Bermuda Pasture Grass Seed - Bermuda pasture grass seed varieties for pasture grass seeding applications. High quality seeded Bermuda grass varieties
for pasture grass applications across the central and southern United
States. For more information about bermuda grass seed and your
specific location please feel free to contact us and we will be happy
to assist you.
Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon), a warm-season grass native to
southeast Africa, is widely grown in the southeastern United States and
is gaining popularity in southern Missouri. It is a deep-rooted,
sod-forming grass that spreads by means of stolons and rhizomes and
grows to a height of 15 to 24 inches. Perhaps its greatest advantage is
that it is productive during the months of June, July and August when
the quantity and quality of cool-season grasses such as tall fescue and orchardgrass are poor Another advantage of bermudagrass is that herbage
production is distributed more evenly throughout late spring and summer
than that of other warm-season grasses.
Bermudagrass
produces an extensive root system that provides some drought tolerance.
It responds well to nitrogen fertilization and produces a large
quantity of dry matter for either grazing or hay production when soil
moisture is not limiting. Hybrid bermudagrasses are
popular for hay production because they are responsive to nitrogen
fertilizer, have a high yield potential and are relatively fast drying.
Bermudagrass makes good use of animal manures and, if well fertilized,
gives high animal weight gains per acre.
Bermudagrass is adapted to a wide range of soil conditions but is best
suited to a well-drained site. Hulled seed of common bermudagrass or
other seed-propagated varieties should be planted in spring. Hybrid
varieties can be planted in April or May as sprigs. Because hybrid
varieties produce little or no viable seed, they must be vegetatively
propagated (sprigged). In the southern United States, annual clovers,
small grains and annual ryegrass are often overseeded in the fall to
provide winter-spring production.
Variety selection
One of the primary considerations in selecting a bermudagrass variety is cold tolerance. Many varieties will not survive the
cold winters in Missouri and other central states. Consideration should also be given to yield
potential, quality and palatability. Recently developed varieties show
improved winter hardiness, while maintaining higher yield and forage
quality. Many of these improved varieties are hybrids with Coastal,
which is known for its greater resistance to foliage diseases and
drought than common bermudagrass species but is not itself winter
hardy.
Bermudagrass Pasture Seed Varieties
MORHAY Bermuda Grass Seed Blend is a warm season, deep-rooted, perennial grass used for grazing or hay production across the South. It is adapted to a variety of soils and provides as much or more grazing than any other summer pasture grasses. It is the easiest of all pasture grasses to manage and it responds well to fertilizer and weed-control programs. Once established, A MORHAY pasture can produce three tons of hay per acre with little moisture. With sub-moisture or irrigation, the production output could double.
Ranchero Frio Bermuda Grass Seed is used for pasture grass applications across the southern 1/3 of the U.S. from California, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri to Virginia. Particularly well-suited to sandy soils, but will thrive in most well-drained loam soils. Ranchero Frio establishes rapidly and provides cover in 45 to 60 days under desirable growing conditions. Extremely drought and cold tolerant. High yielding. Crude Protein: 8 to 14%, TDN: 50 to 55%, NDF: 60 to 70%. Environmental conditions and management practices will determine individual results.
Cheyenne II Bermuda Grass Seed is a five clone synthetic variety developed by Judy Brede for Pennington Seed, Inc. It originates from plants selected for their cold tolerance and vigorous growth habit. Cheyenne establishes rapidly and provides cover in 45 to 60 days under desirable growing conditions. Cheyenne Bermuda grass was one of the highest yielding varieties in a test of forage bermudagrass varieties conducted in Athens and Calhoun, Georgia, producing over 7.5 to 8 tons per acre of hay. This rate of production was comparable to sprig-planted Russell bermudagrass. Cheyenne Bermuda is as cold hardy as Coastal bermudagrass and more cold tolerant than Tifton 85. It may be planted in the Transition Zone states such as Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee as well as the traditional bermudagrass growing areas of the Southern United States.
Wrangler Bermuda Grass Seed
is a new seeded variety developed in Oklahoma. Little comparative
performance information is available on Wrangler, but developers
indicate that it has good winter hardiness and is expected to be
adapted to the same regions as Guymon. It is expected to have forage
yield and quality close to that of Guymon.
