Is the field gonna be a mess and players slipping all over the place? This must be why the spread slipped from 5 1/2 to 4 and the over is down to 37 1/2
Bermudagrass (
Cynodon spp.) is a major turf species for sports fields, lawns, parks, golf courses, and general utility turfs in Australia, Africa, India, South America and the Southern region of the United States. It is found in over 100 counties throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Common bermudagrass, C. dactylon, naturalized throughout the warmer regions of the United States, was introduced into this country during the colonial period from Africa or India. The earliest introductions are not recorded, but bermudagrass is listed as one of the principal grasses in the Southern States in Mease's Geological Account of the United States published in 1807.
The genus
Cynodon comprises nine species with
C. dactylon being the most widespread. That C. dactylon is a tetraploid with broad genetic variability serves to explain its widespread distribution. Other
Cynodon species have a more limited natural distribution and are often restricted to one particular habitat.
C. dactylon is highly fertile, whereas the diploid species such as
C. transvaalensis rarely produce viable seed.
C. dactylon (L.) Pers is commonly called bermudagrass in many areas of the world. But, it is also known by numerous other names including "Kweekgras" (S. Africa), couch grass (Australia and Africa), devil's grass (India) and gramillia (Argentina). The variety of names given this species attests to its wide distribution and to the fact that it is the object of abuse and scorn.
In addition to being a widely used species for forage and turf,
C. dactylon is a serious weed in many crops. Being a vigorous, stoloniferous grass, it rapidly invades crops in high rainfall or irrigated areas.
C. dactylon is ranked among the three most troublesome weeds in sugarcane, cotton, corn and vineyards in many countries. It is a difficult weed to eradicate because of its seed production and deep rhizomes.
In the United States the distribution of bermudagrass extends from New Jersey and Maryland southward to Florida and westward to Kansas and Texas. Under irrigation its distribution extends westward to southern New Mexico, Arizona and to most major valleys in California. The development of more cold tolerant turf-type varieties of bermudagrass such as U-3 and Midiron has increased interest in the species near its northern limits. Low winter temperature is the factor that limits the northward distribution of bermudagrass.
. Bermudagrass (
C. dactylon (L.) Pers.) is a highly variable, sod forming perennial that spreads by stolons, rhizomes and seed. Stolons of bermudagrass readily root at the nodes. Lateral buds develop at the nodes to produce erect or ascending stems that reach 5 to 40 cm (rarely over 90 cm) in height. In most
Cynodon sp., leaves are borne on stems with long internodes alternating with one or more very short internodes. This characteristic gives the impression that the species has multiple-leaved nodes. Leaf sheaths are compressed to round, loose, split, smooth, sparsely hairy, up to 15 cm long, and with a tuft of hairs 2 to 5 mm long. Auricles are absent. Collar is continuous, narrow, glabrous and hairy on margins. Leaf blades are 2 to 16 cm long, 1.5 to 5 mm wide, smooth to sparsely pubescent, folded or loosely rolled in the bud and sharply-pointed. The inflorescence consists of 3 to 7 spikes in a single whorl in a fingerlike arrangement and 3 to 10 cm long. In robust forms there may be up to 10 spikes, sometimes in two whorls. Spikelets are 2 to 3 mm long, in 2 rows tightly appressed to one side of the rachis; glumes are to ° the length of spikelet; lemma is boot-shaped, acute with fringe of hairs on the keel and longer than the glume; seed is 1.5 mm long, oval, straw to red-colored and free within the lemma and palea.
Bermudagrass has a fibrous, perennial root system with vigorous, deep rhizomes. Roots are produced at the nodes after new leaves or tillers are produced during the growing season and after new shoots are produced in the spring. Mature roots are yellow to brown while new roots are white. Mature roots deteriorate throughout the growing season and new roots are produced continuously. Root production and dieback has been reported to be particularly high in the spring at the onset of shoot production.
. Bermudagrass is a warm season perennial species adapted to tropical and subtropical climates. It grows best under extended periods of high temperatures, mild winters and moderate to high rainfall. Temperature is the main environmental factor that limits its adaptability to tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The northern limits of bermudagrass extend into the transitional zone of the United States where low temperatures seldom drop below 10°F. In general, temperatures below 30°F kill the leaves and stems of bermudagrass. Research has demonstrated that bermudagrass will continue to grow with night temperatures as low as 34°F if day temperatures are near 70°F. However, when average temperatures drop below 50°F growth stops and the grass begins to discolor. At the onset of low temperatures in the fall and winter, bermudagrass begins to discolor, protein fractions change in composition and reserve carbohydrates increase in the stems and rhizomes. After the first killing frost, leaves and stems of bermudagrass remain dormant until average daily temperatures rise above 50°F for several days. The roots and rhizomes of bermudagrass continue to grow several weeks after the leaves and stems stop growth.
