Bermudagrass – new ways Bermudagrass – new ways to look at an old friendto look at an old friend

Mike RichardsonMike Richardson

University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas

A Historical PerspectiveA Historical Perspective Common bermudagrass is utilized in a range of turf Common bermudagrass is utilized in a range of turf

situations – quality is poorsituations – quality is poor Release of vegetative bermudagrass cultivars with Release of vegetative bermudagrass cultivars with

increased quality and uniformityincreased quality and uniformity– U3 (1957),“Tif” cultivars (60-70s), “Mid” cultivars (1970s)U3 (1957),“Tif” cultivars (60-70s), “Mid” cultivars (1970s)

Breeding efforts initiated in early 1980s to enhance Breeding efforts initiated in early 1980s to enhance quality and performance of seeded bermudagrassquality and performance of seeded bermudagrass

Release of first “improved” seeded cultivarsRelease of first “improved” seeded cultivars– Guymon (1982), NuMex Sahara (1987) Mirage (1992)Guymon (1982), NuMex Sahara (1987) Mirage (1992)

Release of seeded cultivars with significant Release of seeded cultivars with significant improvements in qualityimprovements in quality– ‘‘Princess-77’, ‘Riviera’, and ‘Yukon’ (late 1990’s)Princess-77’, ‘Riviera’, and ‘Yukon’ (late 1990’s)

NTEP Bermudagrass TrialsNTEP Bermudagrass TrialsSeeded vs. Vegetative EntriesSeeded vs. Vegetative Entries

816 18

2920

10 10

13

05

1015202530354045

1986 1992 1997 2002

No

. o

f en

trie

s

Seeded Vegetative

Update from the recent NTEP trialUpdate from the recent NTEP trial

Turfgrass quality of seeded and Turfgrass quality of seeded and vegetative bermudagrasses across 12 vegetative bermudagrasses across 12

locations (2003 data)locations (2003 data)

5.0

5.2

5.4

5.6

5.8

6.0

6.2

6.4

6.6

OR 2002

PATRIOT

AUSSIE GREEN

TIFSPORT

MIDLAW N

GN-1

CELEBRATION

TIFW AY

MS-CHOICE

RIVIERA

SUNBIRD

PRINCESS-77

LSD (0.05)

SEEDED ENTRIES

Mid

law

n

Pat

rio

t

Pri

nce

ss-7

7

Tif

way

Riv

iera

Tif

spo

rt

% winterkill of vegetative and seeded % winterkill of vegetative and seeded bermudagrasses at Stillwater, OK (2003)bermudagrasses at Stillwater, OK (2003)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50 NUMEX SAHARA

ARIZONA COMMON

MOHAWK

PRINCESS-77

SUNSTAR

PANAMA

SR 9554

SUNDEVIL II

TRANSCONTINENTAL

SOUTHERN STAR

LAPALOMA

YUKON

MS-CHOICE

TIFWAY

TIFSPORT

AUSSIE GREEN

GN-1

RIVIERA

CELEBRATION

MIDLAWN

PATRIOT

ASHMORE

Pri

nce

ss-7

7

Tif

way

Tif

spo

rt

Riv

iera

Mid

law

n

LSD (0.05)

Divot studies at UofADivot studies at UofA Compare divot recovery of cultivars in NTEP Compare divot recovery of cultivars in NTEP

bermudagrass trialbermudagrass trial

Simulating Divots With a Simulating Divots With a Motorized Divot CutterMotorized Divot Cutter

0

25

50

75

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Days after injury

Reco

very

(%)

Yukon (0.98)

Princess 77 (0.84)

Riviera (0.95)

Tifway (0.95)

Tifsport (0.88)

Patriot (0.89)

Divot recovery of several seeded and Divot recovery of several seeded and vegetative bermudagrass cultivarsvegetative bermudagrass cultivars

Yukon (3.5)

SR 9554 (3.7)

Arizona Common (3.8)

Celebration (3.8)

Panama (3.9)

Sunstar (4.0)

Mohawk (4.2)

Transcontinental (4.2)

Southern Star (4.2)

GN-1 (4.2)

Princess 77 (4.4)

NuMex Sahara (4.5)

Riviera (4.5)

Aussie Green (4.8)

Sundevil (4.8)

Tifway (5.0)

MS-Choice (5.2)

Midlawn (5.4)

Tifsport (5.4)

Ashmore (6.0)

Patriot (6.2)

3 4 5 6 7 8

Days after injury

Divot recovery of bermudagrass cultivars Divot recovery of bermudagrass cultivars

**** **** ** ** **

**

** - vegetative entries- vegetative entries

days to 50% divot recoverydays to 50% divot recovery

Questions to be addressed by Questions to be addressed by research on seeded bermudagrassresearch on seeded bermudagrass Cultivar differencesCultivar differences

