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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #112822

Title: SENSITIVITY OF TRIPLOID HYBRID BERMUDAGRASS CULTIVARS AND COMMON BERMUDAGRASS TO POSTEMERGENCE HERBICIDES

Author
item Webster, Theodore
item BEDNARZ, C - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
item Hanna, Wayne

Submitted to: Weed Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/2003
Publication Date: 7/1/2003
Citation: Webster, T.M., Bednarz, C.W., Hanna, W.W. 2003. Sensitivity of triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars and common bermudagrass to postemergence herbicides. Weed Technology. 17:509-515.

Interpretive Summary: Common bermudagrass is a formidable weed throughout the Southern U.S. The potential for hybrid bermudagrasses to invade agricultural fields and become a pest is important, especially when considering introduction of herbicide resistance into these bermudagrass cultivars. Since hybrid bermudagrass are sterile, forming no pollen or seed, escape of this gene to owild relatives is not a concern. However, potential escape of this plant as a weed is a concern. Field studies were conducted to evaluate growth characteristics of common bermudagrass, Tifton-10, and two hybrid bermudagrass cultivars in cotton and non-cropland weed management systems. Several common herbicides registered for use in cotton and non-cropland area were evaluated. In cotton, all herbicide treatments reduced plant diameters of the hybrid bermudagrass cultivars at least 95% at the conclusion of the season. Plant diameters in the nontreated control were 27.6, 2.9, 18.9, and 20.8 cm for common bermudagrass, TifEagle, TifSport, and Tifton-10, respectively. Diameters in herbicide-treated plots did not exceed 1.2 cm for any cultivar. In non-cropland, treatments reduced plant diameters of all cultivars > 90%. While each cultivar could be controlled with these herbicide treatments, the triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars tended to be less aggressive in growth than common bermudagrass. These preliminary results indicate that these triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars are not likely to pose a threat to agriculture.

Technical Abstract: Common bermudagrass is a formidable weed throughout the Southern U.S. The potential invasibility of hybrid bermudagrass cultivars is important when considering introduction of herbicide resistance. Triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars are sterile, producing no pollen or seed, but escaped plants could potentially become weeds. Field studies were conducted to evaluate growth characteristics of common bermudagrass, Tifton-10, and two triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars in cotton and non-cropland weed management systems. Cotton systems included clethodim, clethodim+glyphosate, fluazifop-p, glyphosate, quizalofop-p, cultivation, and a nontreated control. Non-cropland treatments consisted of an application of a full rate (X), two half-X applications, and two full-X applications of clethodim, clethodim+glyphosate, and glyphosate. Cultivation and a nontreated control were also evaluated. In cotton, all herbicide treatments reduced plant diameters of the hybrid cultivars at least 95% at the conclusion of the season. Plant diameters in the nontreated control were 27.6, 2.9, 18.9, and 20.8 cm for common bermudagrass, TifEagle, TifSport, and Tifton-10, respectively. Diameters in herbicide-treated plots did not exceed 1.2 cm for any cultivar. In non-cropland, treatments reduced plant diameters of all cultivars > 90%. While each cultivar could be controlled with these herbicide treatments, the triploid hybrid bermudagrass cultivars tended to be less aggressive in growth than common bermudagrass.