Mohawk Bermuda Grass Seed is an advanced bermudagrass with increased sod density combined with medium fine texture and dark green color. Since 1993, Mohawk has delivered improved performance and cold tolerance in Virginia trials. In Oklahoma State University freeze chamber tests designed to kill one-half of the tested plants, Mohawk withstood temperatures of -6.75° Centigrade.
Pasto Rico Bermuda Grass Seed - also known as "Pasta Rica". Pasto Rico Bermuda grass seed contains a mixture of 50% Giant Bermuda and 50% Common Bermuda. Pasto Rico is designed for hay production and livestock grazing in pastures. Giant Bermuda grows quicker than Common Bermuda and is therefore mixed with Common to give a quicker stand for grazing and haying within the first year of planting. Giant Bermuda Grass has a life expectancy of three to five years. This is why Pasto Rico Bermuda is preferable to Common Bermuda when planting for hay production or livestock grazing.
Giant Bermuda Grass Seed - Giant Bermuda grass is similar in appearance and nutrition to coastal Bermuda grass. Giant bermudagrass is used for cattle forage, bermuda hay production and bermuda pasture grass applications. Giant bermuda grass seed produces excellent hay production in spring, summer and early fall. Plant 15 to 20 pounds per acre in early to mid spring.
Hulled Common Bermuda Grass Seed - Hulled Common Bermuda Grass makes an excellent low maintenance, drought resistant lawn or pasture. Common Bermuda grass is a crawling grass with runners providing great traffic tolerance. Common Bermuda Grass grows well in very sandy soil types where other grasses have trouble. Common Bermuda Grass is commonly used for lawn and pasture applications across the southern 1/3 United States.
Establishment
While bermudagrass is best adapted to deep sandy loam and
medium-textured soils, with appropriate management it can be grown on
shallow, droughty soils. Although bermudagrass can be extremely drought
tolerant, it does not produce much forage under arid conditions.
Bermudagrass will not tolerate waterlogged conditions. Like most
grasses, it does best at a pH of 5.5 or above and is highly responsive
to the application of nitrogen fertilizer; potassium (potash) is also
important for forage growth and winter hardiness.
Soil fertility at establishment is essential to obtain a healthy and
vigorous stand of bermudagrass. Obtain a soil sample for analysis well
before establishment time because lime is slow to affect soil pH and
should be applied 6 to 12 months before planting bermudagrass.
Dolomitic limestone should be used if the soil test indicates magnesium
is needed. Ensure that adequate phosphorous and potassium are applied
before planting. Potassium and phosphorous applications are most
effective if incorporated into the soil during bed preparation. After
planting, nitrogen should be applied at a rate of 30 to 50 pounds per
acre when stolons have reached a length of 3 inches. A second
application of 30 to 50 pounds N per acre can be applied 30 days later
if adequate soil moisture is available. Good fertility at establishment
will help reduce the time required for coverage and may allow for
limited grazing or hay production during the first growing season.
Typically, bermudagrass is established between April 1 and June 1.
Later plantings are successful only if adequate moisture is available.
Bermudagrass should be planted into a well-tilled, level and firm
seedbed. Seeded varieties can be either broadcast or drilled. The
desired seeding depth is 1/4 inch. Seeding rates are 4 to 8 pounds of
pure live seed per acre.
Bermudagrass can be sprigged at many different rates. The faster the
stand is desired, the more sprigs that must be planted. A rate of 20
(one bushel is 1.25 cubic feet) gives an acceptable rate of ground
cover in southwest Missouri. Sprigs, consisting of underground rhizomes
and plant crown and stolons, should be planted at a depth of 1 to 2
inches in 20- to 40-inch rows. Planting any deeper will delay
establishment. Rolling after planting will help ensure good soil
contact and enhance soil moisture retention during dry weather. For
best results, buy sprigs from a reputable dealer. Use only fresh,
moist, healthy and weed-free sprigs that have been grown under a good
fertility program. Sprigs should be kept moist but not wet, cool, and
in the shade to ensure survival. As a rule of thumb, sprigs should be
planted within 24 hours of digging. Bermudagrass sprigs consist of
underground rhizomes and plant crown and stolons. Sprigging at a rate
of 20 gives an acceptable stand in the establishment year.
Weed control is important in the successful establishment of
bermudagrass. Bermudagrass is very intolerant of shading and weed
competition. Land that has been cultivated should be smoothed with a
disk harrow just before planting to destroy germinating weed seeds.
