Bermudagrass – new ways to look at an old friend

1. Bermudagrass – new ways to look at an old friend Mike Richardson University of Arkansas

2. A Historical Perspective • Common bermudagrass is utilized in a range of turf situations – quality is poor • Release of vegetative bermudagrass cultivars with increased quality and uniformity • U3 (1957),“Tif” cultivars (60-70s), “Mid” cultivars (1970s) • Breeding efforts initiated in early 1980s to enhance quality and performance of seeded bermudagrass • Release of first “improved” seeded cultivars • Guymon (1982), NuMex Sahara (1987) Mirage (1992) • Release of seeded cultivars with significant improvements in quality • ‘Princess-77’, ‘Riviera’, and ‘Yukon’ (late 1990’s)

3. NTEP Bermudagrass TrialsSeeded vs. Vegetative Entries

4. Update from the recent NTEP trial

5. Turfgrass quality of seeded and vegetative bermudagrasses across 12 locations (2003 data) LSD (0.05) Princess-77 Midlawn Tifsport Riviera Patriot Tifway SEEDED ENTRIES

6. Princess-77 Tifway Tifsport Midlawn Riviera % winterkill of vegetative and seeded bermudagrasses at Stillwater, OK (2003) LSD (0.05)

7. Divot studies at UofA • Compare divot recovery of cultivars in NTEP bermudagrass trial

8. Simulating Divots With a Motorized Divot Cutter

10. Divot recovery of several seeded and vegetative bermudagrass cultivars

11. * * * * * * * * *- vegetative entries Divot recovery of bermudagrass cultivars days to 50% divot recovery

12. Questions to be addressed by research on seeded bermudagrass • Cultivar differences • Quality / Stress tolerance / divot studies • Propagation methods • Seeding dates / rates / techniques • Weed Control • Herbicide timing and tolerance • Traffic tolerance • Sod Production

13. Effects of cultivar and seeding date on first-year survival of seeded bermudagrass

14. Seeding Date 15 April 15 May 15 June 15 July Cultivar Jackpot Mirage Mohawk Princess Sahara Yukon Seeding Date Trial2000 and 2001 All cultivars seeded at 48.8 kg PLS / ha (1 lb / 1000 ft2) RCBD with 4 replications

15. Seeding Date StudyEvaluations • Establishment rates • Stolon production • Rhizome production • Percent winter recovery

16. Minimum air temperature at the Fayetteville Research Station Fayetteville, AR

17. a a a b a a a a a a a % recovery b b a b b a b b c c c c b Jackpot Mirage Mohawk Princess Sahara Yukon Effect of planting date on recovery of seeded bermudagrasses from winter injury (2000-01) Measured on April 28, 2001

18. May seeding Yukon Princess-77 Jackpot April seeding Yukon Mirage Photo on April 28, 2001

19. July June May April

20. Applications of a seeded bermudagrass to an athletic field

21. Univeristy of Arkansas Razorback Football Stadium

22. South Endzone 1997 2001

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

24. Reduced light weakened the turf going into the winter Reduced light led to longer durations of cold temperatures during the winter

25. Attempt to recover this area with an improved seeded bermudagrass Winterkill in south end zone -Spring, 2002 (associated with stadium expansion)

26. Seed Prep • Verticut in several directions • Vacuum debris

27. Seeding methods • Riviera bermudagrass seeded at 48 kg PLS / ha (1.0 l lb. / 1000 ft2) • Top-dressed with ~3 mm of sand • Covered with geotextile for 7 days

28. Riviera Seed Washed Tifway Sod 24 days after planting

29. 24 days after planting Riviera Seed Washed Tifway Sod (before planting)

30. Preparing for first game - August, 2002

31. ‘Riviera’ April, 2003 ‘Tifway’ May, 2002

32. Traffic injury Washed Tifway Sod Seeded Riviera Seeded Riviera Washed Tifway Sod Spring, 2003

33. Spring, 2002 ‘Tifway’ May 15 Traffic injury Spring, 2003 ‘Riviera’ May 23

34. Early spring green-up of Riviera compared to Tifway April 2, 2004 April 19, 2004

35. Riviera Tifway April 19, 2004

36. Traffic tolerance of Riviera was improved with maturity May 23, 2003 1st season April 19, 2004 2nd season

37. Re-establishment of bermudagrass into high-traffic areas of a sports field

38. Typical problem on high-traffic areas • Previous options include sprigs or sod • Potential to re-vegetate this area with a seeded bermudagrass • When can this be most effectively accomplished ?

39. Hypothesis: Dormant seeding bermudagrass will enhance recovery of damaged turf • Seed worn areas during periods of low activity • Allow spring activities to incorporate the seed

40. Dormant seeding Normal seeding Dormant seeding bermudagrass into an existing turf area • Two cultivars • Riviera • Princess-77 • Seeding rates • 1.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft2 • 2.0 lb PLS / 1000 ft2 • Seeding dates • Feb. 15 • Mar. 15 • Apr. 15 • May 15

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

42. May First germination observed Feb. Mar. Apr. Soil temperature and germination dates for various seeding date treatments (Fayetteville, AR - 2004) 65 °F 55 °F F M A M Seeding dates

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

44. Establishment of Riviera bermudagrass on June 1, 2004 Seeding Rate (lb. PLS / M) 2.0 lb. 1.0 lb. Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May 15 Seeding Date

45. Establishment of Riviera bermudagrass on June 16, 2004 Seeding Rate (lb. PLS / M) 2.0 lb. 1.0 lb. Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15 May 15 Seeding Date

46. Determining seedling density in dormant seeding treatments

48. Seedling density, as affected by cultivar, seeding date, and seeding rate Cultivar Seeding Date Seeding Rate A A A B B B B B

49. Summary of dormant seeding trials • Early germination and faster establishment rates were observed with dormant seeding dates (Feb / Mar) compared to traditional seeding dates (Apr / May). • Seed dormancy mechanisms may be overcome with natural soil weathering.

50. Summary • Improved seeded bermudagrasses offer a viable alternative to traditional methods of sprigged or sodded bermudagrass • Improved cold tolerance can be very beneficial in transition zone climates • Planting methods can be improved to hasten recovery of damaged turf