TREA

St. Augustine Grass `6-72-130-`

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Information

  • Patent Grant
  • PP6922
  • Patent Number
    PP6,922
  • Date Filed
    Monday, April 25, 1988
    37 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 11, 1989
    36 years ago
  • US Classifications
    Field of Search
    • US
    • PLT 88
  • International Classifications
    • A01H500
Information
Abstract
A perennial St. Augustine grass with purple anthers and purple stigmas having good turf performance, good cold tolerance, short internodes and leaves and good resistance to gray leaf spot.
Description

BACKGROUND
A St. Augustine grass which has been named "Seville" was disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, which issued on Sept. 6, 1977. Another St. Augustine grass which has been named "Delmar" was disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 893,960, filed Aug. 7, 1986. A further St. Augustine grass designated 6-72-182 is disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/185,523, filed of even date herewith.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY
The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial St. Augustine grass selected from the progeny of a controlled pollination of a plant originating in Florida with the pollen of a cold tolerant selection obtained from Memphis, Tenn. This purple anther, purple stigma genotype was labeled 6-72-130 and propagated vegetatively by stolons to provide planting stock for studying performance and making comparisons to present commercial varieties.
The combination of purple stigma, purple anthers, short internode length, short leaf blade length, good cold tolerance, a high tendency for purple stems, and good resistance to gray leaf spot of 6-72-130 along with other information allow this genotype to be distinguished from other St. Augustine grasses.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a photograph of 6-72-130 St. Augustine turf;
FIG. 2 shows a single spike of a 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass plant depicting purple anthers and purple stigmas protruding from several spikelets; and
FIG. 3 is a photograph of a vegetative stolon of 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY
Genotype 6-72-130 has a purple anther color, a purple stigma color, and an unreduced chromosome number of 18. The internodes are shorter and flatter than most St. Augustine varieties. Leaf blade measurements show that 6-72-130 generally has a shorter and narrower leaf blade than most varieties. From the standpoint of judging turf performance, the combination of shorter internodes, narrower leaf blades and shorter leaf blades results in a turf that is generally more dense, finer textured and produces fewer clippings. Measurements of the spike and related structures indicate that 6-72-130 has a shorter and narrower spike, a shorter and narrower peduncle, an average length but narrower flag leaf and a shorter flag leaf sheath than other St. Augustine grasses. The chromosome numbers, anther and stigma color and morphological measurements of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses are compared in Tables 1-4.
TABLE 1______________________________________Chromosome numbers, anther color, and stigma color of 6-72-130and other St. Augustine grasses. Chromosome Anther StigmaSelection/Variety Number Color Color______________________________________6-72-130 18 Purple Purple6-72-182 18 Yellow WhiteBitterblue 27 Yellow PurpleDelmar 18 Yellow WhiteFloratam 27 Yellow PurpleFloratine 27 Yellow PurpleRaleigh 18 Yellow WhiteSeville 18 Yellow PurpleTexas Common 18 Yellow WhiteCalifornia Common 18 Yellow White1081 18 Purple Purple______________________________________
TABLE 2______________________________________Comparative measurements of internode length and thickness of6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses. Internode.sup.(b)Selection/ No. of Length Diameter (mm).sup.(c)Variety Nodes.sup.(a) (cm) Longest Shortest Flat.sup.(d)______________________________________6-72-130 5.2 5.6 2.7 1.9 1.446-72-182 -- 4.8 2.8 2.2 1.32Bitterblue -- 6.9 2.7 2.1 1.30Delmar 4.5 5.7 3.5 2.6 1.35Floratam 4.1 7.5 3.2 2.5 1.25Floratine -- 5.8 2.7 2.2 1.30Raleigh 4.5 7.0 3.2 2.5 1.27Seville 4.8 6.8 2.7 2.2 1.25Texas Common 4.4 6.2 3.0 2.2 1.35California -- 4.2 2.4 2.0 1.22Common1081 -- 7.3 2.8 2.0 1.38LSD (.05) -- 1.15 0.24 0.27 0.091______________________________________ .sup.(a) Number of nodes per six inch stolon at Cleveland, Texas. .sup.(b) Greenhouse planting at Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on unclipped potted plants using third internode from terminal end of stolon .sup.(c) Diameter measurements taken at the approximate center of the internode which has an elliptical shaped cross section. .sup.(d) Flatness index equals longest axis divided by shortest axis. A larger flatness index indicates a flatter shaped stem.
