extra
•Ornamec
•Prograss
•Tenacity
•Tupersan
•Turflon Ester
•120 oz/A/yr = 4 apps
•48 oz/A/yr = 2 apps
•384 oz/A/yr = 3-6 apps
•16 oz/A/yr = 2-4 apps
•215 lb/A/yr = 5-10 apps
•256 oz/A/yr = 8 apps
•$107
•$95
•$55
•$22
•$438
•$30

Banner Maxx 1 oz/M Check
Bermudagrass
Bentgrass
Bermudagrass
June 6, 2003

Prograss 3 oz/M + Banner Maxx
Sept 19, 2003

Prograss 3 oz/M + Cutless 0.25 oz/M + Banner Maxx
Sept 19, 2003

Tupersan 8 oz/M + Banner Maxx
Sept 19, 2003

Photo by Dean Graves, CGCS; Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase, MD

Common Bermudagrass Control in Blacksburg, VA
Pylex + Turflon
2 wk after 3 rd app.
Acclaim + Turflon
2 wk after 3 rd app.

BASF
Available June 2013 for turf - Pylex
Labeled for cool-season turfgrass
POST control of goosegrass, crabgrass,
nimblewill, ground ivy, and many others
Appears to be very effective on
bermudagrass and goosegrass

Control (%)
NS
12
25
30
28
All 3 times at 3-wk intervals

Control (%)
NS
31
40
36
47
All 3 times at 3-wk intervals

Pylex has Problems with These Weeds

Pylex is Excellent for These Weeds

Bentgrass (0.25 oz/A) Causes temporary
phyto but lasts only 4 days = 2 mowings
on bentgrass fairways. Kills Goosegrass,
suppresses bermudagrass

Left treated by Superintendent at 0.2 oz/A – Right Untreated

Rate:
Cost:
Tenacity
Drive XLR8
Acclaim Extra
Use Pattern
0.75 to 1.5 oz/A
$50 to $75/A
Competitors:
8 oz/A, $60/A
0. 5 gal, $60/A
28 oz, $140/A

Nimblewill: Apply Tenacity or Pylex at half rates 2-3
times at three-week intervals (use 0.25% v/v NIS with
Tenacity and 0.5% v/v MSO with Pylex). Fall apps are
better but spring works with more applications (more
regrowth potential).
Bermudagrass: Fall program of Pylex 1 to 1.5 oz/A +
Turflon 16 oz/A applied three times at 3-wk intervals
starting around mid August. To address bermudagrass
early season, Tenacity 4 oz/A + Turflon 16 oz/A is the
most cost effective. Acclaim 28 oz/A + Turflon 16 oz/A
is slightly more powerful than Tenacity but around 7
times more expensive. Can increase Turflon rate to 32
oz on tall fescue and ryegrass but not on KY blue and
fine fescue. Discontinue Turflon on last app. if seeding.

• Types of sedge in Northern Transition Zone
• Yellow nutsedge
• False green kyllinga
• Annual sedge
• Sedge habitat (I thought it was a dry summer?)
• Wet
• Hot
• Cultural practices may promote sedge
• The irrigation conversion
• Spring fertility
• Ignoring small infestations

• Sedgehammer (halosulfuron) @ 0.66 to 1.33 oz/A
• Hard to mix small tanks
• Use nonionic surfactant 0.25 % v/v
• Dismiss (sulfentrazone) @ 4 to 8 oz/A
• Rate is important 0.092 – 0.18 oz/1000 sg ft
• Don’t mix with surfactant, bdlf herbicide, or fertilizer
• Basagran (bentazon) @ 0.75 fl oz/1000 sq ft
• Repeat application at 2 wk interval
• Use methylated seed oil or other surfactant
• MSMA (No Longer Available)

Control (%)
100
80
34 DAT (41.9)
62 DAT (30.4)
60
40
20
0
Dismiss 4L
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375
Dismiss 4L
0.125 fb
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25 fb 0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375 fb
0.375
Dismiss G
0.125
Dismiss G
0.25
Dismiss G
0.375
Sedge
Hammer
WDG 0.062

Control (%)
100
PRE
At Emergence
80
60
40
20
0
Dismiss 4L 0.125 Dismiss 4L 0.25 Echelon 0.38 Echelon 0.75 Echelon G 0.38 Echelon G 0.75 Prodiamine WG

Control (%)
100
80
2 DAT (7.1)
7 DAT (9)
60
40
20
0
Dismiss 4L
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375
Dismiss 4L
0.125 fb
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25 fb 0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375 fb
0.375
Dismiss G
0.125
Dismiss G
0.25
Dismiss G
0.375
Sedge
Hammer
WDG 0.062

Control (%)
100
80
29 DAT (24.9)
62 DAT (17.4)
60
40
20
0
Dismiss 4L
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375
Dismiss 4L
0.125 fb
0.125
Dismiss 4L
0.25 fb 0.25
Dismiss 4L
0.375 fb
0.375
Dismiss G
0.125
Dismiss G
0.25
Dismiss G
0.375
Sedge
Hammer
WDG 0.062

• Dismiss 8 oz or less depending on turf type and
frequency of application. Depending on other sedges
in area, one approach is 8 oz/A broadcast on first
application then spot treat any Kyllinga escapes with 2,
4, or 6 oz/A .
• Sedghammer at 1 oz/A is also a great product for that
first blanket application and will allow rotation of
herbicide mode of action. Sedgehammer has less
activity on Kyllinga and is so slow acting that it is
difficult to spot treat unless you allow more than 4
weeks between applications.

Control (%)

• Selective control options are not clear cut. Products
like Tenacity and Pylex will have some activity but
likily will not control orchardgrass effectively.
• Repeat treatment of fluazifip (Fusilade, Ornamec) can
control orchardgrass but will also injure desirable tall
fescue and Kentuck y bluegrass turf. Fine fescues will
be more tolerant.
• Spot treatment techniques such as glove in glove and
mop and bucket will work well with Fusilade or
Roundup.

Control/reduction (%)
LSD = 14 LSD = 30

Biomass reduction (%)
LSD = 33

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

8 WAT Prior to Cutting 4 wk after Cutting

• This is some of the first herbicide efficacy work on
deertongue grass. It appears that spot treatment with
Roundup is a good nonselecive option.
• Higher rates, as spot treatments or otherwise, of grass
killers like fluazifop (Ornamec) should work well in
fine fescue nonmow areas.
• Celsius and Plateu have limited or no registration in
cool-season turfgrasses and need to be evaluate further
and obtain local-need registration if viable.

• Perennial grass
• Flowers early
• Morphological
variability
• Among top 10 weeds
submitted to VA
Weed Clinic

• Tenacity applied twice at 4 to 8 fl oz/A per treatment
at a three-week interval will control most sweet
vernalgrass.
• Pylex has not been evaluated but may also have
activity.
• Most other grass control herbicides do not work.