Cemetery Cultivar Trial for Mississippi. (6384)
Authors:
H.W. Philley* - Mississippi State University B.R. Stewart - Mississippi State University G.C. Munshaw - Mississippi State University D.W. Wells - Mississippi State University V.L. Maddox - Mississippi State University J.M. Goatley, Jr. - VPI & SU
Abstract:
Cemeteries are an important area of turf management in Mississippi. Often several different cultivars or species, chosen by different people, are found growing in one cemetery. This experiment evaluates which grasses work best under typical
cemetery maintenance. Six cultivars including ‘Meyer’ zoysiagrass, ‘Raleigh’ St.
Augustinegrass, common centipede, and ‘Tifway’, ‘MS-Choice’, and
‘MS-Supreme’ bermudagrasses were established in 2003 from sod purchased locally. Each cultivar was divided with four weed control strategies, including no herbicide, pre-emerge herbicides only, post-emerge herbicides only, and pre and post-emerge herbicides. Starter fertilizer (13-13-13) was applied to supply 24 kg N ha-1 at the date of planting. No additional nitrogen has been applied. Whenever a plot reached 7.6 cm (3 inches) height, it was mowed to 5.1 cm (2 inches). After one year of evaluation St. Augustine, centipede, and zoysia grasses have provided good turf cover and have displayed less weed invasion across all weed control strategies levels. These same cultivars have required the most mowing due to plant height.
Without supplemental nitrogen, MS-Supreme, an ultradwarf bermudagrass, never exceeded the 5.1 cm height but was not competitive against weeds.
Speaker Information: Herbert Philley, Mississippi State University, Dept. of Plant and Soil SciencesBox 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762; Phone: 662-325-2728; E-mail:
Session Information: Tuesday, November 2, 2004, 1:00 PM-3:00 PM Presentation Start: 1:00 PM (Poster Board Number: 1506)