Breeding New Bermudagrass Cultivars for Sustainable Turf Production.

Common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and interspecific hybrid bermudagrass between common bermudagrass and African bermudagrass (C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) are the most extensively used warm-season turfgrasses in tropical to transition climates in the US and other nations around the world. The major goal of the turf bermudagrass breeding program at Oklahoma State University is to breed and release new cultivars improved in turf quality and enhanced tolerance to winter freeze and summer drought stresses. To increase sustainability of the turf production in the future, we will emphasize on improving resistance to spring dead spot and leaf spot diseases, and on reducing cultural inputs (i.e., less mowing and fertilization) in breeding, selection, and evaluation protocols in additional to the major traits. Germplasm enhancement, conventional hybridization, molecular marker technologies, and various greenhouse and field-based trials are used in the development of new cultivars. Our recent progress will be updated.