St. Augustine Grass `6-72-130-`
A perennial St. Augustine grass with purple anthers and purple stigmas having good turf performance, good cold tolerance, short internodes and leaves and good resistance to gray leaf spot.
Latest The O.M. Scott & Sons Company Patents:
A St. Augustine grass which has been named "Seville" was disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,097, which issued on Sept. 6, 1977. Another St. Augustine grass which has been named "Delmar" was disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 893,960, filed Aug. 7, 1986. A further St. Augustine grass designated 6-72-182 is disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 07/185,523, filed of even date herewith.
SUMMARY OF THE VARIETYThe present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial St. Augustine grass selected from the progeny of a controlled pollination of a plant originating in Florida with the pollen of a cold tolerant selection obtained from Memphis, Tenn. This purple anther, purple stigma genotype was labeled 6-72-130 and propagated vegetatively by stolons to provide planting stock for studying performance and making comparisons to present commercial varieties.
The combination of purple stigma, purple anthers, short internode length, short leaf blade length, good cold tolerance, a high tendency for purple stems, and good resistance to gray leaf spot of 6-72-130 along with other information allow this genotype to be distinguished from other St. Augustine grasses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGFIG. 1 is a photograph of 6-72-130 St. Augustine turf;
FIG. 2 shows a single spike of a 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass plant depicting purple anthers and purple stigmas protruding from several spikelets; and
FIG. 3 is a photograph of a vegetative stolon of 6-72-130 St. Augustine grass.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETYGenotype 6-72-130 has a purple anther color, a purple stigma color, and an unreduced chromosome number of 18. The internodes are shorter and flatter than most St. Augustine varieties. Leaf blade measurements show that 6-72-130 generally has a shorter and narrower leaf blade than most varieties. From the standpoint of judging turf performance, the combination of shorter internodes, narrower leaf blades and shorter leaf blades results in a turf that is generally more dense, finer textured and produces fewer clippings. Measurements of the spike and related structures indicate that 6-72-130 has a shorter and narrower spike, a shorter and narrower peduncle, an average length but narrower flag leaf and a shorter flag leaf sheath than other St. Augustine grasses. The chromosome numbers, anther and stigma color and morphological measurements of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses are compared in Tables 1-4.
TABLE 1
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Chromosome numbers, anther color, and stigma color of 6-72-130
and other St. Augustine grasses.
Chromosome Anther Stigma
Selection/Variety
Number Color Color
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6-72-130 18 Purple Purple
6-72-182 18 Yellow White
Bitterblue 27 Yellow Purple
Delmar 18 Yellow White
Floratam 27 Yellow Purple
Floratine 27 Yellow Purple
Raleigh 18 Yellow White
Seville 18 Yellow Purple
Texas Common 18 Yellow White
California Common
18 Yellow White
1081 18 Purple Purple
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TABLE 2
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Comparative measurements of internode length and thickness of
6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.
Internode.sup.(b)
Selection/
No. of Length Diameter (mm).sup.(c)
Variety Nodes.sup.(a)
(cm) Longest
Shortest
Flat.sup.(d)
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6-72-130 5.2 5.6 2.7 1.9 1.44
6-72-182 -- 4.8 2.8 2.2 1.32
Bitterblue
-- 6.9 2.7 2.1 1.30
Delmar 4.5 5.7 3.5 2.6 1.35
Floratam 4.1 7.5 3.2 2.5 1.25
Floratine -- 5.8 2.7 2.2 1.30
Raleigh 4.5 7.0 3.2 2.5 1.27
Seville 4.8 6.8 2.7 2.2 1.25
Texas Common
4.4 6.2 3.0 2.2 1.35
California
-- 4.2 2.4 2.0 1.22
Common
1081 -- 7.3 2.8 2.0 1.38
LSD (.05) -- 1.15 0.24 0.27 0.091
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.sup.(a) Number of nodes per six inch stolon at Cleveland, Texas.
.sup.(b) Greenhouse planting at Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on
unclipped potted plants using third internode from terminal end of stolon
.sup.(c) Diameter measurements taken at the approximate center of the
internode which has an elliptical shaped cross section.
.sup.(d) Flatness index equals longest axis divided by shortest axis. A
larger flatness index indicates a flatter shaped stem.
TABLE 3
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Comparative Leaf Blade Length, Width and Sheath Length of
6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.
Blade Length (cm)
Blade Sheath
Ohio.sup.(b)
Width.sup.(c)
Length.sup.(c)
Selection/ High.sup.(c)
Low.sup.(d)
(cm) (cm)
Variety Texas.sup.(a)
Light Light Ohio.sup.(b)
Ohio.sup.(b)
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6-72-130 2.2 5.2 14.8 1.3 2.7
6-72-182 -- 5.3 13.7 1.5 2.3
Delmar 3.0 7.3 16.7 1.8 3.3
Bitterblue
-- 7.4 17.5 1.5 2.8
Floratam 6.6 10.1 27.2 1.7 4.5
Floratine -- 8.6 16.3 1.4 3.2
Raleigh 3.9 7.8 13.8 1.7 3.7
Seville 2.9 6.9 18.4 1.4 2.9
Texas Common
2.7 8.1 16.6 1.7 3.6
California
-- 3.8 11.8 1.2 2.2
Common
1081 -- 7.8 15.2 1.5 3.2
LSD (.05) .77 2.03 3.25 0.17 0.71
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.sup.(a) Field Planting Cleveland, Texas.
