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REGISTRATIONS OF CULTIVARS

Registration of ‘Yukon’ Bermudagrass

^a Plant & Soil Sciences Dep., Okla. St. Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078
^b Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Dep., Okla. St. Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078

^* Corresponding author (cmt{at}mail.pss.okstate.edu)

‘Yukon’ bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon var. dactylon (L.) Pers.] (Reg. no. CV-43, PI 619408) was released by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station in 1997. Yukon is a seed-propagated, turf-type, synthetic cultivar produced by the intercrossing of six highly out-crossing clonal parent plants. It was tested under the experimental designation OKS 91-11.

The parent plants (18-10, 24-6, 43-10, 44-10, 49-5, and 49-10) were selected in 1990 from a broad genetic base breeding population that had previously undergone two cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection for increased fertility (percentage of florets setting seed) and refined texture (i.e., smaller plant size). The breeding population was developed in the early 1980s from winter-hardy germplasm accessions and breeding lines previously identified as having seed production capability (Ahring et al., 1974, Richardson et al., 1978). The six plants were selected on the basis of seed production potential, strong self-sterility, growth form (turf type), and winter hardiness. Yukon was evaluated by means of syn-1 seed first produced in 1991.

Extensive testing of Yukon identified its strengths, relative to other seeded turf bermudagrasses, as exceptional cold tolerance and turf quality. Turf quality of Yukon was equal to ‘Mirage’, ‘Jackpot’, and ‘J-27’ and better (P < 0.05) than all other seeded entries in the 1992 through 1996 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program bermudagrass test (Morris, 1997). In this test, Yukon suffered significantly less winter kill than Mirage and Jackpot. Laboratory freeze tolerance evaluations indicated a lower T_mid (midpoint of survival vs. temperature response curves) for Yukon (-7.6°C) compared with Mirage (-6.1°C), but no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the T_mid of Yukon and Jackpot (-6.3°C) (Anderson et al., 2002). Yukon has a high level of resistance to spring dead spot disease caused by Ophiosphaerella herpotricha (Fr.) Walker (Martin et al., 2001a). At low seeding rates ( 4.88 g/m²) Yukon may establish slower than Arizona Common and similar cultivars because of slower seedling development and less aggressive lateral spread. The relatively less aggressive growth rate of Yukon also causes it to heal more slowly from sod injuries, such as the divoting, common to golf course fairways (Martin et al., 2001b).

Yukon has dark-green color, relatively fine texture, and produces a dense sod. These characteristics should make it useful for many turf applications in regions where bermudagrass is well adapted. Yukon's exceptional cold tolerance should make it especially useful in the transition zone between warm- and cool-season turf grasses.

Pedigreed classes of planting material are (i) Breeder sprigs–sod, (ii) Foundation sprigs–sod and seed, and (iii) Certified sprigs–sod and seed. The six clonally propagated parental plants of Yukon constitute the Breeder stock. Seed production fields are established by means of a mechanical mixture of Foundation sprigs of the six parents, to produce either Foundation or Certified class seed. Certified class seed may be produced from fields planted to Foundation class seed. Yukon is also propagated vegetatively from sod and/or sprigs from fields established with Certified class seed and maintained under certification. Breeder stock of Yukon will be maintained by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station. Foundation stocks will be produced under the auspices of the Oklahoma Foundation Seed Stocks, Inc. Yukon is exclusively licensed to Johnston's Seed Co., Enid, OK, and Seed Research of Oregon, Halsey, OR. U.S. Plant Variety Protection for Yukon has been applied for (Application No. 200100234).

NOTES

Registration by CSSA.

Accepted for publication November 30, 2002.

REFERENCES

• Ahring, R.M., C.M. Taliaferro, and R.D. Morrison. 1974. Seed production of several strains and hybrids of bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Crop Sci. 14:93–95.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Anderson, J.A., C.M. Taliaferro, and D.L. Martin. 2002. Freeze tolerance of bermudagrasses: Vegetatively propagated cultivars intended for fairway and putting green use, and seed-propagated cultivars. Crop Sci. 42:975–977.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Martin, D.L., G.E. Bell, J.H. Baird, C.M. Taliaferro, N.A. Tisserat, R.M. Kuzmic, D.D. Dobson, and J.A. Anderson. 2001a. Spring dead spot resistance and quality of seeded bermudagrasses under different mowing heights. Crop Sci. 41:451–456.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
• Martin, D.L., G.E. Bell, C.M. Taliaferro, J.A. Anderson, D.D. Dobson, J.E. Gazaway, R.M. Kuzmic, and N.W. Walker. 2001b. Turf bermudagrasses show substantial differences in divot recuperation rate. In Annual Meetings Abstracts [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, and SSSA, Madison, WI.
• Morris, K. 1997. National Bermudagrass Test–1992. Final Report 1992–96, NTEP No. 97–9. National Turfgrass Evaluation Program, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD.
• Richardson, W.L., C.M. Taliaferro, and R.M. Ahring. 1978. Fertility of eight bermudagrass clones and open-pollinated progeny from them. Crop Sci. 18:332–334.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Taliaferro, C.M. Articles by Guenzi, A.C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Taliaferro, C.M. Articles by Guenzi, A.C. Agricola Articles by Taliaferro, C.M. Articles by Guenzi, A.C.