Release of a new forage bermudagrass cultivar from the USDA-ARS cynodon collection

Authors: RIOS, E - University Of Florida; DUBEUX, J.C.B. - University Of Florida; VENDRAMINI, J.M.B. - University Of Florida; WALLAU, M - University Of Florida; LOPES DE SOUZA, C - University Of Florida; GROSSMAN, A - University Of Florida; LOPEZ, Y - University Of Florida; MUNOZ, P - University Of Florida; Anderson, William - Bill; BAXTER, L - University Of Georgia; CASTILLO, M - North Carolina State University; SAHA, M - Noble Research Institute; QUESENBERRY, K - University Of Florida; BLOUNT, A - University Of Florida; REITH, P - University Of Florida; KENWORTHY, K - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Grassland International Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2021
Publication Date: 10/25/2021
Citation: Rios, E.F., Dubeux, J., Vendramini, J., Wallau, M., Lopes De Souza, C.H., Grossman, A.J., Lopez, Y., Munoz, P., Anderson, W.F., Baxter, L., Castillo, M.S., Saha, M.C., Quesenberry, K., Blount, A., Reith, P., Kenworthy, K. 2021. Release of a new forage bermudagrass cultivar from the USDA-ARS cynodon collection. Grassland International Congress Proceedings. pp. 1-4. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/24/2-3/1.

Interpretive Summary: Bermudagrass is a very important perennial forage for many parts of the world and especially in the southern United States. Due to the need for high yield, good quality, and pest resistance cultivars, a large collection of over 300 plant accessions were gathered from the United States Department of Agriculture National Plant Germplasm System (USDA-NPGS) and the USDA Georgia Coastal Plains Experiment Station, Tifton, GA, and tested at locations in four southern states (FL, GA, NC and OK). Several accessions from the USDA collection showed improved dry matter yield and nutritive value (NV) compared to the highest yielding cultivar, ‘Tifton 85’, across several trials and years. Particularly, PI 316510 produced yield in Citra, FL and Tifton, GA, had improved NV traits, and faster establishment compared to Tifton 85. The PI 316510 has been released by the University of Florida under the name “Newell”.

Technical Abstract: Warm-season perennial grasses are the backbone of the pasture-based livestock industry in the southeastern USA. In Florida specifically, bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) and bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) support 1 million head of cattle and 15,000 beef cattle operations. Bermudagrass is the most widely planted forage species in the southeastern USA, planted oin approximately 15 million ha and used for grazing, hay and silage. The genus Cynodon is native to southern Africa and germplasm collections have revealed a high degree of genetic variability within the genus. The United States Department of Agriculture National Plant Germplasm System (USDA-NPGS) maintains a collection bermudagrass plant introduction (PIs) in Griffin, GA, USA and the USDA Georgia Coastal Plains Experiment Station, Tifton, GA, maintains additional germplasm from the Cynodon forage core collection. Multi-location trials were established in 2014 in four states (FL, GA, NC and OK) to screen the USDA Cynodon collection for herbage accumulation and nutritive value responses. Data were collected for at least two years at each location. Due to the large genotype by environment interaction estimated for herbage accumulation across the four states, we focused our attention on selecting accessions adapted to South Georgia and Florida. Several accessions from the USDA collection showed improved herbage accumulation (HA) and nutritive value (NV) compared to cultivar Tifton 85 across several trials and years. Particularly, PI 316510 produced high HA in Citra, FL and Tifton, GA, had improved NV traits, and faster establishment compared to Tifton 85. We confirmed that PI 316510 is tetraploid by chromosome counts and flow cytometry. The PI 316510 has been released by the University of Florida under the name “Newell”.