– Quality / Stress tolerance / divot studiesQuality / Stress tolerance / divot studies

Propagation methodsPropagation methods– Seeding dates / rates / techniquesSeeding dates / rates / techniques

Weed ControlWeed Control– Herbicide timing and toleranceHerbicide timing and tolerance

Traffic toleranceTraffic tolerance Sod ProductionSod Production

Effects of cultivar and Effects of cultivar and seeding date on first-seeding date on first-

year survival of seeded year survival of seeded bermudagrassbermudagrass

Seeding Date TrialSeeding Date Trial2000 and 20012000 and 2001

Seeding DateSeeding Date• 15 April15 April• 15 May15 May• 15 June15 June• 15 July15 July

CultivarCultivar• JackpotJackpot• MirageMirage• MohawkMohawk• PrincessPrincess• SaharaSahara• YukonYukon

All cultivars seeded at 48.8 kg PLS / ha (1 lb / 1000 ft2)RCBD with 4 replications

Seeding Date StudySeeding Date StudyEvaluationsEvaluations

Establishment ratesEstablishment rates

Stolon productionStolon production

Rhizome productionRhizome production

Percent winter recoveryPercent winter recovery

Minimum air temperature at the Minimum air temperature at the Fayetteville Research StationFayetteville Research Station

Fayetteville, AR

Effect of planting date on recovery of seeded Effect of planting date on recovery of seeded bermudagrasses from winter injury (2000-01)bermudagrasses from winter injury (2000-01)

0

20

40

60

80

100

15-Apr 15-May 15-Jun 15-Jul

% r

eco

very

% r

eco

very

MirageMirage MohawkMohawk PrincessPrincess SaharaSahara YukonYukonJackpotJackpot

aa

b

c

b

a

b

c

aa

b

c

aa

bb

aa

b

c

aa a

b

Measured on April 28, 2001Measured on April 28, 2001

April seedingApril seeding

May seedingMay seeding

Mirage

Yukon

Princess-77 Jackpot

Yukon

Photo on April 28, 2001Photo on April 28, 2001

MayMay

JuneJune

JulyJuly

AprilApril

Applications of a Applications of a seeded seeded

bermudagrass to an bermudagrass to an athletic fieldathletic field

Univeristy of ArkansasUniveristy of ArkansasRazorback Football StadiumRazorback Football Stadium

South EndzoneSouth Endzone

20012001

19971997

The height of the The height of the southern end of the southern end of the stadium caused stadium caused shadowing problems on shadowing problems on the last 20 yards of turf the last 20 yards of turf

Reduced light weakened the turf Reduced light weakened the turf going into the wintergoing into the winter

Reduced light led to longer Reduced light led to longer durations of cold temperatures durations of cold temperatures during the winterduring the winter

Winterkill in south end zone -Spring, 2002Winterkill in south end zone -Spring, 2002(associated with stadium expansion)(associated with stadium expansion)

Attempt to recover this area Attempt to recover this area with an improved seeded with an improved seeded bermudagrassbermudagrass

Seed PrepSeed Prep Verticut in several directionsVerticut in several directions Vacuum debrisVacuum debris

Seeding methodsSeeding methods

Riviera bermudagrass seeded at Riviera bermudagrass seeded at

48 kg PLS / ha (1.0 l lb. / 1000 ft48 kg PLS / ha (1.0 l lb. / 1000 ft22))

Top-dressed with ~3 mm of sandTop-dressed with ~3 mm of sand

Covered with geotextile for 7 Covered with geotextile for 7

daysdays

24 days after planting

Riviera Seed

Washed Tifway Sod

24 days after planting

Washed Tifway Sod (before planting)Washed Tifway Sod (before planting)

Riviera SeedRiviera Seed

Preparing for first game - August, 2002Preparing for first game - August, 2002

‘‘Tifway’Tifway’May, 2002May, 2002

‘‘Riviera’Riviera’April, 2003April, 2003

SeededSeededRivieraRiviera

SeededSeededRivieraRiviera

Spring, 2003Spring, 2003

WashedWashedTifwayTifwaySodSod

WashedWashedTifwayTifwaySodSod

Traffic injuryTraffic injury

Spring, 2002Spring, 2002‘‘Tifway’Tifway’May 15May 15

Spring, 2003Spring, 2003‘‘Riviera’Riviera’May 23May 23

Traffic injuryTraffic injury

April 19, 2004April 19, 2004April 2, 2004April 2, 2004

Early spring green-up of Riviera Early spring green-up of Riviera compared to Tifwaycompared to Tifway

TifwayTifwayRivieraRiviera

April 19, 2004April 19, 2004

April 19, 2004April 19, 20042nd season2nd season

May 23, 2003May 23, 20031st season1st season

Traffic tolerance of Riviera was Traffic tolerance of Riviera was improved with maturityimproved with maturity

Re-establishment of Re-establishment of bermudagrass into bermudagrass into high-traffic areas of high-traffic areas of

a sports fielda sports field

Typical problem on Typical problem on high-traffic areashigh-traffic areas

Previous options include sprigs or Previous options include sprigs or sodsod

Potential to re-vegetate this area Potential to re-vegetate this area with a seeded bermudagrasswith a seeded bermudagrass

When can this be most effectively When can this be most effectively accomplished ?accomplished ?