Both a pre- and post-emergent herbicide treatment is recommended to
control broadleaf weeds. Currently, the use Karmex is suggested for
pre-emergent weed control. After sprigging, 2, 4-D amine can be used to
control broadleaf weeds. Check with your regional MU Extension
specialist for suitable herbicides and application rates required to
control weed species in bermudagrass. Grazing or mowing during the
establishment phase may help control escaped weeds. However, the first
grazing should not be taken until runners have lapped between the
sprigged rows and the grass is 6-8 inches tall.
Improving established bermudagrass
Revitalizing an old stand of bermudagrass may be more cost-effective
than planting a new stand. Before spending money on replanting or
alternate forage crops, a producer should first compare the economics
of improving an existing stand. Poor soil fertility is the primary
reason for a weak bermudagrass stand. The result is reduced carrying
capacity and decreased animal performance. When fertilized properly,
bermudagrass will often compete with and crowd out most weed species.
Based on the level of weed infestation, the producer must decide
whether a simple modification to the current fertilizer regime will
bring about the desired change or whether the use of a herbicide is
justified. If weeds make up more than 20 percent of the existing
vegetation, the application of a herbicide may be required. Used
properly, herbicides are safe, economical and effective.
There is currently no evidence that aeration of "sodbound" or
"rootbound" pastures by periodic tilling has a positive effect on
yield. A three-year study in Oklahoma found that discing or chiseling
bermudagrass pastures caused severe yield reductions and no significant
increase of forage.
Fertilization for Grazing and Hay
Bermudagrass requires adequate amounts of fertilizer throughout the
grazing season to produce high yields and maintain quality. In
southwest Missouri, the grazing season begins in May and continues to
the first of September.
Applying nitrogen increases both yield and quality of bermudagrass. In
a nitrogen source and rate study at the University of Missouri
Southwest Research Center, the yield of bermudagrass increased linearly
for nitrogen rates from 0 to 300 pounds per acre. Data from other
states, including Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi, show a positive
response to added nitrogen in improved yield and protein.
Splitting the application of fertilizer throughout the growing season
improves efficiency, which means that the plants make use of a greater
percentage of the nutrients, particularly nitrogen. Application rates
should be based on desired yield and weather conditions. Depending on
conditions, fertilizer should be first applied in mid-May; earlier
application may give an additional cut of hay or extend the grazing
season, but may also encourage weeds. For pasture, apply 50 to 100
pounds of nitrogen per acre in mid-May after grass "greens-up." Apply
50 pounds per acre every 30 days thereafter. The application of
nitrogen after mid-September delays hardening of the bermudagrass and
increases the risk of winter injury.
Bermudagrass is a "luxury consumer" of potassium. It will take up more
potassium than is needed for plant growth if excess potassium is
available. Therefore it is recommended that phosphorus (P) and
potassium (K) needs be made in split applications with nitrogen.
Phosphorus and potassium needs should be determined by a soil test. If
a soil test is not available, apply fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of
4-1-3.
In a typical haying situation, 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre in a
mixed fertilizer would be applied on or about May 15. Depending on
desired yield, soil moisture and temperature, between 35 and 100 pounds
of nitrogen per acre would be applied every 30 days through mid-August.
Hay management
Bermudagrass varieties harvested at either 21- or 28- day intervals
beginning June 1 in a trial at the University of Missouri Southwest
Research Center in Mt Vernon. Plots were cut five times each year on
the 21-day interval compared to only four cuttings for the 28-day
interval. Despite one less cutting, the 28-day interval produced higher
dry matter yields for all varieties.
The distribution of forage yield during the growing season can be
affected by the harvest interval. Harvesting every 28 days beginning
June 1 resulted in a typical single peak yield curve or "hump."
Shortening the harvest interval to 21 days tended to flatten out the
curve, but reduced total yield.
As with any forage, the stage of growth affects quality. The more
mature the forage, the lower the quality. With bermudagrass, the
protein level can decrease significantly if cutting is delayed.
Research at the Southwest Center showed that bermudagrass can produce
high-quality hay. Crude protein (CP) values generally ranged between 16
percent and 20 percent, NDF (neutral detergent fiber) between 55
percent and 60 percent, and ADF (acid detergent fiber) between 25
percent and 30 percent, and varied little over the different cuttings.
