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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #277785
Title: Registration of 'hammock' centipedegrass.

Author
item Scully, Brian
item NAGATA, R.T - University Of Hawaii
item NUESSLY, G.S. - University Of Florida
item BEIRIGER, R.L. - University Of Florida
item KENWORTHY, K.E. - University Of Florida
item UNRUH, J.B. - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/4/2012
Publication Date: 9/1/2012
Citation: Scully, B.T., Nagata, R., Nuessly, G., Beiriger, R., Kenworthy, K., Unruh, J. 2012. Registration of 'hammock' centipedegrass. Journal of Plant Registrations. 6:246-251.

Interpretive Summary: Centipedegrass is one of the premier low-input and low maintenance turf species grown in the southern U.S. In the tri-state area of Alabama, Florida and Georgia it is commonly grown as a home landscape grass, rather than a sports turf. The purpose of this breeding program was to identify, select and develop a centipedegrass that would be acceptable as a regional cultivar in the subtropical and tropical climates of Florida. A secondary purpose of this research was to broaden the diversity of warm season turf cultivars in the turfgrass market and to exploit the inherent benefits of a low input species in a region where St. Augustinegrass typically dominates the urban and residential landscape. ‘Hammock’ was selected for a more compact leaf structure with consistent canopy texture, uniformity and quality along with a faster rate of crop establishment and ground coverage. Hammock was tested under the experimental designation BA-417 and was awarded a plant patent in 2010. The name Hammock Centipede is a registered trademark assigned to this cultivar. Hammock is intended for use in specialized commercial and residential landscape, and other novel habitats.

Technical Abstract: ‘Hammock’ (Reg. No. ________, PI 652949) centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack] was developed at the Everglades Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL and initially approved for release in 2006. A plant patent was filed in 2008 with Plant Patent PP 20,812 issued in 2010. Hammock was tested in Florida under the experimental designation of BA-417, and also patented under this name. The purpose of this breeding program was to identify, select and develop a centipedegrass that would be acceptable as a regional cultivar in the subtropical and tropical climates of Florida. This cultivar originated as an open-pollinated progeny selected and identified as a unique and distinctly different vegetative phenotype growing in a planting of an unimproved population of centipedegrasses typically known throughout the southern U.S. turf industry as Common centipedegrass. Hammock was selected for a more compact leaf structure with consistent canopy structure, uniformity and quality along with a faster rate of crop establishment and ground coverage. Hammock produced a more compact leaf structure with leaves that were 13.9 % shorter than Centennial, and 22.2% shorter than the Common centipedegrass standards. It also received significantly higher summer-quality ratings, presented acceptable color ratings, and produced generally narrower leaves than the standard cultivars. Hammock exhibited a significantly faster rate of crop establishment and ground coverage and generally, closed canopy one month earlier than the standard cultivars, but this was site dependant and differences in seasonal patterns were evident.