Dennis W. Hancock, Extension Forage Agronomist, Crop and Soil Sciences Department
Norman R. Edwards, County Extension Coordinator, Walker County
T. Wade Green, County Extension Coordinator, Twiggs County
Deron M. Rehberg, County Extension Coordinator, Grady County
Unlike most other agronomic crops, the selection of a bermudagrass cultivar is a long-term
commitment. Bermudagrass is a warm-season perennial grass that can persist and withstand the
rigors of grazing and hay production for decades. Establishing it, however, is a significant
investment that pays off over the long-term. It is important to understand the characteristics of
the different cultivars. This publication shares the collective experience of research and
extension personnel on bermudagrass cultivars that are (or could be) grown in Georgia. The
recommendations and descriptions of these cultivars are the result of numerous research
experiments and on-farm observations within Georgia and surrounding states since the late
1930s.
Vegetatively Propagated (Sprigged) Varieties
Tifton 85 is a hybrid from a cross between cold-susceptible but higher digestible Tifton 68 and
an introduction from South Africa with greater cold tolerance. It was released in 1993 by Dr.
Glenn W. Burton, principal geneticist with the USDA-ARS at the Coastal Plain Experiment
Station (CPES) in Tifton. Tifton 85 can be established from sprigs or from clippings (“tops”). It
is one of the few varieties that is easily distinguishable from other bermudagrass varieties, since
it has larger stems, broader leaves, a darker green color, and is taller than most bermudagrass
hybrids. It develops few rhizomes but many very large, rapidly spreading stolons. It consistently
provides the highest yields in variety trials throughout Georgia and retains the high digestibility
traits of Tifton 68. Tifton 85 is the most digestible of the recom-mended bermudagrass varieties
(Tables 1a & 1b). However, the combination of heavy yields and thick stems slows hay curing,
and Tifton 85 will often take one-half to one day longer to dry to suitable baling moistures than
other varieties under similar conditions. Since it is not highly winter-hardy, it is common for a
Tifton 85 stand to be substantially thinned during winter in the Piedmont region. Thus, Tifton 85
is currently recommended only for the southern two-thirds of Georgia (roughly south of Athens
and I-20). It can be successfully grown farther north if you are willing to accept the increased
risk of stand loss.
Russell, a vegetatively propagated bermuda-grass, was jointly released by Auburn University
and Louisiana State University in 1994. Russell was discovered in the late 1970s in Russell
County, Alabama, by local County Agent Donald Bice. The field had originally been planted to
Callie, a variety very susceptible to winter-kill. The excellent winter-hardiness of Russell made it
clear this grass was indeed unique (likely either a mutation or hybrid of Callie). When moisture
is not limited, Russell may out-yield all bermudagrasses in the first harvest and match the high
seasonal yield totals of Tifton 85. Russell is also noted to spread rapidly and has been rated
higher for winter-hardiness than Coastal. Forage height at the appropriate harvest intervals is
typically shorter than other high-yielding bermudagrass hybrids, but the forage is quite dense.
Despite its high-yield potential, Russell is somewhat less drought tolerant than Tifton 85.
Furthermore, Russell is substantially less digestible than Tifton 85 and slightly less than or equal
to Coastal. Russell produces both rhizomes and stolons, develops one of the best root systems of
all the hybrids, and forms a dense sod that holds up well under grazing. Russell can be
established from sprigs or clippings (tops) and often is quicker to establish than Tifton 85.
Russell is a solid variety that is recommended throughout Georgia.
Tifton 44, a winter-hardy hybrid bermudagrass, was released in 1978. Tifton 44 is a cross
between Coastal and a winter-hardy bermudagrass found near a railroad track in Berlin,
Germany. Its winter-hardiness allows successful growth as far north as Kentucky and Virginia,
more than 100 miles north of the recommended range of Coastal bermudagrass. This hybrid
produces more rhizomes, has finer stems, is darker green, and forms a denser sod than Coastal. It
is better adapted to the northern areas of the bermudagrass growing regions of the country than
many other varieties. Though it can perform well in the Coastal Plain, Tifton 44 will likely yield
less in this area than the other recommended hybrids. It is slower to establish than many other
varieties and may not establish well if propagated from clippings (tops). As a result of this slow
establishment, it usually will not provide any significant grazing/haying during the establishment
year. Tifton 44 bermudagrass produces a higher-quality forage than Coastal or Alicia, averaging
7 percent higher in digestibility than Coastal and 10 percent higher than Alicia. Hay yields of
Tifton 44 are similar to Coastal. Tifton 44 starts growing in early spring and grows later into the
fall than Coastal or Alicia in northern latitudes.
