Spring Dead Spot Resistance and Quality of Seeded Bermudagrasses under Different Mowing Heights

• Published in: Crop science Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 451 - 456
• Main Authors: Martin, D.L., Bell, G.E., Baird, J.H., Taliaferro, C.M., Tisserat, N.A., Kuzmic, R.M., Dobson, D.D., Anderson, J.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison Crop Science Society of America 01-03-2001; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agriculture; Bermuda grass; Biological and medical sciences; Causes of; Crop diseases; Crops; Cultivars; Cynodon; Diseases and pests; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Grasses; Ophiosphaerella herpotricha; Pathology, epidemiology, host-fungus relationships. Damages, economic importance; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant diseases; Spring; Transition zone; Turfgrasses; United States; Disease development; Monocotyledones; Plant pathogen; Ornamental crop; Epidemiology; Fungi; Disease resistance; Inoculation; Gramineae; Quality; Angiospermae; Ascomycetes; Cutting height; Intraspecific comparison; Damage; Thallophyta; Cropping system; Survival; Fungus resistance; Cynodon; Turf; Sensitivity resistance; Mowing; Spermatophyta; Severity score; Cultivar
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2001.412451x

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp. L.C. Rich.) cultivars resistant to spring dead (SDS) caused by Ophiosphaerella herpotricha (Fr.) Walker and winter‐kill are important for residential and commercial use in transition zone climates. Field research was conducted on ‘Mirage’, ‘OKS 91‐11’, and ‘Jackpot’ seeded bermudagrasses [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon] at Stillwater, OK, between 1996 and 1999 to determine their resistance to SDS. Plots were inoculated in 1996 with O. herpotricha isolate KS 188 and mowed to a height of either 1.3 cm or 3.8 cm. The SDS necrotic patch area of all cultivars increased each year and patch area was greater in turf at the higher mowing height. OKS 91‐11 had a smaller SDS necrotic patch area than the other cultivars. Mirage had necrotic patch area equal to Jackpot at 1.3 cm and less necrotic area than Jackpot at 3.8 cm. OKS 91‐11 had greater shoot survival density in necrotic patches than Jackpot or Mirage in 2 of 3 yr at 1.3 cm. Cultivars did not differ in shoot survival density at 3.8 cm. Higher overall quality was provided by OKS 91‐11, when compared with Mirage and Jackpot in 3 of 4 and 2 of 4 yr, respectively. Jackpot had better quality than Mirage in 2 of 4 yr. Early spring green‐up was negatively correlated with SDS patch size and positively correlated with shoot survival in SDS patches. Winter‐kill was positively correlated with SDS patch size and negatively correlated with shoot survival in SDS patches.