Planting Rate and Depth Effects on Tifton 85 Bermudagrass Establishment using Rhizomes. Issue 3 (1st May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baseggio, Matheus; Newman, Yoana; Sollenberger, Lynn E.; Fraisse, Clyde; Obreza, Thomas
• Is Part Of: Crop science. Volume 55:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 1338
• Page End: 1345
• Publication Date: 2015-05-01
• Subjects: Crop science -- Periodicals; Cultures -- Périodiques; Cultures de plein champ -- Périodiques; Crop science; Nutzpflanzen; Zeitschrift; Pflanzenbau; Periodicals; 633
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2014.09.0605
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0011-183X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: As with stolons, planting rate of rhizomes is important for successful establishment of cultivar Tifton 85 bermudagrass ( Cynodon spp.). Planting depth is another aspect to be considered when establishing rhizomes in soils with low moisture retention. Shallow planting can increase sprouting and emergence; but if rhizomes are placed too shallow they may dry out without irrigation. The overall objective was to evaluate the effect of rhizome planting rate and depth on establishment success. Treatments were the factorial combinations of three planting rates (Low–2.6 m 3 ha –1, Medium–5.2 m 3 ha –1, and High–10.4 m 3 ha –1 ) and two planting depths (6 and 12 cm). High planting rate increased Tifton 85 frequency, ground cover, and herbage dry matter (DM), independent of planting depth. In both years, the High rate resulted in 100% grass frequency and ground cover before 120 d after planting. Also, this treatment produced more than 2300 kg DM ha –1 in the establishment year, and this was greater than the Medium and Low rates (1230 and 900 kg ha –1, respectively) when planted at 6 cm, or than the Low rate planted at 12 cm (1430 kg ha –1 ). When using Low or Medium rates, planting at a 12‐cm depth, improved overall performance compared with 6 cm. Medium rhizome planting rate of ∼5 m 3 ha –1 at a 12‐cm depth provided satisfactory ground cover and herbage DM at lower cost than High and thus is recommended for the sandy soils in the Suwanee River basin.