Coastal, released in 1943, is the first hybrid forage bermudagrass from Dr. Burton’s work at the
CPES. It is an F1 hybrid between an introduction from South Africa and a prolific bermudagrass
found in a south Georgia cotton patch. Named for the experiment station where it was bred,
Coastal is among the most successful forage variety releases in the past century as it makes up
some 15 million acres of the hay and pasture land in the southern United States. It is the standard
against which other varieties are measured. Coastal is a tall-growing, intermediate, coarse-stemmed type, has both rhizomes and stolons, produces few viable seed, and has excellent
drought tolerance. Coastal establishes well from both sprigs and clippings (tops). In Georgia,
Coastal is best adapted to the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont areas. It is not as cold tolerant as
Tifton 44 or Russell and could winter-kill in the mountains. Coastal produces twice as much
forage as common bermudagrass, and its forage quality is superior to common Alicia and a few
other varieties when properly managed.
Noteworthy Upcoming Release
Coastcross II is a mutant selection from Coastcross I, a bermudagrass that had very poor
winter-hardiness. Coastcross II is currently in the process of being released by Dr. William
Anderson, Research Geneticist with the USDA-ARS’s Crop Genetics and Breeding Research
Unit at the CPES. Coastcross II grows taller and has broader, softer leaves. Though it is less
winter-hardy than Coastal, it is similar to Tifton 85 in that it produces very high yields, and has
superior quality and improved digestibility. This hybrid can be established from sprigs and
tops; it has rapidly spreading stolons but develops few rhizomes.
Other Varieties
Alicia was selected from introductions from Africa and marketed by a Texas businessman in the
early 1970s. Alicia is relatively easy to establish from sprigs or clippings (tops) and produces
high hay yields similar to Coastal and Tifton 44. Its forage is much less digestible and lower in
quality than Tifton 85 and even Coastal. Alicia is very susceptible to leaf-spot and may not
consistently provide a thick stand. As a result, Alicia is not recommended in Georgia.
Callie, released by Mississippi State University, is a selection from a group of highly digestible
bermudagrasses introduced from Kenya. Callie produces good quality forage and yields well
where it is adapted, but it is not cold tolerant and will winter-kill in Georgia during severe
winters. Therefore, Callie is not recommended in Georgia.
Coastcross I, released by Dr. Burton in 1967, is a hybrid of Coastal and a very digestible
bermudagrass from Kenya. Coastcross I grows taller, has broader, softer leaves and produces
higher quality forage than Coastal, but it is not winter-hardy. Coastcross I will winter-kill in
south Georgia during severe winters and, therefore, is not recommended in Georgia.
Grazer was bred at Tifton as a hybrid of a selection found in the Alps of north Italy and
introductions from Kenya. Yield performance was poor (10-15% less than Coastal) in Tifton.
Excellent digestibility and performance in Louisiana led to the release of Grazer there in 1985.
Poor yields prevent its recommendation for Georgia.
Midland was released in 1953 by Dr. Burton and colleagues in Oklahoma. A hybrid of Coastal
and a winter-hardy common from Indiana, it is similar to Coastal in yield, growth habit, and
forage quality. Some Midland stands still exist in north Georgia; however, the variety has largely
been replaced by Tifton 44. It is more widely grown north of the Coastal bermudagrass belt.
Midland 99, a newer selection from this line, has a wider geographic range of adaptation. For
Georgia, Midland fails to yield or persist as well as Tifton 44, so it is not recommended.
Tifton 68 was released from Dr. Burton’s breeding program at the CPES in 1984. It is a hybrid of
two highly digestible plant introductions. It has large stems and stolons (no rhizomes) that spread
rapidly. However, Tifton 68 has poor winter-hardiness and is not recommended.
Tifton 78, released in 1984, is a hybrid bermudagrass. Tifton 78 is the best of many crosses made
between Tifton 44 and Callie. Compared with Coastal, Tifton 78 grows taller, has larger stems
and a similar rhizome system, spreads much faster, is more easily established (sprigs and tops),
and starts growth earlier in the spring. In tests at Tifton, this hybrid produced 25 percent more
dry matter (hay yields) than Coastal and averaged 7.4 percent higher in digestibility. It has
excellent resistance to leaf-spot, a foliage disease that destroys leaf tissue and reduces yields and
quality. Tifton 78 is less winter-hardy than Tifton 44. It is well-adapted throughout the Coastal
Plain and may be grown to a limited degree in the lower Piedmont. Plantings in the Piedmont
may experience some stand thinning during winter, so Tifton 78 is recommended only for areas
south of the Fall Line. Tifton 85 was released soon after Tifton 78. Tifton 85 has higher yields
and quality than Tifton 78. As a result, Tifton 85 is a better choice for new plantings than Tifton
78 in South Georgia and the Coastal Plain region.
