OKC0805, Tifeagle, and OKC3920 were the fastest to full cover. At a few locations (Griffin, GA, Columbia, MO, and Las Cruces, NM) seashore paspalum entries such as SeaStar and UGA 16-1105 established at a rate equivalent to the top bermudas. Te zoysias are typically slow to establish but at Griffin, GA, and Mississippi State, MS, entries Diamond and FZ 1710 showed greatly improved establishment. Data from 2020 showed significant differences in
genetic color, leaf texture, and density. Differences were also noted in spring greenup, fall color retention, and seedhead production. Tese traits will be interesting to track over time, along with reaction to diseases and other stresses. For now, turfgrass quality ratings are the best
gauge of the first-year performance. Eight locations submitted 2020 turfgrass quality data and entry performance was relatively consistent across locations. Two seashore paspalum entries, SeaStar and UGA 16-1105 finished in the top statistical group at seven of the eight sites. Bermudagrasses Tifeagle, MSB-1050, Tahoma 31, and seashore paspalum UGA 17-653 also performed well in 2020 landing in the top turf quality statistical group at six locations. Te most consistent zoysia to date has been FZ 1710, as it finished in five location’s top statistical group. In 2021 and beyond, more data on long-term performance, diseases, and other stresses will be collected and available from this trial. 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, 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 summer 2016. Fourth year data from those trials (2020) is now available and is discussed below.
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.
TPI Turf News July/August 2021
43
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