TABLE 3______________________________________Comparative Leaf Blade Length, Width and Sheath Length of6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses. Blade Length (cm) Blade Sheath Ohio.sup.(b) Width.sup.(c) Length.sup.(c)Selection/ High.sup.(c) Low.sup.(d) (cm) (cm)Variety Texas.sup.(a) Light Light Ohio.sup.(b) Ohio.sup.(b)______________________________________6-72-130 2.2 5.2 14.8 1.3 2.76-72-182 -- 5.3 13.7 1.5 2.3Delmar 3.0 7.3 16.7 1.8 3.3Bitterblue -- 7.4 17.5 1.5 2.8Floratam 6.6 10.1 27.2 1.7 4.5Floratine -- 8.6 16.3 1.4 3.2Raleigh 3.9 7.8 13.8 1.7 3.7Seville 2.9 6.9 18.4 1.4 2.9Texas Common 2.7 8.1 16.6 1.7 3.6California -- 3.8 11.8 1.2 2.2Common1081 -- 7.8 15.2 1.5 3.2LSD (.05) .77 2.03 3.25 0.17 0.71______________________________________ .sup.(a) Field Planting Cleveland, Texas. .sup.(b) Greenhouse Planting Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on unclipped potted plants. .sup.(c) After a period of natural sunlight and a high level supplemental light. .sup.(d) After a lengthy period of very cloudy conditions and no supplemental light.
TABLE 4______________________________________Comparative measurements of the inflorescence and relatedstructures of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).______________________________________ Spike Peduncle Length Width Length WidthSelection/Variety (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)______________________________________6-72-130 56 4.8 41 1.76-72-182 60 4.3 52 1.6Delmar 93 5.3 68 2.1Bitterblue 78 5.6 61 2.2Floratam 96 5.9 83 2.4Floratine 74 5.8 48 2.3Raleigh 72 5.8 62 2.2Seville 71 4.9 50 1.9Texas Common 68 4.9 42 1.91081 78 5.2 60 1.9LSD (.05) 10.0 .64 18.3 0.28______________________________________ Flag Leaf Flag Leaf Sheath Length Width LengthSelection/Variety (mm) (mm) (mm)______________________________________6-72-130 30 5.9 316-72-182 16 6.0 30Delmar 21 6.7 46Bitterblue 22 6.4 44Floratam 35 6.3 46Floratine 27 7.2 39Raleigh 25 7.5 42Seville 15 5.8 38Texas Common 29 7.1 391081 25 6.3 39LSD (.05) 12.4 1.08 6.7______________________________________ .sup.(a) Greenhouse planting Marysville, Ohio.
Field observations of 6-72-130 indicate that it has generally good turf quality characteristics throughout the year and across the area of the United States where St. Augustine grass is adapted. It performs especially well in the climate of southern California. Although it performs best during the hotter summer months, it has good cold tolerance and performs well during the winter months. These characteristics of 6-72-130 as compared with other St. Augustine grasses are illustrated in Tables 5-7.
TABLE 5______________________________________Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustinegrasses at various locations in the U.S. Turf Quality Florida.sup.(b) Win- Cali-Selection/Variety Summer ter Mean fornia.sup.(c) Texas.sup.(d)______________________________________6-72-130 8.2 7.6 7.8 7.9 7.06-72-182 9.3 8.3 8.7 -- --Bitterblue 7.3 5.9 6.0 -- --Calif. Common -- -- -- 6.7 --Delmar 9.8 9.0 9.6 5.9 7.0Floratam 7.5 5.8 6.1 -- 6.3Floratine 7.2 6.1 6.4 -- --Florida Common 8.2 6.6 7.0 -- --Raleigh 6.7 7.1 7.4 -- 6.3Seville 9.0 7.9 8.1 6.8 6.3Texas Common 6.5 8.4 8.0 4.6 8.31081 8.7 6.8 7.3 -- --LSD (.05) 0.45 0.99 0.88 1.7______________________________________ .sup.(a) Quality rated 1-10, 10 = best. .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida .sup.(c) Test planted at Somas, California .sup.(d) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas
TABLE 6______________________________________Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustinegrass varieties at the South Coast Field Station of the Universityof California - Riverside. Turf QualitySelection/Variety Summer Winter Mean______________________________________6-72-130 6.6 4.6 5.46-72-182 5.8 4.5 5.0Calif. Common 5.4 4.2 4.7Delmar 5.3 4.7 4.9Floratam 5.4 4.1 4.6Raleigh 4.6 3.3 3.9Texas Common 5.5 4.3 4.8LSD (.05) 0.50 0.44 0.39______________________________________ .sup.(a) Qualityrated 1-10, 10 = best.
