Data from 2020 showed significant differences in
establishment, genetic color, leaf texture, and density. Differences were also noted in spring green-up, fall color retention, and seedhead production. Entries were mostly well established in 2021, so data performance reflects putting green mowing height and maintenance. 2022 and 2023 data was collected on how entries respond to low mowing heights and various stresses. Again in 2023, several zoysia entries have been
excellent, outperforming many bermudagrass entries. Entries such as Diamond, FZ 1710, FZ 1717, and DALZ 1815 zoysia were top performers in Virginia Beach, VA, Riverside, CA, and Jay, FL. MSB-1050 bermuda was a high-ranking entry at Virginia Beach, VA, and Mississippi State, MS. Surprisingly, Tahoma 31 bermuda showed good performance at Virginia Beach, VA, and Mississippi State, MS. Overall, it is surprising how well these new zoysiagrasses have improved their performance and over the trial period under putting green management. For seashore paspalum, UGA 17-653 and SeaStar
were top entries at Mississippi State, MS, and College Station, TX. No seashore paspalum entry was in the top statistical group at any other trial location. However, bermudagrass is still the preferred warm-season species for putting greens with zoysiagrass gaining interest. Ball roll distance is an important evaluation factor
for these grasses. In 2023, two locations collected ball roll data but distances at only one of those locations reached at least 8 feet (2.44 meters). At Riverside, CA, Mini-Verde, Tifdwarf, Tifeagle, FB 1901, and MSB-1050 bermuda had consistently some of the highest ball roll distances. At Mississippi State, MS, several entries had high ball roll distances, sometimes over 100 inches (8.3 feet [2.53 meters]). Te entries with consistently the highest ball roll include bermudas OKC3920, Tifdwarf, and FB 1901. St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum cultivar
development has been fairly limited in the U.S. for a long while. Te situation changed in the early to mid-2000s when new plant breeders were hired at southern universities like Texas A&M, the University of Florida, and North Carolina State University. With those folks in place, along with established programs at the University of Georgia and Mississippi State University, and with a major federal (USDA) grant from the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), an increase in breeding of warm-season species is occurring across the southern U.S. Growers and consumers are now seeing new cultivars of St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum in the marketplace. Tese new cultivars will have improved drought and salt tolerance, as well as other improvements. To evaluate some of those new experimental grasses, NTEP initiated new trials of St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum in the summer of 2016. Tose trials are complete and the final summary of all data from those trials is now available and is discussed below. New trials of both St. Augustinegrass and seashore paspalum were established in the summer of 2023 with the first data available in spring 2025.
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A vital early step in the NTEP process is shown here as entries for the 2023 St. Augustine Trials are being packaged for mailing to the trial sites.
St. Augustinegrass St. Augustinegrass is a species where several older
cultivars are still competitive in the marketplace. Floratam, developed by the University of Florida and Texas A&M and released in 1973, Raleigh, a cold-tolerant cultivar, and newer releases Mercedes and Palmetto still compete in the U.S. market. In some areas, sod producers grow and market their own local selections, while there are still common- type cultivars, like Texas Common sold extensively in some markets. New releases such as TamStar and CitraBlue are making their way into the marketplace, which means more, and better cultivar choices will soon be available for sod growers and homeowners alike. Our most current information is from trials
conducted from 2016-2022. Te 2016 St. Augustinegrass trial included three standard entries (Floratam, Raleigh, and Palmetto) and twenty-four experimental entries, planted at ten locations. Five trial years provided data on the performance of these new entries, with a final summary available. Turfgrass quality data from each year varied based on the region and LPI Group. Year one data (2017) showed several entries with southeast U.S. breeding origin (FSA 1601, FSA 1608, XSA10403, FSA 1604) as the best performers in that region (LPI Group 1), with Dallas- based bred entries (DALSA 1502, DALSA 1618, DALSA 1501, and DALSA 1401) as the top performers in LPI
TPI Turf News July/August 2024
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