Hypothesis: Dormant seeding Hypothesis: Dormant seeding bermudagrass will enhance bermudagrass will enhance

recovery of damaged turfrecovery of damaged turf

Seed worn areas during Seed worn areas during periods of low activityperiods of low activity

Allow spring activities to Allow spring activities to incorporate the seed incorporate the seed

Dormant seeding bermudagrass into Dormant seeding bermudagrass into an existing turf areaan existing turf area

Two cultivarsTwo cultivars– RivieraRiviera– Princess-77Princess-77

Seeding ratesSeeding rates– 1.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft1.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft22

– 2.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft2.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft22

Seeding datesSeeding dates– Feb. 15Feb. 15– Mar. 15Mar. 15– Apr. 15Apr. 15– May 15May 15

Normal seedingNormal seeding

Dormant seedingDormant seeding

Temperature data loggers were used to monitor soil Temperature data loggers were used to monitor soil temperature during the establishment period.temperature during the establishment period.

Soil temperature and germination dates for various Soil temperature and germination dates for various seeding date treatments (Fayetteville, AR - 2004)seeding date treatments (Fayetteville, AR - 2004)

MM

Seeding datesSeeding dates

AA MMFF

55 °F55 °F

MayMay

Apr.Apr.Feb.Feb.Mar.Mar.

First germination observedFirst germination observed

65 °F65 °F

Establishment rates of ‘Riviera’ and ‘Princess-77’ Establishment rates of ‘Riviera’ and ‘Princess-77’ bermudagrass, as affected by dormant seeding bermudagrass, as affected by dormant seeding compared to spring seedingcompared to spring seeding

Establishment of Riviera Establishment of Riviera bermudagrass on June 1, 2004 bermudagrass on June 1, 2004

Mar. 15Mar. 15 Apr. 15Apr. 15 May 15May 15Feb. 15Feb. 15

1.0 lb.1.0 lb.

2.0 lb.2.0 lb.

Seeding RateSeeding Rate(lb. PLS / M)(lb. PLS / M)

Seeding DateSeeding Date

Establishment of Riviera Establishment of Riviera bermudagrass on June 16, 2004 bermudagrass on June 16, 2004

Mar. 15Mar. 15 Apr. 15Apr. 15 May 15May 15Feb. 15Feb. 15

1.0 lb.1.0 lb.

2.0 lb.2.0 lb.

Seeding RateSeeding Rate(lb. PLS / M)(lb. PLS / M)

Seeding DateSeeding Date

Determining seedling density in dormant Determining seedling density in dormant seeding treatmentsseeding treatments

BB

AA

BB

BB

BB

AA

BB

AA

Seedling density, as affected by cultivar, Seedling density, as affected by cultivar, seeding date, and seeding rate seeding date, and seeding rate

Seeding DateSeeding Date Seeding RateSeeding RateCultivarCultivar

Summary of dormant seeding trialsSummary of dormant seeding trials

Early germination and faster Early germination and faster establishment rates were observed with establishment rates were observed with dormant seeding dates (Feb / Mar) dormant seeding dates (Feb / Mar) compared to traditional seeding dates compared to traditional seeding dates (Apr / May).(Apr / May).

Seed dormancy mechanisms may be Seed dormancy mechanisms may be overcome with natural soil weathering.overcome with natural soil weathering.

SummarySummary Improved seeded bermudagrasses Improved seeded bermudagrasses

offer a viable alternative to traditional offer a viable alternative to traditional methods of sprigged or sodded methods of sprigged or sodded bermudagrassbermudagrass

Improved cold tolerance can be very Improved cold tolerance can be very beneficial in transition zone climatesbeneficial in transition zone climates

Planting methods can be improved to Planting methods can be improved to hasten recovery of damaged turfhasten recovery of damaged turf

Riviera bermudagrass at Baum StadiumRiviera bermudagrass at Baum Stadium• USGA constructionUSGA construction• 6 weeks after planting6 weeks after planting

Special thanks to Pat Berger for being willing to Special thanks to Pat Berger for being willing to give these ideas a try…give these ideas a try…

Thanks for your attention…Thanks for your attention…