World Feeder, a naturally-developed, vegetatively propagated bermudagrass, was found by a
producer in Oklahoma and has been marketed by Agricultural Enterprises of Oklahoma City.
World Feeder is winter-hardy, but has demonstrated poor yields and digestibility in trials and
demonstration plots in Georgia and several other states. It is very susceptible to leaf-spot
diseases leading to many reports of stand decline/failure in World Feeder plantings in Georgia.
Therefore, it is not recommended for Georgia.
Several other vegetatively propagated bermudagrass varieties are available, many of which are
releases from university or USDA breeding efforts. Among these, Brazos, Hardie, Oklan, and
Quickstand have not performed well in Georgia or are known to not be well-adapted. Of course,
many others have not been adequately evaluated in Georgia including Florakirk, Greenfield, Hill
Farm Coastcross-I, Jiggs, Lancaster, LeGrange, Luling, Naiser, Scheffield, Summerall,
Suwannee, Zimmerly, and any others not listed here.
Seed Propagated Varieties
Seeded bermudagrass varieties generally have low yields and low forage quality when compared
to improved hybrids. However, sprigging an improved hybrid bermudagrass is expensive and
risky, especially where small acreages drive up the cost per acre and rolling terrain leaves soil
prone to erosion for a significant period of time. Producers often find that planting seed is the
most feasible establishment option.
Ironically, the most hardy and persistent varieties will often produce little seed. These varieties
can be expensive. Seed companies will often help offset this problem by offering seed blends, so
it is important to closely evaluate and compare seed tags. These blends usually contain one or
more of the top varieties in mixtures with varieties that are more prolific seed producers (Table
2). Though these more prolific seed producers (such as Giant and Jackpot) grow very well in the
establishment year, they are not usually persistent and are often very short lived in Georgia.
However, by the time these components of the mix die out, the more persistent varieties may be
capable of filling in the gaps. Unfortunately, these gaps often exist in early spring when weeds
are growing but the bermudagrass is not. Alternatively, companies may fill out a blend by
mixing in common bermudagrass, some or all of which may have been hulled to remove the seed
husk for faster germination. These blends may be prone to revert to common (that is, common
will ultimately dominate the stand). Despite the expense, seeding recommended cultivars alone
(not in a blend) is more likely to lead to better results over the long-term because these varieties
are more hardy, produce higher yields, limit weed intrusion, and maintain better quality.
Recommended Cultivars
Cheyenne, a seeded bermudagrass cultivar, has exceptionally good persistence, is winter-hardy
in Georgia, and consistently performed well in yield trials throughout the state (Tables 3a and
3b). The forage quality (protein, fiber, and digestibility) of Cheyenne is quite similar to Coastal,
but it is slightly lower than CD90160 and KF-194. Cheyenne has not been a prolific seed
producer. This has limited the availability of seed from this cultivar. Recently, clones of
Cheyenne were selected for improved seed production by Texas A&M University and Seeds
West. The product of this selection, Cheyenne II, has been shown to match the yield and
persistence of Cheyenne in initial evaluations. Cheyenne II is now being sold and used in seed
blends such as Ranchero Frio.
CD90160, a seeded bermudagrass cultivar, is most often sold in seed blends such as Vaquero,
Gaucho, Sungrazer Plus, and Sungrazer 777. When grown alone, this cultivar matches the yield,
winter-hardiness, and persistence of Cheyenne. CD90160 has also shown to have higher protein
(increased by 20%) and digestible nutrients (increased by 14%) than Cheyenne.
KF-194 is often sold in seed blends such as Sungrazer Plus and Sungrazer 777. Like CD90160,
this cultivar also matches the yield, winter-hardiness, and persistence of Cheyenne. KF-194
shares the high forage quality characteristics of CD90160.
Other Varieties
Common bermudagrass is certainly well-adapted to the humid South and quickly became a
widespread weed in cultivated crops after its introduction in the 18th century. Common produces
viable seed and spreads by stolons and rhizomes. Once established, it is difficult to eradicate.
Common bermudagrass is present, usually in combination with fescue or as a contaminant in
improved bermudagrass pastures, on more than 400,000 acres in Georgia. It is hardy, forms a
dense sod, and can be established from seed and maintained on infertile soils. Although
Common does not provide high yields (often 50% as much hay per acre as Coastal), it can be
effectively used in forage programs to provide summer grazing. In north Georgia, it is best used
in combination with fescue and clover. Though Common bermudagrass is an important part of
pastures and hayfields in Georgia, it is not recommended for new seedings simply because
improved seeded varieties (recommended above) will consistently out-yield and provide higher
quality forage than Common.
Many other seeded bermudagrass varieties are available. Most of these releases are from private
companies and turfgrass breeding efforts. Many have been shown to have persistence problems
or yield poorly, such as Giant, Guymon, Jackpot, and Wrangler, and are therefore not
recommended. Mirage, Mohawk, Pyramid, and many other varieties not listed have not been
adequately evaluated under Georgia’s conditions.
