Turf performance of seeded bermudagrass cultivars - GCSAA

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consistently highest among seeded cultivarsin rhizome density. Princess, oneof the denser cultivars, had few rhizomeson some dates of measurement.Other cultivars with high rhizomedensity were Sundance and ED1. Mostcultivars were not significantly differentfrom Arizona Common. Tifwayproduced more rhizomes than anyseeded cultivar.Spring green-upSpring green-up of bermudagrassshould not be confused with winter survival.We applied the spring green-uprating in years when temperatures hadbeen mild and there was no significantwinterkill.Spring green-up indicates the rate atwhich the cultivars break winter dormancyand begin spring growth. In thetest that we seeded in 1996, all plots survivedthe two winters that followed, butcultivars responded differently to thetwo different winters. In 1997, Guymondisplayed the earliest green-up, whileTifway and Arizona Common rankedamong the latest. In 1998, Tifway wasearly, while Guymon ranked among thelatest, with Arizona Common.Savannah displayedimproved springgreen-up over NuMexSahara and ArizonaCommon in bothyears of rating. Severalyears of evaluation areneeded to properlyrank the spring greenupof these cultivars.The minimum air temperature was near0 F.Local golf courses and some sodfarms experienced extensive winterkillof Tifway. Many fairways requiredreplanting, and Tifway sod was in shortsupply. Should fairways be plantedwith seed?Our Tifway plots established fromvegetative plugs in July displayed 55 percentwinter survival. Among the seededcultivars, Guymon averaged 17 percentsurvival while other cultivars displayed0 to 3 percent. Most of the same cultivarswere reseeded in June 1996 withonly minimal winter injury observedthe following spring.Our plots for the 1997 nationalbermudagrass test were planted July 10,1997. All plots — vegetative and seeded— were well established and under routinemowing before frost and winterdormancy. The 1997-1998 winter wasmild with the minimum air temperatureapproximately 20 F. Even so, theseeded cultivars suffered severe winterinjury. Vegetative cultivars (includingTifway) in the same test and seeded cul-continuedR E S E A R C HWinter survivalWe believe thepotential for winterkillduring theestablishment year is acritical factor indeciding whether toestablish bermudagrassfrom seed. Thefirst of these tests wasseeded on June 22,1995. The followingwinter in Mississippiwas considered severe.After the severe winter of 1995-96, Tifway bermudagrass displayed better survival than any seeded cultivar.Golf Course Management ■ November 1998 4
continued from p. 65tivars in the adjacent 1996 plantingshowed almost no injury.Among the seeded cultivars in the1997 test, Princess and the experimentalcultivars PST-R69C, SW 1-11 andOKS 95-1 had the best winter survival(greater than 80 percent survival comparedwith Arizona Common at 18 percent).Because this was a mild winter itshould not be concluded that theseeded cultivars with higher winter survivalin the establishment year are morecold tolerant.For our region we recommend seedingbermudagrass in spring and earlysummer if it will be maintained at lowmowing heights because close mowingincreases winterkill of bermudagrass. Iflate seeding is necessary, then raising themowing height late in the growing seasonmay increase chances of success.AvailabilitySeed production is often traded awayas breeders strive to improve the turfqualities of cultivars. That means it’soften hardest to obtain seed for thebest grasses.We contacted the sources of the topthree seeded bermudagrasses —Princess, Sundance and Savannah —and found that the initial seed productionof Princess (Seeds West Inc.) waslow, and the seed was not widely availablein 1998. Better availability isexpected in 1999. Seed yield ofSundance (Lesco) has been unacceptable.Sundance II has been selected forimproved seed yield. We look forward toevaluating Sundance II’s turf qualitybeginning in 1999. Supply of Savannah(Pure Seed Testing) is also limited atpresent but should be good by 2000.SummaryNew seeded bermudagrass cultivarsoffer improvements in turf density, leaftexture and turf quality. Lower and moreprostrate growth habit enables these newcultivars to perform at lower mowingheights than Arizona Common.Late seeding combined with lowmowing height may result in poor wintersurvival during the establishment year.Although the top turf performershave not yet produced enough seed tomeet demand, the future looks brightfor seeded bermudagrass. And althoughseeded cultivars have not met the performanceof Tifway, this goal is muchnearer than it was just a decade ago. ■References1. Alderson, J., and W.C. Sharp. 1994. Grass varietiesin the United States. USDA Agric.Handbook No. 170. U.S. Government PrintingOffice, Washington, DC.2. Baltensperger, A.A. 1989. Registration of‘NuMex Sahara’ bermudagrass. Crop Science29:1326.3. Baltensperger, A.A., and V. Meier. 1993.Registration of ‘Sonesta’ bermudagrass. CropScience 33:876.4. Fraser, M.L., and C.A. Rose-Fricker. 1998.Registration of ‘Savannah’ bermudagrass. CropScience 38:279.5. Samudio, S.H., and A.D. Brede. 1997.Registration of ‘Jackpot’ bermudagrass. CropScience 37:1380.6. Samudio, S.H., and A.D. Brede. 1998.Registration of ‘Cheyenne’ bermudagrass.Crop Science 38:279.7. Samudio, S.H., and A.D. Brede. 1998.Registration of ‘Sundevil’ bermudagrass. CropScience 38:537-538.8. Taliaferro, C.M., R.M. Ahring and W.L.Richardson. 1983. Registration of ‘Guymon’bermudagrass. Crop Science 23:1219.R E S E A R C HEven after a mild winter in Mississippi in 1997-98, bermudagrass cultivars seeded in July 1997(front) displayed severe winter injury compared with second-year plots (back) seeded inJune 1996.H. Wayne Philley is senior research assistant inMississippi State University’s department of plantand soil sciences. Jeffrey V. Krans, Ph.D., is professorof agronomy in the department.Golf Course Management ■ November 1998 5
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Turf performance of seeded bermudagrass cultivars - GCSAA

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