Bermuda grass trial variety

It is more widely grown north of the Coastal bermudagrass belt. Midland 99, a newer selection from this line, has a wider geographic range of adaptation. For Georgia, Midland fails to yield or persist as well as Tifton 44, so it is not recommended.

Tifton 68 was released from Dr. It is a hybrid of two highly digestible plant introductions. It has large stems and stolons no rhizomes that spread rapidly. However, Tifton 68 has poor winter-hardiness and is not recommended.

Tifton 78, released in , is a hybrid bermudagrass. Tifton 78 is the best of many crosses made between Tifton 44 and Callie. Compared with Coastal, Tifton 78 grows taller, has larger stems and a similar rhizome system, spreads much faster, is more easily established sprigs and tops , and starts growth earlier in the spring.

In tests at Tifton, this hybrid produced 25 percent more dry matter hay yields than Coastal and averaged 7. It has excellent resistance to leaf-spot, a foliage disease that destroys leaf tissue and reduces yields and quality. Tifton 78 is less winter-hardy than Tifton It is well-adapted throughout the Coastal Plain and may be grown to a limited degree in the lower Piedmont.

Plantings in the Piedmont may experience some stand thinning during winter, so Tifton 78 is recommended only for areas south of the Fall Line.

Tifton 85 was released soon after Tifton Tifton 85 has higher yields and quality than Tifton As a result, Tifton 85 is a better choice for new plantings than Tifton 78 in South Georgia and the Coastal Plain region. World Feeder, a naturally-developed, vegetatively propagated bermudagrass, was found by a producer in Oklahoma and has been marketed by Agricultural Enterprises of Oklahoma City. World Feeder is winter-hardy, but has demonstrated poor yields and digestibility in trials and demonstration plots in Georgia and several other states.

Therefore, it is not recommended for Georgia. Several other vegetatively propagated bermudagrass varieties are available, many of which are releases from university or USDA breeding efforts. Among these, Brazos, Hardie, Oklan, and Quickstand have not performed well in Georgia or are known to not be well-adapted. Seeded bermudagrass varieties generally have low yields and low forage quality when compared to improved hybrids.

However, sprigging an improved hybrid bermudagrass is expensive and risky, especially where small acreages drive up the cost per acre and rolling terrain leaves soil prone to erosion for a significant period of time. Producers often find that planting seed is the most feasible establishment option. Ironically, the most hardy and persistent varieties will often produce little seed. These varieties can be expensive. Seed companies will often help offset this problem by offering seed blends, so it is important to closely evaluate and compare seed tags.

These blends usually contain one or more of the top varieties in mixtures with varieties that are more prolific seed producers Table 2. Though these more prolific seed producers such as Giant and Jackpot grow very well in the establishment year, they are not usually persistent and are often very short lived in Georgia. However, by the time these components of the mix die out, the more persistent varieties may be capable of filling in the gaps.

Unfortunately, these gaps often exist in early spring when weeds are growing but the bermudagrass is not. Alternatively, companies may fill out a blend by mixing in common bermudagrass, some or all of which may have been hulled to remove the seed husk for faster germination. These blends may be prone to revert to common that is, common will ultimately dominate the stand. Despite the expense, seeding recommended cultivars alone not in a blend is more likely to lead to better results over the long-term because these varieties are more hardy, produce higher yields, limit weed intrusion, and maintain better quality.

Cheyenne, a seeded bermudagrass cultivar, has exceptionally good persistence, is winter-hardy in Georgia, and consistently performed well in yield trials throughout the state Tables 3a and 3b. Overall, it was one of the top varieties in the NTEP trial. Disease Resistance: This vigorous, medium fine-bladed cultivar adds excellent disease resistance to any warm-season blend throughout the hottest summer months.

It exhibited no dollar spot 9. Maya shows remarkable cold tolerance even in cold winter areas like Virginia where it exhibited no winterkill.

Maya displays very good resistance 7. Forage yields were harvested in successive years. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Plots were established in a conventionally-tilled, firm seedbed.

Phosphate P and potash K were applied according to soil test recommendations Table 1 and incorporated 3 inches deep during seedbed preparation. Sprigged plots were sprigged at four sprigs per 10 square feet, which is similar to a rate of 40 to 50 bushels of sprigs per acre. Seeded plots were seeded at 15 pounds of pure live seed per acre, which corresponds to the highest recommended seeding rate among participating companies.

Thirty pounds of actual nitrogen per acre 65 pounds of urea per acre was broadcast when stolons were three inches long. At subsequent years, P and K was broadcast early spring at same rate applied during establishment. Nitrogen fertilizer was broadcast at a rate of pounds nitrogen per acre pounds of urea per acre right after Bermudagrass broke dormancy and produced the first green leaves green-up every year. Plots were hand-weeded during the establishment phase to avoid potential herbicide injury.

After establishment, pre-emergent pendimethalin and post-emergent glyphosate herbicides were applied in late winter or early spring before green-up , respectively. Early-season weeds at green up early May were controlled by mowing at 2 to 3 inches in height.

Forage was measured by hand clipping three 1-square-foot quadrats per plot 1 inch above the soil surface. Plots were mowed and cleaned to simulate hay harvest immediately after sample collection. Samples were oven-dried until constant weight indicating that all samples were completely dry absent of moisture , and total dry forage yield was assessed. Forage sampling cut was targeted for every six weeks, which generally resulted in three to four cuttings per year, depending on temperature and rainfall amount and distribution through the season.

Forage yields were similar to those reported in ; however, yields were less than in It produces vigorous underground rhizomes. It's establishment characteristics appear to be similar to Midland 99 , Midland and Tifton A planting rate of at least 25 to 30 bushels of sprigs per acre, combined with good weed control and fertility management is recommended to hasten establishment. Three classes of planting stock Breeder, Foundation, and Certified of Ozark will be recognized.

Breeder stock will be maintained by the OAES.