Tables
| Table 1a. Summary of the characteristics of the primary vegetatively propagated (sprigged) bermudagrasses in
Georgia. |
| Variety |
Overall Rating |
Yield* |
Digestibility** |
Winter Hardiness |
Persistence |
Leaf Spot Resistance |
| Alicia (Alecia) |
tt3 |
100 |
P |
G |
P |
P |
| Coastal |
ttt3 |
100 |
F |
G |
G |
E |
| Coastcross II |
tttt3 |
135 |
E |
G |
ND*** |
ND |
| Russell |
tttt3 |
130 |
G |
E |
E |
G |
| Tifton 44 |
tttt |
90 |
G |
E |
G |
E |
| Tifton 78 |
ttt |
120 |
E |
F |
F |
E |
| Tifton 85 |
ttttt |
135 |
E |
F |
E |
E |
Ratings: E = Excellent, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor.
* Yields are expressed as a percent of yields from Coastal.
** Based on in vitro dry matter digestibility.
*** Insufficient data exists to accurately estimate these parameters. Coastcross II remains a relatively new
variety and has not yet been evaluated as rigorously as other hybrids.
|
| Table 1b. Summary of the characteristics of the primary vegetatively propagated (sprigged) bermudagrasses in
Georgia. |
| Recommended for: |
| Variety |
Mountain |
Upper Piedmont |
Lower Piedmont |
Coastal Plain |
| Alicia (Alecia) |
|
|
|
|
| Coastal |
|
P |
P |
P |
| Coastcross II |
ND* |
P |
P |
P |
| Russell |
P |
P |
P |
P |
| Tifton 44 |
P |
P |
P |
|
| Tifton 78 |
|
|
|
|
| Tifton 85 |
|
P |
P |
P |
| * Insufficient data exists to accurately estimate these parameters. Coastcross II remains a relatively new
variety and has not yet been evaluated as rigorously as other hybrids. |
| Table 2. Blends of seeded bermudagrasses. |
| Trade Name |
Components |
| Morhay |
Common, Giant |
| Pasture Supreme |
Common, Giant |
| Pasto Rico |
Common, Giant |
| Ranchero Frio |
Cheyenne, Mohawk, Giant |
| Sungrazer 777 |
KF 194, CD90160, Jackpot |
| Sungrazer Plus |
KF 194, CD90160, Giant |
| Texas Tough |
Common, Giant |
| Tierra Verde |
Common, Giant |
| Vaquero |
Mirage, Pyramid, CD90160 |
| Table 3a. Summary of the characteristics of the primary seeded bermudagrasses in Georgia. |
| Variety |
Overall Rating |
Yield* |
Winter Hardiness |
Persistence |
| Giant (NK37) |
3
|
55 |
P |
P |
| Cheyenne** |
ttt |
60 |
G |
E |
| CD90160 |
ttt |
60 |
G |
E |
| KF-194 |
ttt |
60 |
G |
E |
| Wrangler |
t3 |
55 |
E |
F |
| Common |
t
|
50 |
G |
G |
Ratings: E = Excellent, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor.
*Yields are expressed as a percent of yields from Coastal.
**The original Cheyenne is no longer being sold. Cheyenne II, a variant of Cheyenne (selected for higher seed yield), is currently being marketed. Cheyenne II is expected to have characteristics similar to Cheyenne. |
| Table 3b. Summary of the characteristics of the primary seeded bermudagrasses in Georgia. |
| Variety |
Recommended
for Georgia |
Comments |
| Giant (NK37) |
|
Fast growing, but short-lived seeded variety. Northrup
King has the only named variety of Giant. |
| Cheyenne** |
P |
Most reliable of seeded varieties grown Georgia. |
| CD90160 |
P |
Solid performer, but most commonly sold as one of three
components in a blend. |
| KF-194 |
P |
Another solid performer that is primarily sold as a
component in seed blends. |
| Wrangler |
|
Good variety for northern-most counties, but it has not
persisted well in variety trials in most of Georgia. |
| Common |
|
Default pasture species throughout most of Georgia, but it
suffers from poor yields and susceptibility to disease. |
Ratings: E = Excellent, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor.
* Yields are expressed as a percent of yields from Coastal.
**The original Cheyenne is no longer being sold. Cheyenne II, a variant of Cheyenne (selected for higher seed yield), is currently being marketed. Cheyenne II is expected to have characteristics similar to Cheyenne. |
Status and Revision History
Published on Dec 18, 2007
Published on Sep 10, 2010
Published with Full Review on Dec 31, 2013
Published with Full Review on Sep 02, 2016
