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BERMUDAGRASS CONTROL IN COOL-SEASON TURF.

June 24, 2013

Here is some information from former graduate student, Nick Dunlap, on some work he is doing with bermudagrass control in ryegrass in Virginia. 

From Nick Dunlap:
The images show the effect of topramezone on bermudagrass in bentgrass and ryegrass 4 days after treatment.  Bleaching typical of HPPD inhibitors is easily seen on the bermudagrass.  Topramezone was applied at 0.25 oz/acre and 0.75 oz/acre on bentgrass fairways and ryegrass shortcut, respectively.  Both applications were applied through a carrier volume of 2 gal/acre.

Nick has been having pretty good luck turning the bermudagrass white, he will keep us posted about control. 

I did some checking on this new product labeled as Pylex from BASF.  Here is what I found at http://betterturf.basf.us/products/pylex-herbicide.html.
 
Pylex™ herbicide is the standard for the control of Bermudagrass and goosegrass in cool-season turf, providing unmatched performance on these difficult-to-eliminate weeds. It has also shown excellent control of nimblewill, crabgrass, clover, speedwell, and others. Pylex™ herbicide should always be used with a crop oil concentrate (COC) to improve herbicide coverage, resulting in improved weed control.
 

Pylex™ herbicide has shown it is safe to most cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, and perennial ryegrass.  It has shown varied tolerance on bentgrass (moderate to severe injury) and annual bluegrass (minimal to moderate injury) at labeled use rates. Warm-season turfgrass is sensitive to Pylex herbicide, with the exception of centipedegrass, which is tolerant.

The web indicates that it should be available by mid-June.

 

 

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MORE BERMUDAGRASS IN IOWA

September 18, 2012

Since I put up the post on August 2 about bermudagrass in Iowa, I have had several other calls about bermudagrass invading lawns and sports fields.  These calls have come from Burlington, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Keokuk, Davenport, and Red Oak.  I have also been getting samples to identify.  I have had more contacts on bermudagrass in the last 8 weeks than in the previous 33 years combined.  The mild winters and hot summers are resulting in this species becoming a significant problem in some regions.

The usual questions is, “How can I kill it?”.  There is no selective control in cool-season turf.  You have to kill it with Roundup.  It is very hard to kill.  It will likely take several repeat applications of Roundup, and even then, its extensive rhizome system results in regrowth.  Complete soil sterilization with methyl bromide may be the only sure way to remove it from critical areas like sports fields and sod fields.  Of course a couple of cold winters would also take it out.  That is the reason it was not here before.

Here are some pictures that I received from Eric Van Ginkel of the Iowa Cubs concerning the Dowling High School softball field.  The sodded this field just 5 years ago with Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass has spread extensively in the last couple of years.

If anyone else has a major infestation, send me some pictures and I'll get them up on the blog.

 

Figure 1.  The Dowling softball field.  This are the biggest patches of bermudagrass that I am aware of in Iowa.

Figures 2 and 3.  Eric wrote that these patches were discolored by an herbicide.  He did not say which herbicide, but it looks like tenacity.

Figure 4.  The extensive stolons of bermudagrass.  This is what makes it spread so fast.

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TURF RECOVERY FROM FLOOD DAMAGE

August 24, 2010

These two pictures are both from the intramural field on ISU campus. The first one is from last November. It shows a strip of warm season grasses that have been planted on the steam tunnel that runs through the area. They include bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalograss. They are all dormant as would be expected in November. The Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass turf is green.

Now look at this picture taken yesterday, Aug. 23, 2010, approximately two weeks after the flood. This area was completely under water for at least 3 days. The bluegrass/rye is dead (although I think the rhizomes of the bluegrass are alive) and the warm-season grasses have recovered. This is a good demonstration of how well warm-season species can take flooding.

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