Although yields were higher when cut every 28 days, quality
measurements were similar if cut every 21 or 28 days. Only small
differences were seen in quality among the different varieties.
Therefore, to optimize yield and quality, bermudagrass should be cut on
a 28- to 30-day schedule, beginning about June 1. To maximize yields,
bermudagrass should not be harvested after Sept. 1; clipping or burning
in mid-February can remove residual material.
Bermudagrass can produce high-quality hay
Cutting bermudagrass hay on 28-day rather than 21-day intervals increases dry matter yields.
Grazing management
Bermudagrass can be either grazed continuously or used in a
management-intensive grazing system. The choice of grazing system
depends on the producer's needs and level of management. The primary
goal of a grazing system should be to maintain a vigorous growth of
high-quality forage. This would be accomplished through adequate
fertilization and management of the growth of the grass. A secondary
goal should be to maximize forage use. This goal is best accomplished
through a management-intensive, or rotational, grazing system. In a
rotational grazing system, the amount of time cattle graze an
individual pasture before being moved to another one could be as short
as a 12 hours to as long as 7 days.
Grazing should begin when the bermudagrass is 6-8 inches tall, and when
it is grazed to 3-4 inches, cattle should be moved to another pasture.
If bermudagrass reaches 8 inches or more in height, it should be
clipped or cut for hay. Clipping the whole pasture after grazing to a
uniform height of 3-4 inches is recommended. The growth rate of
bermudagrass will vary throughout the growing season because of
climatic conditions. Generally, the growth rate will be greater in the
May-June period than in the July-August period because of a greater
amount of available moisture.
Overseeding bermudagrass pastures
Bermudagrass pastures lend themselves well to overseeding with
cool-season annual forages. Annual forages can be drilled (sod-seeded)
directly into the bermudagrass sod during mid to late September and
provide excellent fall, winter and spring grazing. Forages that can be
overseeded into bermudagrass include the cereal grains and annual
ryegrass. Cereal grains are planted at 90 to 100 pounds of seed per
acre and annual ryegrass at 25 to 30 pounds of seed per acre.
Before establishment of the cool-season grasses, it is critical that
the bermudagrass be grazed or mowed short. This will reduce competition
for sunlight between the germinating cool-season plants and the
bermudagrass. Similarly, during the spring the cool-season forage needs
to be grazed or mowed short to prevent any delay in bermudagrass
growth. It may be possible to manage the annual ryegrass for reseeding,
providing a volunteer stand for several years.
Weed control
Maintaining a vigorous and healthy stand of bermudagrass helps to
prevent invasion by weeds. If a broadleaf weed problem does develop, it
can usually be checked by the timely application of an herbicide.
Consult your regional MU Extension specialist for the correct
herbicides and application rates for controlling weed species in
bermudagrass. The herbicide label provides important information on the
period of time that must elapse between application and resumption of
grazing.
Pests and diseases
Pests and diseases are usually not a serious problem with bermudagrass
pastures. Invasions of fall armyworm and spittlebug can be a problem
and leafspot infections may occur, particularly when soil potassium
levels are low. Keeping the potassium levels up, burning the fields
just before green up, and harvesting on a regular basis all help to
prevent a major disease outbreak. If a disease or pest outbreak does
occur, check with your regional MU Extension specialist for the correct
pesticides and application rates.
Summary
Of the warm-season perennial grasses available, bermudagrass is one of
the most suitable in a management-intensive grazing system. It has the
potential to provide a large quantity of high-quality forage throughout
the summer in southern Missouri if managed correctly. Within its zone
of adaptation, bermudagrass is hardy enough to survive with little care
but responds quickly to more intensive management. Since establishment
costs are a major expense, producers should do everything possible to
ensure success. The most important considerations during establishment
of bermudagrass are to prepare a clean seedbed, plant a winter-hardy
cultivar, and control weeds. The most critical aspects of managing
bermudagrass are a proper fertility program and the stage of maturity
at harvest. When it is used for grazing, the stocking rate is critical.
Bermudagrass is tolerant of close grazing and drought and suffers from
few insects and diseases.
Charles Taliaferro, Regents Professor at Oklahoma State University, contributed to the development of this publication.
Tom Hansen and Rick Mammen
MU Extension
Richard Crawford and Matt Massie
Southwest Missouri Center
Greg Bishop-Hurley and Robert Kallenbach
Department of Agronomy
Bermuda Pasture Seed 