TABLE 7______________________________________Comparative cold injury of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustinegrasses in Apopka, Florida. Cold Injury (%)Selection/Variety Expt. 1 Expt. 2 Expt. 3 Expt. 4 Mean______________________________________6-72-130 35 17 38 18 276-72-182 21 5 35 28 22Bitterblue 53 38 58 34 46Delmar 0 0 17 3 5Floratam 40 42 55 40 44Floratine 48 32 37 26 36Raleigh 32 12 37 24 28Seville 35 15 37 24 28Texas Common 18 7 33 28 211081 47 33 48 33 40LSD (.05) 20.9 18.5 26.1 23.5 16.5______________________________________
Color of turf is an important component of turf quality. 6-72-130 has a pleasant medium green color comparable to many other St. Augustine grasses. Other factors that have shown varietal differences include: tendency to turn brown during the winter, for which 6-72-130 is rated about average; susceptibility to Asulox (an important herbicide) to which 6-72-130 is not susceptible; tendency to have a flush of seedheads in the spring, for which 6-72-130 has a lower tendency than other varieties; purple stem color, especially during cold weather, for which 6-72-130 has a higher than average tendency; susceptibility to gray leaf spot to which 6-72-130 has good resistance; and susceptibility to chinch bugs to which 6-72-130 has shown no greater susceptibility than most other varieties. Data on turf color, winter browning, Asulox injury, seedheads, purple stems, gray leaf spot and chinch bugs are illustrated in Tables 8-12.
TABLE 8______________________________________Comparative color ratings of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustinegrasses at various locations in the U.S. Color.sup.(a) Florida.sup.(b) CaliforniaSelection/Variety Summer Mean Scfs.sup.(c) Somas.sup.(d)______________________________________6-72-130 8.6 7.7 3.8 8.46-72-182 9.8 8.5 3.9 --Bitterblue 8.5 7.6 -- --Calif. Common -- -- 3.8 8.4Delmar 10.0 8.9 4.6 8.2Floratam 8.8 7.8 4.2 --Floratine 8.0 7.5 -- --Florida Common 8.3 7.9 -- --Raleigh 7.0 6.5 3.4 --Seville 9.2 8.5 -- 7.2Texas Common 6.8 7.9 4.0 6.31081 8.8 8.0 -- --LSD (.05) 0.48 0.67 0.35______________________________________ .sup.(a) Color rated 1-10, 10 = darkest green. .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida. .sup.(c) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of California Riverside. .sup.(d) Test planted at Somas, California.
TABLE 9______________________________________Comparative ratings of various attributes of 6-72-130 and other St.Augustine grasses which detract from overall appearance.Selection/Variety Brown.sup.(a) Asulox.sup.(b) Seed Heads.sup.(c)______________________________________6-72-130 6.3 5 7.76-72-182 5.0 0 --Delmar 3.7 0 5.7Bitterblue -- 12 --Floratam 6.3 0 7.0Floratine -- 2 --Raleigh 8.3 10 3.0Seville -- 3 5.7Texas Common 5.7 0 5.7California Common 4.0 -- --1081 -- 7 --LSD (.05) 2.0 5.3 2.3______________________________________ .sup.(a) Test planted at South Coast Field Station University of California Rated as % brown turf. .sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida Rated as % injury. .sup.(c) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas Rated 0-9, 9 = no seedheads, 1 = many seedheads.
TABLE 10______________________________________Comparative evaluations of purple stem color of 6-72-130 andother St. Augustine grasses. Purple Stem Color.sup.(a)Selection/Variety Ohio.sup.(b) Florida.sup.(c) California.sup.(d)______________________________________6-72-130 8.3 30 4.36-72-182 4.5 3 0Bitterblue 8.0 10 --Cal. Common -- -- 0.7Delmar 3.5 7 0.7Floratam 8.3 20 2.7Floratine 8.0 8 --Raleigh 6.0 28 1.7Seville 4.0 0 --Texas Common 4.5 8 1.01081 7.5 58 --LSD (.05) 1.1 15 0.9______________________________________ .sup.(a) Purple stem color rated 1-10, 10 = stolons are very purple, 1 = stolons are entirely green. For Florida, visual estimation of the level o stem purpling in percent. .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Marysville, Ohio. .sup.(c) Test planted at Apopka, Florida. .sup.(d) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of California Riverside.
TABLE 11______________________________________Comparative ratings of gray leaf spot.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St.Augustine grasses at Apopka, Florida.Selection/Variety______________________________________6-72-130 1.76-72-182 1.7Bitterblue 3.5Delmar 1.0Floratam 3.8Floratine 2.6Raleigh 0.7Seville 0.8Texas Common 2.41081 2.2LSD (.05) 0.88______________________________________ .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = most disease.
TABLE 12______________________________________Comparative ratings of chinch bug tolerance.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 andother St. Augustine grasses.Selection/Variety Florida.sup.(b) California.sup.(c)______________________________________6-72-130 1.7 0.56-72-182 3.0 --Delmar 2.0 0.0Bitterblue 5.0 --Floratam 7.0 --Floratine 2.7 --Raleigh 6.3 --Seville 5.7 0.3Texas Common 4.7 2.0California Common -- 3.0______________________________________ .sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = severe damage. .sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Apopka, Florida. .sup.(c) Test planted at the South Coast Field Station, University of California Riverside.
Claims
  • 1. A St. Augustine grass, substantially as herein illustrated and described.