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| Web URL(s): | http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/rpr/2000/72120, Texas A&M, White, Dwarf Bermuda.PDF
Last checked: 02/06/2013
Requires: PDF Reader |
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| Publication Type:
| Report |
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| Material Type: | Manuscript |
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| Monographic Author(s): | White, Richard H.; Hall, Mark; Hale, Trent |
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| Author Affiliation: | White: Principle Investigator, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University System; Hall: Research Associate; and Hale: Ag. Research Technician |
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| Monograph Title: | Performance and Management of New Dwarf Bermudagrasses: 2000 Annual Research Progress Report, 2000. |
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| Publishing Information: | [Far Hills, New Jersey]: United States Golf Association |
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| # of Pages: | 26 |
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| Collation: | [2], 24 pp. |
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| Keywords: | TIC Keywords: Best management practices; Cultivar evaluation; Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis; Dwarf bermudagrasses; Experimental greens; Golf green maintenance; Maintenance intensity; Maintenance practices
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| Cultivar Names: | Champion; FloraDwarf; Mini Verde; TifEagle; Tifdwarf |
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| Geographic Terms: | Southern United States |
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| Abstract/Contents: | "Golf courses in the southern United States continue to explore and use new dwarf bermudagrasses on golf courses. Initial performance of many of the new dwarf bermudagrasses has been excellent. The golfing public has eagerly welcome the new dwarfs and the quality putting surfaces created by these fine-textured, stoloniferous, high-shoot density bermudagrasses. Management of the new bermudagrasses continues to be a challenge for many golf course superintendents, particularly as golf greens planted to newer bermudagrass cultivars mature. Thatch and disease management appear to be major challenges in the culture of the new dwarf bermudagrasses. A study planted at the Texas A&M University in April 1997 had documented the performance of five dwarf bermudagrasses under a range of cultural practices. Five bermudagrasses including Champion, Floradwarf, MiniVerde, Tifeagle, and Tifwarf were established on 15 April 1997 in 20 feet by 50 feet plots from sprigs at the rate of 12 bushels per thousand square feet. Uniform fertilization, mowing, topdressing, grooming, and irrigation were applied to all cultivars until August 1997. Mowing heights were gradually lowered to 0.125 inch during late June and early July. Main plots are bermudagrass cultivars. Sub-plots are annual nitrogen treatments of 6, 10, 14, and 18 lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Nitrogen treatments were applied as bi-weekly treatments throughout the year. Sub-sub plots were vertical mowing treatments of 1) light, bi-weekly treatments May through September, and 2) severe vertical mowing once during spring transition and once immediately prior to overseeding in October. Sub-sub-sub plots were topdressing treatments of 1) 0.02 inches applied bi-weekly May through September following by a 0.20 inch application at overseeding to total 0.35 inches, and 2) 0.15 inches in June and 0.20 inches in October totalling 0.35 inches. All treatments were replicated three times and occured in all possible combiantions. Nitrogen, vertical mowing, and topdressing treatments were initiated in August 1997 after all grasses were fully established. The initial results of these studies indicated that several of the new dwarf bermudagrasses appear to be well adapted to mowing heights of 0.125 inch. The new dwarf bermudagrasses offer potential for improved putting quality on golf greens in the southern United States where bermudagrasses is adapted. This study demonstrates that many new bermudagrasses will require intensive culture to control thatch and to provide a true putting surface. Closer mowing and the growth characteristics of the new dwarf bermudagrasses will likely require increased turfgrass maintenece budgets. Golf course officals selecting a bermudagrass for planting on greens should consider not only the agronomic strengths of each cultivar but also the budgetary requirements needed for an increased intensity of culture. Although initial performance was excellent for all cultivars, bermudagrass decline became a serious problem for Floradwarf, then Champion, then Tifeagle. Miniverde demonstrated slight sensitivity to bermudagrass decline in late-2000. Tifdwarf exhibited only slight symptoms of bermudagrass decline during this study. Soil pH management and use of ammonium sulfate to supply half the annual nitrogen resulted in a dramatic recovery of Floradwarf from Bermudagrass decline during the summer of 2000. Champion had modest recovery and Tifeagle had marked recovery from Bermudagrass decline by late-summer 2000. Thatch accumulation is a major consideration in the culture of all bermudagrass golf greens and the new dwarf bermudagrasses demonstrated aggressive thatch production in this study. Best performance of the new dwarf bermudagrasses, overall, occured at low to moderate nitrogen fertilization. Increasing nitrogen increased thatch accumulation, reduced shoot density in several cultivars, and resulted in lower summer turf quality in 2000. Frequent, light topdressing, in general, improved quality of all cultivars over the long-term although infrequent, heavy topdressing was equally effective in controlling thatch. Frequent, light vertical mowing caused substantial reductions in turf quality for all cultivars except Tifdwarf during late-summer 2000 compared to infreqent vertical mowing. No consistent difference in thatch depth was observed among vertical mowing treatments. Recommendations for culture of the new dwarf bermudagrasses are being elucidated through by this study. However, dramatic changes in performance of the cultivars in this study during the summer of 2000, offer the opportunity to discern the long-term effects of specific cultural programs but limit delineation of specific cultural program recommendations. Continuted monitoring of shifts in performance as they occur will be required in order to recommend the most effective practices for controlling thatch, producing high shoot density, and developing quality putting surfaces. Golf course professionals should incorporate aggressive thatch control practices, frequent monitoring, and the flexibility to change as growth and environmental conditions dictate when developing cultural programs for the new dwarf cultivars." |
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| Language: | English |
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| References: | 0 |
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| See Also: | See also related summary article, "Best manangement practices for new dwarf bermudagrasses", 2000 Turfgrass and Environmental Research Summary [USGA], 2000, p. 18, R=72120. R=72120 |
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| Note: | Also appears as pp. 698-725 in the USGA Turfgrass Research Committee Reporting Binders for 2000
"2000 Annual Research Progress Report"
"1 November 2000"
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Last checked: 02/06/2013
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