.sup.(b) Greenhouse Planting Marysville, Ohio. Measurements taken on
unclipped potted plants.
.sup.(c) After a period of natural sunlight and a high level supplemental
light.
.sup.(d) After a lengthy period of very cloudy conditions and no
supplemental light.
TABLE 4
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Comparative measurements of the inflorescence and related
structures of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine grasses.sup.(a).
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Spike Peduncle
Length Width Length
Width
Selection/Variety
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
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6-72-130 56 4.8 41 1.7
6-72-182 60 4.3 52 1.6
Delmar 93 5.3 68 2.1
Bitterblue 78 5.6 61 2.2
Floratam 96 5.9 83 2.4
Floratine 74 5.8 48 2.3
Raleigh 72 5.8 62 2.2
Seville 71 4.9 50 1.9
Texas Common
68 4.9 42 1.9
1081 78 5.2 60 1.9
LSD (.05) 10.0 .64 18.3 0.28
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Flag Leaf Flag Leaf Sheath
Length Width Length
Selection/Variety
(mm) (mm) (mm)
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6-72-130 30 5.9 31
6-72-182 16 6.0 30
Delmar 21 6.7 46
Bitterblue 22 6.4 44
Floratam 35 6.3 46
Floratine 27 7.2 39
Raleigh 25 7.5 42
Seville 15 5.8 38
Texas Common
29 7.1 39
1081 25 6.3 39
LSD (.05) 12.4 1.08 6.7
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.sup.(a) Greenhouse planting Marysville, Ohio.
Field observations of 6-72-130 indicate that it has generally good turf quality characteristics throughout the year and across the area of the United States where St. Augustine grass is adapted. It performs especially well in the climate of southern California. Although it performs best during the hotter summer months, it has good cold tolerance and performs well during the winter months. These characteristics of 6-72-130 as compared with other St. Augustine grasses are illustrated in Tables 5-7.
TABLE 5
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Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine
grasses at various locations in the U.S.
Turf Quality
Florida.sup.(b)
Win- Cali-
Selection/Variety
Summer ter Mean fornia.sup.(c)
Texas.sup.(d)
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6-72-130 8.2 7.6 7.8 7.9 7.0
6-72-182 9.3 8.3 8.7 -- --
Bitterblue 7.3 5.9 6.0 -- --
Calif. Common
-- -- -- 6.7 --
Delmar 9.8 9.0 9.6 5.9 7.0
Floratam 7.5 5.8 6.1 -- 6.3
Floratine 7.2 6.1 6.4 -- --
Florida Common
8.2 6.6 7.0 -- --
Raleigh 6.7 7.1 7.4 -- 6.3
Seville 9.0 7.9 8.1 6.8 6.3
Texas Common
6.5 8.4 8.0 4.6 8.3
1081 8.7 6.8 7.3 -- --
LSD (.05) 0.45 0.99 0.88 1.7
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.sup.(a) Quality rated 1-10, 10 = best.
.sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida
.sup.(c) Test planted at Somas, California
.sup.(d) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas
TABLE 6
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Comparative turf quality.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine
grass varieties at the South Coast Field Station of the University
of California - Riverside.
Turf Quality
Selection/Variety
Summer Winter Mean
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6-72-130 6.6 4.6 5.4
6-72-182 5.8 4.5 5.0
Calif. Common
5.4 4.2 4.7
Delmar 5.3 4.7 4.9
Floratam 5.4 4.1 4.6
Raleigh 4.6 3.3 3.9
Texas Common 5.5 4.3 4.8
LSD (.05) 0.50 0.44 0.39
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.sup.(a) Qualityrated 1-10, 10 = best.
TABLE 7
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Comparative cold injury of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine
grasses in Apopka, Florida.
Cold Injury (%)
Selection/Variety
Expt. 1 Expt. 2 Expt. 3
Expt. 4
Mean
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6-72-130 35 17 38 18 27
6-72-182 21 5 35 28 22
Bitterblue 53 38 58 34 46
Delmar 0 0 17 3 5
Floratam 40 42 55 40 44
Floratine 48 32 37 26 36
Raleigh 32 12 37 24 28
Seville 35 15 37 24 28
Texas Common
18 7 33 28 21
1081 47 33 48 33 40
LSD (.05) 20.9 18.5 26.1 23.5 16.5
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Color of turf is an important component of turf quality. 6-72-130 has a pleasant medium green color comparable to many other St. Augustine grasses. Other factors that have shown varietal differences include: tendency to turn brown during the winter, for which 6-72-130 is rated about average; susceptibility to Asulox (an important herbicide) to which 6-72-130 is not susceptible; tendency to have a flush of seedheads in the spring, for which 6-72-130 has a lower tendency than other varieties; purple stem color, especially during cold weather, for which 6-72-130 has a higher than average tendency; susceptibility to gray leaf spot to which 6-72-130 has good resistance; and susceptibility to chinch bugs to which 6-72-130 has shown no greater susceptibility than most other varieties. Data on turf color, winter browning, Asulox injury, seedheads, purple stems, gray leaf spot and chinch bugs are illustrated in Tables 8-12.
