Temperature Effects on the Speed and Completion of Germination of 19 Commercially Available Seeded Bermudagrass Cultivars

摘要

The use of seeded bermudagrasses (Cynodon dactylon) is increasing as athletic field and golf course turf. Anecdotal evidence indicates probable and important differences in germination rates among cultivars when established in late spring or early summer. Germination studies were completed in May 2011 in the Turfgrass Science Laboratory at the University of Kentucky on 19 commercially available seeded bermudagrass cultivars. Evaluations for germination rate and total germination under varying temperature regimes representing 20-year average day/ night temperatures for seeding times from 15 May to 1 Aug. were conducted to quantify any differences in germination characteristics among cultivars as affected by temperature. There were highly significantdifferences (P< 0.0001) among cultivars in germination rate and total germination when grown under 20-year average dayight temperatures. The cultivars Casino Royale and Riviera consistently represented the fastest/slowest to germinate and highest/lowest total seeds germinated across all temperature regimes, respectively. Significant differences (P< 0.0001) were also observed within cultivars for total germination across the temperature regimes tested. The average temperatures of 15 May and 1 Aug. represented slowest/fastest to germinate and lowest/highest total seeds germinated across all temperature regimes, respectively.