TABLE 8
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Comparative color ratings of 6-72-130 and other St. Augustine
grasses at various locations in the U.S.
Color.sup.(a)
Florida.sup.(b)
California
Selection/Variety
Summer Mean Scfs.sup.(c)
Somas.sup.(d)
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6-72-130 8.6 7.7 3.8 8.4
6-72-182 9.8 8.5 3.9 --
Bitterblue 8.5 7.6 -- --
Calif. Common
-- -- 3.8 8.4
Delmar 10.0 8.9 4.6 8.2
Floratam 8.8 7.8 4.2 --
Floratine 8.0 7.5 -- --
Florida Common
8.3 7.9 -- --
Raleigh 7.0 6.5 3.4 --
Seville 9.2 8.5 -- 7.2
Texas Common
6.8 7.9 4.0 6.3
1081 8.8 8.0 -- --
LSD (.05) 0.48 0.67 0.35
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.sup.(a) Color rated 1-10, 10 = darkest green.
.sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida.
.sup.(c) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of
California Riverside.
.sup.(d) Test planted at Somas, California.
TABLE 9
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Comparative ratings of various attributes of 6-72-130 and other St.
Augustine grasses which detract from overall appearance.
Selection/Variety
Brown.sup.(a)
Asulox.sup.(b)
Seed Heads.sup.(c)
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6-72-130 6.3 5 7.7
6-72-182 5.0 0 --
Delmar 3.7 0 5.7
Bitterblue -- 12 --
Floratam 6.3 0 7.0
Floratine -- 2 --
Raleigh 8.3 10 3.0
Seville -- 3 5.7
Texas Common
5.7 0 5.7
California Common
4.0 -- --
1081 -- 7 --
LSD (.05) 2.0 5.3 2.3
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.sup.(a) Test planted at South Coast Field Station University of
California Rated as % brown turf.
.sup.(b) Test planted at Apopka, Florida Rated as % injury.
.sup.(c) Test planted at Cleveland, Texas Rated 0-9, 9 = no seedheads, 1
= many seedheads.
TABLE 10
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Comparative evaluations of purple stem color of 6-72-130 and
other St. Augustine grasses.
Purple Stem Color.sup.(a)
Selection/Variety
Ohio.sup.(b)
Florida.sup.(c)
California.sup.(d)
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6-72-130 8.3 30 4.3
6-72-182 4.5 3 0
Bitterblue 8.0 10 --
Cal. Common -- -- 0.7
Delmar 3.5 7 0.7
Floratam 8.3 20 2.7
Floratine 8.0 8 --
Raleigh 6.0 28 1.7
Seville 4.0 0 --
Texas Common 4.5 8 1.0
1081 7.5 58 --
LSD (.05) 1.1 15 0.9
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.sup.(a) Purple stem color rated 1-10, 10 = stolons are very purple, 1 =
stolons are entirely green. For Florida, visual estimation of the level o
stem purpling in percent.
.sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Marysville, Ohio.
.sup.(c) Test planted at Apopka, Florida.
.sup.(d) Test planted at South Coast Field Station, University of
California Riverside.
TABLE 11
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Comparative ratings of gray leaf spot.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and other St.
Augustine grasses at Apopka, Florida.
Selection/Variety
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6-72-130 1.7
6-72-182 1.7
Bitterblue 3.5
Delmar 1.0
Floratam 3.8
Floratine 2.6
Raleigh 0.7
Seville 0.8
Texas Common 2.4
1081 2.2
LSD (.05) 0.88
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.sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = most disease.
TABLE 12
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Comparative ratings of chinch bug tolerance.sup.(a) of 6-72-130 and
other St. Augustine grasses.
Selection/Variety
Florida.sup.(b)
California.sup.(c)
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6-72-130 1.7 0.5
6-72-182 3.0 --
Delmar 2.0 0.0
Bitterblue 5.0 --
Floratam 7.0 --
Floratine 2.7 --
Raleigh 6.3 --
Seville 5.7 0.3
Texas Common 4.7 2.0
California Common
-- 3.0
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.sup.(a) Rated 1-10, 10 = severe damage.
.sup.(b) Test planted in the greenhouse at Apopka, Florida.
.sup.(c) Test planted at the South Coast Field Station, University of
California Riverside.
Claims
1. A St. Augustine grass, substantially as herein illustrated and described.
Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 25, 1988
Date of Patent: Jul 11, 1989
Assignee: The O.M. Scott & Sons Company (Marysville, OH)
Inventors: Wayne C. Mixson (Apopka, FL), Terrance P. Riordan (Lincoln, NE), Virgil D. Meier (Marysville, OH)
Primary Examiner: James R. Feyrer
Application Number: 7/185,524
International Classification: A01H 500;
